Three-time defending Champion St. Scholastica tops UMAC Men's Soccer Coaches' Poll
2013UMAC Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll
1. 49 Points - College of St. Scholastica (7 First Place Votes)
2. 43 Points - University of Minnesota Morris (1)
T-3. 34 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
T-3. 34 Points – University of Northwestern (Minn.)
5. 22 Points - Crown College
6. 18 Points – North Central University (Minn.)
7. 17 Points - Martin Luther College
8. 7 Points - Northland College
ST. PAUL – The College of St. Scholastica men’s soccer team was selected as the unanimous favorite to win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season title in 2013, according to a poll of league coaches. The Saints, who have won three-straight regular season trophies, will look to capture their fourth consecutive championship this season.
1. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2012 Overall Record: 18-5-0
2012 UMAC Record: 14-0-0
2012 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 9
Starters Lost: 2
The St. Scholastica men's soccer team set numerous offensive records in 2012 and made it back to the NCAA Division III Tournament. With most of the offensive firepower returning, CSS is primed for another run to the national tournament. For the first time since the 2007 season, CSS went unbeaten and untied in league play with a 14-0-0 record last season. The Saints led NCAA Division III in scoring offense (4.13), total goals (95), total assists (103) and total points (293) last season. Most that contributed to those numbers are back. Junior forward Andrew Jenkins returns after leading the nation with 59 points last season. Jenkins was named the UMAC Offensive Player of the Year. Also back, is senior midfielder Joe Watt, who led the country with 26 assists a season ago. Senior forward Rob Johnson also returns after finishing 10th in the nation with 11 assists.
Senior defender Caleb Yurek returns after being named first team all-conference last season. Senior Antony Blackburn will be back at midfielder/defender and senior Ryan Cullen returns at midfielder. Junior all-conference defender Ben Cullen is also back as is sophomore defender Tom Corcoran. Sophomore Sean Morgan returns in the midfield for the Saints. Back in net will be senior Adam Hewitt, who finished 2012 strong after being named UMAC Tournament MVP and stopping numerous shots against Loras in the NCAA Tournament game. The only big losses for the Saints from last season were Erik Trochimchuk, who scored the game winner in the UMAC Tournament championship game, and Kasey Bacso, who played a big role in the midfield in his one and only season with the Saints.
2. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2012 Overall Record: 12-8-2
2012 UMAC Record: 11-3
2012 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 9
Starters Lost: 2
Despite losing two key players from a year ago, the 2013 Cougar squad returns a core of its 2012 roster as nine regular starters from the team that went 11-3-0 and finished second place in the conference a year ago. Ebrima Badgie, the second leading scorer in the conference from last season and a first team All-UMAC selection, is back for his senior campaign in a Cougar uniform. Also included in the group of returners from a season ago are honorable mention all-conference selections midfielder John Hastings and defender William Wachutka.
The offense for the Cougars should be strong as they return all three of the top scorers from last year’s roster. In addition, some of the new faces look to add to the scoring depth. Defensively the Cougars have to replace the 2012 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year Scott DeVries but most of their key defense remains intact in 2013. First team All-UMAC goalkeeper Jacob Borash will return to the net for his junior season. The team will have some new faces that will compete to solidify the defense and add to the depth of the squad in 2013 as the Cougars look to remain at the top of the UMAC standings and compete for a conference title this season.
T-3. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2012 Overall Record: 9-11-1
2012 UMAC Record: 8-5-1
2012 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 4
Bethany Lutheran’s 2013 men's soccer season will be led by a great group of seniors that have been an important part of the Vikings success over the last three seasons. Goalkeepers Noah Heidorn and Ryan Bolte have been a great duo splitting time in the net the last two years. Midfielders Johnny Luna (2010 UMAC Rookie of the Year), Juan Garcia, and Joe Lundsten are all excellent players and will bring quality leadership duties in 2013.
In 2012, Bethany started seven freshmen and sometimes eight for many games, but that will not be the case this season. Two of those freshmen were the team's leading scorers, Joseph Perez and Benjamin Moldstad (2012 UMAC Rookie of the Year); both return for 2013. This year's team will be a little older and will have more experience which should help in those tough games. With 22 returning players and 11 new players, playing time will be tough to find. All that competition will hopefully drive the team to making a return trip to the UMAC Postseason Tournament.
T-3. University of Northwestern Eagles
2012 Overall Record: 10-8-3
2012 UMAC Record: 8-4-2
2012 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 5
It’s a new year for the University of Northwestern men’s soccer team, with both a new name and new faces. After last year’s campaign that saw the Eagles mark an 8-4-2 record in UMAC action and 10-8-3 overall, the squad will look to its four returning starters from the 2012 season to bear the load on both offense and defense.
Working to fill the scoring void left by all-conference graduates Sam Mann and Joel Ottley will be the duo of Sean Denniston and Sean Taylor, who both garnered honorable mention all-conference honors at the conclusion of their inaugural years in an Eagle uniform. Taylor finished tied for second on the team in scoring with five goals in 2012, while Denniston will once again strive to be a staple in the Northwestern offensive attack his sophomore year. The UNW defense will have experience aplenty, with Larry Sinneh and Matt Flanders returning for their final run when the team kicks off action in late August. Sinneh has notched all-conference recognition during each of his three years wearing the Purple and Gold, including first-team selection the past two campaigns. Flanders knows the field well as a three year veteran of the Northwestern effort, adding two more all-conference honors to the defensive group. Shane Coleman will once again look to marshal the backfield after totaling seven shutouts in goal among 18 games played.
5. Crown College Storm
2012 Overall Record: 6-11-2
2012 UMAC Record: 5-7-2
2012 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 6
The Crown College men’s soccer team faces the 2013 season in a period of transition. Several key pieces from successful Crown teams have graduated, leaving opportunities all over the pitch for newcomers to fill in. Perennial All-Conference performers Jason Budish and Matt Kuik have graduated, and Zach Paulsen has transferred out, leaving question marks at each level.
Crown will get a boost from a trio of returning starters who lost significant time last season due to injury. Daniel Arellano, Tyson Simon, and Ezra Dass will all return to the pitch at full strength after serious injuries knocked them out for significant time during the 2012 campaign. All-conference forward Truman Shetler will look to build on a breakout 2012 season that saw him finish second in conference play with 13 goals. The key for the team this year will be to blend the returning core with some talented incoming freshman. Newcomers Reagan Mahoney and Sam Eckman look forward to returning to the midfield with former high school teammate Dass, while Justin Peikes will make the transition to the college game hoping to provide some offensive firepower.
6. North Central University Rams
2012 Overall Record: 8-12-1
2012 UMAC Record: 5-9-0
2012 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 6
North Central will come into their second year of UMAC play looking to expand on a 5-9 conference debut. NCU was able to sweep a pair of conference teams and tally fifteen total points to earn sixth place overall in the final table. Head Coach Jake Smith will return all three of his top scoring options with those three players accounting for 70 percent of the Rams scoring in 2012. The team also returns UMAC Honorable Mention selection senior Nathan Kraines between the pipes.
Junior Christian Stepaniak tallied eight goals and four assists to lead the Rams in 2012 with those numbers putting him seventh in the UMAC in scoring. Senior Stephen Johnson and sophomore Nick Wiese both scored four goals and added two assists last season. Senior Alex Sanjari will be back to spearhead the heart of the Rams backline. The Rams will be helped by the addition of versatile player Tyler Maag who will play in a variety of positions which Coach Smith believes will give the team flexibility all over the field. That added flexibility will be important for the Rams as six of the starting 11 from 2012 are lost. North Central does return midfielder Bruce Harrier who did not play last year. In 2011, Harrier fought for starting a starting spot making several appearances in the first 11 for the Rams.
7. Martin Luther College Knights
2012 Overall Record: 3-15-0
2012 UMAC Record: 2-12-0
2012 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 4
The 2013 Martin Luther men’s soccer team returns eight starters from last season’s tough luck team that lost a number of close games on the way to a 3-15 record. Head Coach Paul Koelpin hopes the experience gained from those losses, along with a commitment this offseason from the returning members of the team, will lead to more wins this season.
The Knights return Eric Hahn in goal after he finished in the top half of the conference in a number of goalkeeping statistics a season ago, his first as a starter. Hahn brings good size and athleticism to the position, and will be supported on defense by returning starters Dave Roekle, Chris Krug and Micah Koelpin. The midfield will be led by returning juniors Steve Roekle and Ethan Boese. Roekle was named Honorable Mention All-UMAC as a sophomore in 2012 after scoring five goals, while Boese started 17 of 18 games in a more defensive role. Senior Ryan Lemke returns at forward after scoring five goals a season ago, with Coach Koelpin hoping newcomers Nate Graumann and Aaron Markgraf will add scoring punch in the line-up.
8. Northland College LumberJacks
2012 Overall Record: 0-19-1
2012 UMAC Record: 0-9-1
2012 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 4
The Northland College Men’s Soccer team is coming off a season in which they started seven freshmen in almost every match. With six of those seven youngsters returning, Coach Kirsten is looking for this group to mature and develop into the core of the program going forward.
Returning for the Lumberjacks this year will be UMAC Honorable Mention midfielder Will Gibbens, goalkeeper Colton Schreyer, defender Kert Wuestenhagen, midfielder Kevin Johnson, and forward Zeke Yslas. Other notables include senior Callan Godshalk who will contribute some scoring power after taking last year off to focus on his academics, Kofi Sarpong whose work in the offseason has put him into the mix, and Dominic Martinez who will make a run at starting in midfield for the Jacks. Nick Smith and Chris Emory will both look to contribute with their speed and athleticism this season. New on the Jacks’ roster will be forwards Ricardo Eyzaguirre and Henry, Ill., Thomas Jansen, a forward from Hamilton, Virg., Alec Malenfant, a goalkeeper from Stillwater, Minn., and Nick Brunswick, a defender from Leland, Ill. Coach Kirsten hopes that these freshmen will be able to contribute from the start, and that mixed with the solid core of returners, the Northland College Lumberjacks will be competitive in the UMAC this season.
UMAC teams will kick off the season starting Aug. 30 with the conference season beginning on Sept. 20. An automatic berth to the NCAA Championships will be on the line again for the winner of the UMAC Men's Soccer Tournament. Semifinals will be on November 6 with the championship game taking place November 9.