Season Preview: Mixing the New with the Old
Warriors Retool with Large Recruiting Class

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- Every collegiate program has to deal with the graduation of its most experienced players.  Some years, the effect is minimal whereas in others it can completely reshape a squad.

Although the Lycoming graduated nine players from its squad last season, head coach Scott Kennell has the Warrior men’s soccer team poised for its final shot at the Freedom Conference title before switching over to the Commonwealth Conference in 2007.

“Much like last season, the returning players are hungry,” mentioned Coach Kennell.  “They’ve all had a taste of the playoffs and now know what it takes to win in the postseason.  I expect this team to make a strong run towards the conference championship.”

Kennell is quick to point out that he has a strong core of athletes returning to field despite the graduated losses, especially after many of the returners were instrumental in the Warriors impressive 14-6 overall record.

“There’s no doubt that we’ve got positions to fill before the start of the season,” explained Coach Kennell.  “But with the talent we have returning and 15 newcomers ready to compete, I’m very confident we’ll have a strong, deep squad that can compete with anyone in the conference on the field for each game.”

Junior captain Zach Tanner will take over much of the offensive load following the graduation of Jeff Kocher, the program’s all-time leading scorer.  Tanner has been quietly effective his first two seasons, notching 14 goals to go with nine assists.  The list to join Tanner up top is plentiful with sophomore Paul Boucher as the top returning candidate.  Boucher split time between striker and outside midfield, notching a goal and two assists.  With speed to burn and a never-ending engine, he could be a nice compliment to Tanner.  Freshmen Mike Coates, Zach Frederick, and Chris Keefer will challenge for time from the outset as each looks to work into the starting line up.  All three have above average to excellent speed and an all important knack for finding the back of the net.

Senior Dan Jackson and sophomore Matt Frey return to lead the midfield contingent.  Jackson, a captain for a second consecutive season, will retain his familiar defensive center midfield role where he is instrumental in stifling opponent attacks and jumpstarting the Warrior offense.  Freshman Chris Lorenzet looks poised to join Jackson in the middle at the attacking midfield spot.  His ability to hold the ball and spread it to the wings and strikers will be evident to onlookers from day one and will only improve as he acclimates to the college game.

Frey will be an exciting player to watch following a stellar rookie season that saw him gain Second Team All-Freedom Conference honors.  His nine assists proved tops in the league last season.  Sophomores Boucher and Tom McVey will also spend time at the wing midfield positions with Frederick making a strong push for the starting line up.

Although junior Rob Bailey is the only returning starter to the Warriors’ defense, look for this unit to be one of the strengths of the team.  Bailey’s experience will be invaluable along the wings as one of the outside backs.  He has solid one-on-one defending skills and likes to push up along the wing to provide a secondary attacking option.  Senior captain Eric Stickel will get the first chance at filling the stopper’s position with his hard-nosed play.  He can also fill either marking back role.  Sophomore Joe Pusateri, a standout as a defensive midfielder and stopper for the Warriors last season, slides all the way back to sweeper as an intimidating last line of defense thanks to his 6-foot-3-inch frame.  Junior Joe Thomas and freshman Dustin Schulman will also see time at stopper while Jason Jannati and Chris Mackie look to fill the other marking back position.

Goalkeeper could be one of the most exciting battles this season as a pair of newcomers will battle incumbent starter Ryan Humphreys.  Humphreys, a junior, manned the nets in all but one game last year on his way to 105 saves and a 1.79 goals against average.  Freshmen David Bald and Matt Klipp will make the battle interesting, although in quite different ways.  Bald relies more on positioning and quickness to defend the net while Klipp uses superb wingspan from his 6-foot-3-inch frame to cover the goal mouth.

Lycoming opens the 2006 campaign with a pair of contests at the annual River Kickoff Classic (formerly the Lycoming Kickoff Classic).  The two-day event running September 2-3 will pit the Warriors against Gwynedd-Mercy College at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday followed by an 11:00 a.m. showdown with PSU-Altoona on Sunday.  Both games will be played at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.