The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Depth, Talent And Leadership Keys To Success In 2006
8/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 7, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB men's soccer team is gearing towards an exciting season in 2006. One of the most successful athletic programs at UAB, the men's soccer team will look to capture a championship in arguably the toughest men's soccer conference in the country, Conference USA.
Aiding the Blazers in their quest to capture a conference championship and subsequent return to the NCAA Tournament will be the team's veteran leadership. The Green and Gold return seven starters, four of which were tabbed all-conference performers, and 18 letterwinners from last year's 10-7-1 team. Furthermore, head coach Mike Getman feels this year's team is experienced and deep with talent, making a perfect recipe for success and a year to remember.
"Last year we had four seniors and 11 freshmen," Getman said. "This year we will have seven seniors and 11 sophomores. The whole team is older and wiser. The younger players have a year under their belt and know our system. Therefore, our team will be more experienced and deeper than it was a year ago."
Leading the list of returnees will be four players who were named All-Conference USA a season ago. Senior midfielder Sandy Gbandi and sophomore defender Dejan Jakovic were selected to the second team by the league's head coaches. Senior forward Jerson Montiero earned third team accolades, while sophomore midfielder Two-Boys Gumede earned a spot on the all-freshman team.
In addition to the all-conference returnees, Getman will welcome back 14 players who played in at least 10 of the Blazers' 18 games in 2005. That should generate a competitive, yet healthy and beneficial environment as the 2006 campaign gets underway.
"There will definitely be a battle for every position on the field," Getman said. "Most seasons, one has a pretty good idea who most of the starters are entering preseason. But this year, I think there is a lot of questions as to what players are playing what positions. Preseason will be extremely competitive, and that should push us to be even better than last year. No matter what, I think we will have the confidence knowing that there are quite a few guys capable of playing different roles."
Added to the veteran experience returning in 2006 is a recruiting class which boasts an NAIA All-American and a member of the Canadian National Team. Combined, this year's Blazer squad has the potential to become one of the better teams in the program's history.
FORWARDS
Having to replace three of UAB's top five scoring threats will be a tough task to accomplish, but Getman feels he has the returning quality and talented newcomers to make a smooth transition. Montiero will certainly become a key cog in the offense. Montiero ranks first in school history in shots on goal (58), second in shots on goal percentage (1.02), tied for ninth in career goals (20) and tied for 10th in total points (49). The Houston, Texas native accounted for 13 points (5g, 3a), including a team-high five goals.
 Senior Jerson Monteiro looks to cap off a stellar career with a strong season in 2006.  |
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Joining Montiero up front will be several players competing for a starting spot. Armin Mujdzic, a senior transfer from Grandview (Iowa) College, has the ability to make an immediate impact, as he was a two-time NAIA All-American honoree at Grandview, as well as the 2005 NAIA Region VII Player of the Year. He was the third leading goal and points scorer in the nation last year with 29 goals and 69 points in 22 contests for a Grandview squad that racked up an 18-5-2 overall record and third straight NAIA National Tournament appearance.
Junior Shane Elsner will add leadership and depth to the talented offensive line. Elsner has played in 27 games for the Blazers during his career, including 12 appearances last season. He has scored a total of six goals as a Blazer, three of which came last campaign, placing him tied for third most on the team.
Sophomore Derek Rios played in all 18 games last season, and will look to challenge for a starting role. Rios is one of the more versatile players on this year's squad, and will also be able to supply depth at the midfield, as well as forward positions. Rios will look to use his experience as a member of Canada's U-20 national team to work his way into the starting lineup.
Also competing for time on the pitch will be freshman Drew Knaub. Knaub is a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Wyoming and a three-time Wyoming All-State selection for Cheyenne Central. He racked up 35 goals and 20 assists during his high school career, including five hat tricks and 10 game-winning goals as a senior.
"We had three great athletes last year playing for us, but those guys have graduated and moved on," Getman said. "Jerson is a great athlete and we are expecting great things from him. There are some questions to answer up front as to who the other starting forward will be this year. I think we have the pieces and it is just a matter of fitting them together."
MIDFIELDERS
As was the case with the better Blazer teams in the past, the strength of Getman's squad will be the midfield.
However, the Blazers will have to find a way to replace All-American Leandro de Oliveira. Although de Oliveira played in just 10 games a year ago due to injury, he still became the highest soccer player drafted by the MLS in UAB history. The two-time All-America selection was picked 11th overall in the first round of the 2006 Major League Soccer draft by the New England Revolution.
Getman knows de Oliveira will be tough to replace, but feels his squad has the talent to fill the void.
"Leandro is a once in a lifetime player and you can't replace a player like that," Getman said. "At the same point, we played most of last season without him because of injuries. We had no choice but to learn to play without him. We do not have a Leandro this year, but we have a lot of high quality players and they will do it as a group instead of relying on one individual to get things done."
The Blazers welcome back three returning starters in the midfield led by Gbandi. The two-time all-conference performer and All-American candidate returns as the leading point scorer from last season, collecting 16 points on five goals and six assists. His leadership and athletic ability will anchor the midfield this season.
Another key piece to the central attack will be Gumede. Last season, the C-USA All-Freshman Team standout started all 18 contests - along with Gbandi, he was one of two returnees to have started all 18 games a year ago. The Louisville, Ky., native made an immediate impact as a Blazer, collecting a goal and four assists during his rookie campaign. With a year of collegiate soccer under his belt, Gumede figures to put his name in the national collegiate soccer spotlight in 2006.
A freshman from a year ago who proved he is going to be a talent in the midfield is sophomore Carlo Schiavoni. Last season, Schiavoni started 17 contests in the midfield and collected two assists playing more of a defensive midfield position. Schiavoni showed poise and maturity as a freshman, which will only improve with experience.
Senior Lukasz Kwapisz has played in 53 out of the 55 games during his UAB career, including 39 consecutive contests in which he has made an appearance. The Oshawa, Ontario native will make the switch from forward to midfield this season. He has four goals and has five assists during his career.
 Senior Lukasz Kwapisz will use his versatility to play the midfield, as well as forward this season. |
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Senior Derick Radcliffe played all 18 games last season, and will look to challenge for a starting role. Radcliffe, who made one start last season, piled up four assists during the 2005 campaign, which was third-best on the team. As a three-year performer, Getman expects Radcliffe to use his experience and maturity to battle for a starting spot.
Another person hoping to earn more playing time will be sophomore Alandus Brooks. As a freshman last season, Brooks played 10 games, accounting for a goal and an assist. He has the potential to become an intricate part of the midfield and will look to use his experience from last season to earn playing time in 2006.
Sophomores Trey Gregory and Bobby Chanthongphio, along with redshirt freshman Jonah Stewart will all compete for playing time, while also adding quality depth to the lineup. Chanthongphio and Stewart spent last season as redshirts, while Gregory played in six contests, recording one assist. "The strength of our team is the midfield," Getman said. "We have six national team players in the midfield. We have top-quality players there, depth, talent, experience and speed. I think our midfield is as good as it gets."
DEFENDERS
Another strength of the 2006 team should lie in the defense, according to Getman. The Blazers boast three returning starters from a back line that allowed an average of just 1.32 goals per game last season - a number that ranked third in Conference USA.
Leading the list of returnees is a pair of all-C-USA performers in Jakovic and Joe Klosterman. Both players started and played in 17 of UAB's 18 games in 2005. Klosterman, a junior, has started all 38 games he has played during his two-year UAB career, while only missing one game last season because of injury. He was a member of the 2004 C-USA All-Freshman team and is certainly an all-conference candidate heading into 2006. Jakovic, a sophomore, missed his only game last year due to a yellow card suspension. Jakovic made his mark around the league, earning a spot on last year's second team all-conference.
 Sophomore Dejan Jakovic looks to emerge as one of the top defenders in the nation in 2006. |
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Senior Michael Biggs returns for his final campaign looking to make it a memorable season. Biggs has played in 45 contests during his career, including 17 games last season. Biggs brings veteran leadership to the defensive unit and is also capable of creating scoring chances as he led the defense in shot attempts a year ago.
Another sophomore who made an impact last year is Logan Alexander. A member of the Bermuda National Team, Alexander played 16 games for the Blazer defense, starting 11 times.
Senior Chris Hanson will look to supply depth and veteran leadership in 2006. Freshmen Kyle Gilbreath and Darnell Brown and redshirt freshman Dean Sorrell will add to one of the deepest and most talented defenses in Conference USA this year.
"I think our defense, over this past year, has really improved and matured by leaps and bounds," Getman said. "Some people may have said that was a weakness for us last season, but I think it will be a strength this year. We are going to surprise people with our ability to defend."
GOALKEEPERS
The depth and experience of the back line will be important due to the fact UAB will be without its starting goalkeeper A.J. Robles. As a three-year starter, Robles played 48 games in the net for the Blazers and was considered one of the top keepers in the league by the time he graduated.
Helping cushion the loss of Robles will be senior Jeremy Drake. Though Drake does not have the experience of Robles, he served as his backup over the past three seasons and appeared in 15 games, recording a 1.10 goals against average. Drake hopes to regain the form he had during his freshman campaign, when he started eight games and was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 1, 2003.
 Senior goalkeeper Jeremy Drake will look to use his experience and athleticism to emerge as the team's starting keeper this season. |
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A pair of freshman netminders will challenge Drake for the starting position and playing time entering the 2006 campaign. Redshirt freshman Wes Johnson and true freshman David Monsalve are both capable of earning the starting nod and will push Drake to be his best throughout the campaign.
SCHEDULE
Along with competing in one of the toughest conferences in the nation, the Blazers non-league schedule ranks as one of the toughest in not only C-USA, but in the nation as well. Getman and the Blazers will face five of College Soccer News' top-30 preseason ranked foes during the 2006 season.
"Without question, our strength of schedule will be one thing people point toward this year as a factor in our success," Getman said. "We have developed a reputation here of playing anyone, anywhere at anytime. This schedule might be one of the more difficult we've faced. Indiana, Notre Dame, UNC Greensboro and SMU are just the tip of the iceberg."
UAB will open the season when it faces 2003 and 2004 national champion Indiana and national-power Notre Dame right out of the gates on Aug. 25 and 27 at the Notre Dame Classic in South Bend, Ind. The host Irish enter the 2006 season ranked No. 16 nationally, while Indiana is No. 13 in the preseason poll. Getman, who played under legendary head coach Jerry Yeagley while he attended Indiana, has a record of 0-0-2 in previous games against his alma mater.
UAB then hosts its annual classic at West Campus Field Sept. 1 and 3, hosting Mercer and Wright State with cross-town Birmingham-Southern, which will face both teams as well. The Blazers then visit Greensboro, N.C., for UNC Greensboro's fall classic Sept. 8 and 10, in which they will battle No. 18 Greensboro and Elon.
UAB's early-season tournament play concludes when it battles the College of Charleston and Stetson in Birmingham-Southern's Puma Fall Classic Sept. 15 and 17. The only other non-conference tilt on the schedule is an Oct. 4 mid-week clash with Centenary at West Campus Field.
The Conference USA schedule shapes up as a challenge for Getman's club. UAB will host Marshall (Sept. 23), Kentucky (Oct. 14), Tulsa (Oct. 21) and No. 2 SMU (Oct. 25), but will face No. 29 South Carolina (Sept. 27), UCF (Oct. 7), rival Memphis (Oct. 11) and Florida International (Oct. 28) on the road. The Conference USA tournament is slated for Nov. 1-5 in Tulsa, Okla.
"Conference USA proved to be one of the top three or four leagues in the nation last year," Getman said. "There were so many good teams and so much parity in the league, however, that we almost cancelled each other out. SMU made a great run to the Final Four and represented the league very well, but any number of other teams - UAB, Memphis, South Carolina, Kentucky and so on - could have not only made the tournament, but advanced in it. We have our work cut out for us in this conference, but the only way to put yourself in position to win a national championship is to play the best competition possible. This schedule gives us that."
While the challenging schedule awaits, the experience, talent and depth of the 2006 UAB squad promises to add another fine season in the long line of success UAB men's soccer has recorded. The Blazers have notched 13-straight winning seasons. Those have included four NCAA Tournament appearances, one Elite Eight finish, two Sweet 16 appearances, three conference regular season titles, two postseason conference tournament titles, four league runners-up finishes and two tournament runners-up placements.
Considering the Blazers return all but four seniors from last season's team and have a talented crop of newcomers mixed with experienced veterans, UAB men's soccer may just make a triumphant return to the NCAA postseason and further solidify its' traditional standing as one of college soccer's elite programs.
