A lot is on the horizon for the Seattle University men's soccer team in 2010, beginning with the fact that the team is eligible for NCAA Tournament the first time since the reclassification process into Division I status commenced. The potential of postseason play, in addition to veteran leadership returning and a solid incoming class, the Redhawk soccer program is excited to kick off the new season.
"We are looking forward to starting the upcoming season," said head coach Brad Agoos. "Last year was our first full year at Division I and we played one of the hardest schedules in the country. I think it was a great season in some ways and really challenging in other ways."
"We are excited about our schedule this year. It is a strong schedule and we play again some of the top teams in the country and on the West Coast. I think I've asked a lot of the guys, as we are challenging them with this year's schedule, but we are looking forward to it and seeing what they can come up with for us," commented Agoos.
Looking Back on 2009
Last season the Redhawks played their first full season at the NCAA Division I level. They also made their debut as members of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, where they earned three of their four wins on the season. Seattle U finished tied for fourth place in the MPSF, which would have made them eligible for the conference tournament; however due to the reclassifying process they did not qualify for postseason play.
In 2009, the squad suffered several injuries combined with a schedule that featured perennial soccer powerhouses like then-ranked No. 10 and No. 12 Notre Dame and Indiana, respectively, Pacific Northwest rival Washington and New Mexico, who went to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The team was challenged by their tough schedule and not having the depth they were accustomed to; however the entire lineup from the newcomers to the veterans worked to step up to the challenge. Behind a schedule boasting several top teams the team was able to see progress each day.
"One of the things last year that hurt us, not tactics-wise, was we had a tough year with injuries," Agoos said. "We played a tremendous spring schedule, so I saw progress every game in the spring, in addition to the progress made over the season. We played four professional teams in the spring and I don't know how many teams in the country will do something like that."
"I think that we will see a lot of growth from each individual and the team as a whole. It is a matter of us getting together, getting organized and working extremely hard which will be the difference in being successful this year and building on last season," reflected the head coach.
Gearing Up For 2010
"This year a lot of guys are getting healthier and we brought in a lot of good younger guys," said Agoos. "One thing will help us is that we have a lot of very good options and a lot of depth this year. I think that is going to be a great help for us."
This season the team returns 14 letterwinners from 2009, after losing five players last year. Seven starters are coming back, leaving four vacancies in the starting 11 going into this season. In addition to bring back a majority of their roster from last year, the team will welcome nine newcomers to action this season. The newest members of the Redhawk soccer program come with a wealth of top club playing experience and will all vie for minutes on the field.
"All the guys coming are all great people and have great character," said Agoos of his incoming class. "I think the guys that are coming in are going to be a real strong group throughout their four years. They are all really strong players and athletic. They will all push to play or guys in front of them. There'll be a lot of opportunity for them, whether it is this year or in time."
Striking Up Top
Agoos will look to the tandem of Kyle Peterman (Boise, Idaho) and Ed Walugembe (Kampala, Uganda) for leadership up top at forward. The duo made a lot of progress in the last season and played well together, especially throughout the spring. Scott Greenburg (Seattle, Wash.), who redshirted last year, will be a fresh face to add depth to the position. Brady Ballew (Marysville, Wash.), Renato Bandeira (Sammamish, Wash.), Brandon Hamer (Carmichael, Calif.), Marshall Kosaka (Burien, Wash.) and Ben Striar (Portland, Ore.) may also be called to play up top, in addition to vying for time in the midfield.
The Midfielders
The Redhawks have tri-captain Sean Morris (Bothell, Wash.) returning to anchor the midfield. Following a standout junior campaign, where he tallied three goals and three assists, he will look to be an all around leader on the team. There are several young players who will be called on to play major roles in the middle for SU, beginning with Troy Bratten (Gresham, Ore.), who had a good spring and end of his first season in 2009. Newcomer Nico De la Cruz (Port Orchard, Wash.) has the potential to become an immediate impact player for the team. The team has a slew of players with experience in the midfield, including Ballew, Cheno Barajas (White Salmon, Ore.), Hamer, Kosaka, Alex McCrackin (Rio Linda, Calif.), Scott Meyer (College Station, Texas), Elliot Richards (Seattle, Wash.), Demaci Roussos (Sacramento, Calif.) and Striar. With a lot of depth in the position, Agoos sees the midfield as a strength for the team.
The Backline
While he is versatile, junior Roussos, who was voted one of the team's tri-captains, has developed into a strong leader in the backline the past two seasons. David Ranney (Lynwood, Wash.), who is also a captain in 2010, is returning to action after being out for the past couple seasons due to a slew of injuries. There are also several younger players who will be called on to command positions in the Redhawk defense, including Ryan Blair (Albuquerque, N.M.) who saw a good amount of playing time as a freshman last year. Will Banchero (West Seattle, Wash.), Kevin Cook (Gresham, Ore.), McCrackin, Meyer, Peterman, Richards and Bobby Segal (Portland, Ore.) all may see minutes in the backline this year, as well.
Between the Pipes
The Redhawk goalkeeping staff will see two fresh faces joining senior Ivan Dizdar (Croatia), who played in 10 games last year after transferring to SU. He sported a pair of wins and a goals against average of 1.75. Dizdar has taken on a major leadership role on the team and will provide veteran guidance for rookies Jake Feener (Rocklin, Calif.) and Logan Richards (Woodinville, Wash.), who both enter 2010 behind strong club careers. Feener was also a first team high school All-American.
The Schedule
The Redhawks will have another top-notch and very competitive schedule in 2010, including four squads that participated in last season's NCAA Tournament. Seattle U will open at the SMU Invitational, which is one of the best tournaments in the country. The team will open with Tulsa on Saturday, Sept. 4, who received a No. 7 preseason ranking from the NSCAA. They will also take on invitational host Southern Methodist. Following their weekend in Texas, the Redhawks will host the Seattle University Tournament bringing in the WCC's Gonzaga, which will be a great inter-state competition, and sport powerhouse Michigan. SU will play in two additional tournaments in the Oregon State Henson/Zaher Nike Classic and the Husky Fever Classic. At the UW tournament, SU will take on crosstown foe Washington and are going to be able to host one of the top Pacific Northwest teams in Portland at home for the late September tournament.
After a very competitive non-conference schedule, SU will open up MPSF play on Sunday, Oct. 3, when Cal State Bakersfield travels to the Emerald City for a 2:30 p.m. match. The conference boasts a pair of teams that qualified for postseason play in the NCAA Tournament in New Mexico and Sacramento State, both voted to finish in the top spots in the conference. This season the MPSF will be split into two divisions: Pacific and Mountain. Despite the division breakdowns, SU will square off with all teams in the MPSF. The team has their eyes on the conference tournament from Nov. 11-14, in Sacramento, Calif., as they are looking for either their MPSF's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament or an at-large selection.
"The great thing was last year we weren't eligible for the conference tournament, even though we would have made it according to the rules," said Agoos. "This year provides such a great opportunity for us to have a postseason with the conference tournament and chance to get into the NCAA Tournament. We can qualify as an at-large team or be our conference representative in the tournament. I think for the staff we couldn't be more excited. We have had a couple years of transition where we didn't have any postseason to play for and now we have everything to play for."
This season provides the team with their biggest opportunity since reclassifying and transitioning into full DI status. The potential of tournament play is something that the entire team is excited about; however it is not their lone motivator.
"Somebody who is a competitor shouldn't go out and look at that to compete, but obviously it has added and upped the ante," said Agoos about the possibility of tournament play. "We all want that kind of motivation, challenge and pressure to be playing for something."
For more information about the Seattle University men's soccer team or to purchase tickets please visit www.GoSeattleU.com.