Men's College Soccer: St. Edward's University: Season Preview - Sites
2015 season preview
men's soccer
The St. Edward’s University men’s soccer team reached new heights in 2014, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Along the way, the Hilltoppers won the Heartland Conference regular season and tournament titles. The 2015 squad is looking to build off that momentum and make NCAA Tournament appearances the standard. “The 2014 season was excellent both on the field and in the classroom,” head coach Brian Young said. “Every player did his job, which put us in a good spot to win every game. The current players know how hard it was to get to the NCAA Sweet 16, and they have continued to work each day in the offseason to prepare for the 2015 season. If we want to earn another berth in the NCAA Tournament, it is vital that the players and staff focus on each training session and upcoming opponent with the end in mind.” The Hilltoppers return eight starters and 17 letterwinners from last year’s team that set a school record for victories with 16. “We lost two legendary career goalscorers: Andy Fox, who just signed a professional contract with Peterborough United in England, and Danny Riley, who is having a fantastic PDL season with the Midland Sockers,” Young said. “We have a lot of players who now have the chance to step up and play a larger role. A lot of the returning players had an exceptional spring season. In the spring, the staff worked on ways to produce more goals in areas that were lacking in the 2014 season so we can be a more dangerous attacking team in 2015. Matt O’Sullivan and I worked very hard to recruit two quality players in each position and to develop the younger talent in the offseason. As a result, the team is deep in each position, making it a competitive environment and giving the staff a better selection pool on match day. I believe depth is our biggest strength.”
THE TEAM FORWARDS Gone is the constant goal-scoring threat of Riley. The Hilltoppers will now look to junior Haiden Stiles and sophomore Sam Jackson. Senior Kyle Ruck might also see playing time up front. Senior Tim Lagrimas and freshman Tristan Cavazos are also in the mix at the forward position. MIDFIELDERS The core of the midfield returns this season with seniors Karl De Zoeten and Ruck, along with juniors Josh Taylor and Jack Blanton, and sophomore Pablo Covarrubias leading the way. They will be asked to replace the goalscoring prowess of the departed Fox (16 goals). Taylor had an exceptional season with Midland Sockers (PDL) this summer and should be in excellent form this fall. Junior Steve Aoudou made major strides since his freshman season, and Julian Sanchez is expected to do the same this fall. Rounding out the returning players are senior Adam Bonville and sophomores John-Mathew Blay-Tofey and Drake Lovelady. Junior Grant Mobley could have a good chance to get his first start early in the season after battling season-ending injuries the last two years. Newcomers Pierce Searls, Layne Broiher and Dylan Armstrong are very strong in each of their midfielder roles, and they are expected to contribute right away.
DEFENDERS Defensively, the Hilltoppers will lean on co-captain Kyle Pujats, who was named to the All-Heartland Conference team for the third-straight season. Owain Hoskins will get a chance to earn his first start after a year of residency at St. Edward’s. Ty Mobley has greatly improved since his freshman year at centerback. Nate Coons will look to match his outstanding sophomore year at leftback, and senior Ryan Dendinger is projected as the rightback. Others vying for playing time are freshmen Antonio Arana, Hunter Williams and Ivan Anaya and sophomore Roberto Anderson. GOALKEEPERS Kevin Leib returns after a sophomore season in which he was named to two all-region teams and received Academic All-America status. Leib will be pushed by returners Phillip Ellis and Greg Harrow, as well as newcomer William Tuffin.
SCHEDULE St. Edward’s will once again have a daunting non-conference schedule as the team takes on NCAA Final Four participant Colorado Mesa, NCAA Regional qualifier Midwestern State, RMAC Tournament Champion Colorado School of Mines and perennial power Fort Lewis College. All of these matchups occur within the first four weeks of the season. The non-conference schedule is rounded out against regional opponents Eastern New Mexico, Ouachita Baptist and West Texas A&M. “My philosophy has always been to play the very best teams in the region who are willing to play us,” Young said. “It’s the best experience for our studentathletes and also helps to give the team an opportunity to be considered for an NCAA at-large tournament bid each year.”
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE Texas A&M–International has proven to be an excellent matchup for St. Edward’s in years past, while Newman and rival St. Mary’s will also compete for the Heartland Conference title. All four teams made the conference tournament this past season. The conference became deeper when Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian advanced to full NCAA DII status; they can now compete for the conference title in 2015. “Last year was the first time a Heartland Conference men’s soccer team went undefeated through the regular season and conference tournament, but that is our goal every season,” Young said. “If we take the same one-game-at-a-time approach we did last season, it is possible to make another run. The teams in the conference had strong results against non-conference regional opponents last fall. The league gets more challenging every year.”
(continued, page 2)
2015 season preview
men's soccer
FINAL THOUGHTS With 17 letterwinners returning, many of whom played major minutes last season, and the addition of several talented and hard-working players, the Hilltoppers expect to finish the season stronger than last year and return to the NCAA Tournament. “Every year we coach and play to improve on the season before,” Young stated. “Over the last three years, we have been successful in advancing the program. This season we will work hard to ensure that, as a team, we move the program forward once again.”
2015–2016 CAPTAINS
Kyle Pujats ’16 Defender Keller, Texas
Karl de Zoeten ’16 Midfielder Southlake, Texas
Learn more about Hilltopper men’s soccer at: GoHilltoppers.com
men's soccer
The St. Edward’s University men’s soccer team reached new heights in 2014, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Along the way, the Hilltoppers won the Heartland Conference regular season and tournament titles. The 2015 squad is looking to build off that momentum and make NCAA Tournament appearances the standard. “The 2014 season was excellent both on the field and in the classroom,” head coach Brian Young said. “Every player did his job, which put us in a good spot to win every game. The current players know how hard it was to get to the NCAA Sweet 16, and they have continued to work each day in the offseason to prepare for the 2015 season. If we want to earn another berth in the NCAA Tournament, it is vital that the players and staff focus on each training session and upcoming opponent with the end in mind.” The Hilltoppers return eight starters and 17 letterwinners from last year’s team that set a school record for victories with 16. “We lost two legendary career goalscorers: Andy Fox, who just signed a professional contract with Peterborough United in England, and Danny Riley, who is having a fantastic PDL season with the Midland Sockers,” Young said. “We have a lot of players who now have the chance to step up and play a larger role. A lot of the returning players had an exceptional spring season. In the spring, the staff worked on ways to produce more goals in areas that were lacking in the 2014 season so we can be a more dangerous attacking team in 2015. Matt O’Sullivan and I worked very hard to recruit two quality players in each position and to develop the younger talent in the offseason. As a result, the team is deep in each position, making it a competitive environment and giving the staff a better selection pool on match day. I believe depth is our biggest strength.”
THE TEAM FORWARDS Gone is the constant goal-scoring threat of Riley. The Hilltoppers will now look to junior Haiden Stiles and sophomore Sam Jackson. Senior Kyle Ruck might also see playing time up front. Senior Tim Lagrimas and freshman Tristan Cavazos are also in the mix at the forward position. MIDFIELDERS The core of the midfield returns this season with seniors Karl De Zoeten and Ruck, along with juniors Josh Taylor and Jack Blanton, and sophomore Pablo Covarrubias leading the way. They will be asked to replace the goalscoring prowess of the departed Fox (16 goals). Taylor had an exceptional season with Midland Sockers (PDL) this summer and should be in excellent form this fall. Junior Steve Aoudou made major strides since his freshman season, and Julian Sanchez is expected to do the same this fall. Rounding out the returning players are senior Adam Bonville and sophomores John-Mathew Blay-Tofey and Drake Lovelady. Junior Grant Mobley could have a good chance to get his first start early in the season after battling season-ending injuries the last two years. Newcomers Pierce Searls, Layne Broiher and Dylan Armstrong are very strong in each of their midfielder roles, and they are expected to contribute right away.
DEFENDERS Defensively, the Hilltoppers will lean on co-captain Kyle Pujats, who was named to the All-Heartland Conference team for the third-straight season. Owain Hoskins will get a chance to earn his first start after a year of residency at St. Edward’s. Ty Mobley has greatly improved since his freshman year at centerback. Nate Coons will look to match his outstanding sophomore year at leftback, and senior Ryan Dendinger is projected as the rightback. Others vying for playing time are freshmen Antonio Arana, Hunter Williams and Ivan Anaya and sophomore Roberto Anderson. GOALKEEPERS Kevin Leib returns after a sophomore season in which he was named to two all-region teams and received Academic All-America status. Leib will be pushed by returners Phillip Ellis and Greg Harrow, as well as newcomer William Tuffin.
SCHEDULE St. Edward’s will once again have a daunting non-conference schedule as the team takes on NCAA Final Four participant Colorado Mesa, NCAA Regional qualifier Midwestern State, RMAC Tournament Champion Colorado School of Mines and perennial power Fort Lewis College. All of these matchups occur within the first four weeks of the season. The non-conference schedule is rounded out against regional opponents Eastern New Mexico, Ouachita Baptist and West Texas A&M. “My philosophy has always been to play the very best teams in the region who are willing to play us,” Young said. “It’s the best experience for our studentathletes and also helps to give the team an opportunity to be considered for an NCAA at-large tournament bid each year.”
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE Texas A&M–International has proven to be an excellent matchup for St. Edward’s in years past, while Newman and rival St. Mary’s will also compete for the Heartland Conference title. All four teams made the conference tournament this past season. The conference became deeper when Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian advanced to full NCAA DII status; they can now compete for the conference title in 2015. “Last year was the first time a Heartland Conference men’s soccer team went undefeated through the regular season and conference tournament, but that is our goal every season,” Young said. “If we take the same one-game-at-a-time approach we did last season, it is possible to make another run. The teams in the conference had strong results against non-conference regional opponents last fall. The league gets more challenging every year.”
(continued, page 2)
2015 season preview
men's soccer
FINAL THOUGHTS With 17 letterwinners returning, many of whom played major minutes last season, and the addition of several talented and hard-working players, the Hilltoppers expect to finish the season stronger than last year and return to the NCAA Tournament. “Every year we coach and play to improve on the season before,” Young stated. “Over the last three years, we have been successful in advancing the program. This season we will work hard to ensure that, as a team, we move the program forward once again.”
2015–2016 CAPTAINS
Kyle Pujats ’16 Defender Keller, Texas
Karl de Zoeten ’16 Midfielder Southlake, Texas
Learn more about Hilltopper men’s soccer at: GoHilltoppers.com
