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Promising Season Awaits AU Men's Soccer
West Welcomes Back Nine Starters from Last Season

August 15, 2001

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the start of the 2001 season, the storied history of American University men’s soccer will add a new chapter as the program embarks on its inaugural season as a member of the Patriot League.

Head Coach Todd West is charged with leading the program into unchartered waters, and is very excited about the task laid out before him.

“We are very excited about competing in the Patriot League,” West said. “It is a very competitive league with a high level of soccer. We are going to be challenged each time we take the field.”

American trades familiar South Atlantic Region from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) foes for the likes of Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Lehigh is the league’s defending champion.

The Eagles return a veteran lineup this season with nine starters back in the fold. American lost just three seniors from last year’s squad that went 7-9-2 overall in West’s first season at the helm.

“There is a nice blend of veteran leadership to go along with a quality recruiting class,” West said. “The nucleus of our team is returning and should really step to the front this year.”

Coming off a year in which his squad played a schedule that ranked in the top-five nationally, West feels his charges are better prepared for the rigors of the season ahead.

“Playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation last year, we went through some tough stretches,” West commented. “We really picked up the level of play toward the end of the season, and I feel that is going to transition into this year.”

American gets the season rolling as it takes part in the second annual D.C.
Challenge, where it faces traditional local rival Georgetown in the season opener.

The Eagles have another difficult slate this season, as it faces three teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament last year.

Highlighting the non-league schedule are the D.C. Challenge and an in-season tournament at Maryland, where the Eagles will face national powers Virginia and the host Terrapins.

Also on tap are games against George Mason, Loyola, Old Dominion, Penn State, Princeton, VCU and William & Mary.

American will play its first-ever Patriot League contest on Saturday, Sept. 15, when it hosts Army at Reeves Field.

“I really like the quality of our schedule again this season,” said West. “The nice part is we have a balance of nine home and nine road contests — and that will be a welcomed change from the past.”

In recent years, American has played as few as four home games in a given season, due to its propensity to take part in quality tournaments at other insitutions.
West is excited about what he sees before him, and thinks that 2001 will be a season that will get American back to the level of excellence it is accustomed to.
“I like where we are at right now as a program,” West said. “We are entering a new league, we have a solid core of returnees and one of the best recruiting classes in recent years is about to enroll. This is an exciting time for American soccer.”

Following is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2001 American men’s soccer team:

Offensively
Returning 93 percent of its goal output from last season, things are looking very bright for American’s offensive attack this season.

Juniors Kris Bertsch and Nino Marcantonio tied for the team lead in points lat season with 18. Also back are seniors Matt Kopacka, Adam Rosen and Naofal Tajini, juniors Jonathon Colton, Michael Grinsfelder and Kris Kuykendall and sophomore Melvin Espinal and Brett Niebling.

Bertsch led the squad with nine goals, including four game-winners, and added two assists. He went on an amazing run at the end of last season, scoring a goal in each of the final six games.

Marcantonio has accumltaed 49 points in his first two seasons as an Eagle. He is coming off a year when he dipped to six goals and six assists after totalling 31 points (10g,11a) as a freshman.

Kopacka had a goal and two assists last year, while Rosen had a solid year with four goals and three assists (11 pts.). Tajini produced one assist a year ago.

An attacking midfielder, Colton finished as the third-leading scorer with 12 points on four goals and four assists. In addition, he scored the game-winning goal against Liberty.

Grinsfelder saw action in nine games, while Kuykendall had one assist in 18 starts. Espinal tallied three goals, including two in a win over UNC Wilmington.

“We have a very gifted group of scorers coming back,” West said. “They have learned our system and are now going to use it to their advantage. It should be an exciting bunch to watch.”

Joining the mix will be junior transfer Jeff Kinney and freshmen John Fico, Andrew Herman, Sean Kuykendall and Nick Zaron.

An experienced player who has a great sense for the game, Kinney will provide a steadying influence in the midfield.

Fico scored over 100 career goals in high school and will provide some additional scoring up front. Herman is another scorer who will look for playing time up top.
Kuykendall, the brother of junior Kris Kuykendall, is a natural midfielder who will look to work into the four-or five-man rotation. Zaron will also be looking to earn playing time.

Defense
In addition to its offensive prowess, a strong defensive unit returns for the Eagles. Spearheaded by senior Bob Brennan, who is back after a shoulder injury just three games into last year, American looks to establish itself as one of the best defensive teams in the Patriot League.

Joining Brennan, who is the last starter remaining from the 1997 NCAA Elite 8 team, will be senior Brett Colton and juniors Larry McDonald, David Pryor and Robert Rezek.

“Our defensive unit has continued to grow over the past few years,” said West. “With the return of Bob Brennan from injury, our team gets back a proven leader. Couple that with the emergence of Larry McDonald and Brett Colton and we have a solid bunch.”

Brett Colton played in all 18 games last season and produced three assists from the back.

McDonald, a mainstay for the unit, made all 18 starts last year, and will again be counted on for his steady play. Pryor started 14 games last year, while Rezek saw limited action.

New to the backfield this season will be freshmen Sean Albright and Charlie Koniver.
Albright brings a big presence to the backfield, while Koniver goes forward extremely well and has a knack for scoring important goals. Both players will look to make an immediate impact.

In Goal
Returning a keeper who continues to improve, and bringing in two freshmen who have solid experience behind them, West likes the netminding scenario for the coming season.

Back is junior Mike Behonick. He will be joined by freshmen Matt Johnson and Thomas Myers .

“Mike continues to get better each day he takes the field,” West said. “He had a very good spring season, and has trained extremely well over the summer. I look for him to have a big year.”

West is also excited about his two freshmen. “Both Matt and Thomas have played at a high level, and will compete for time this season. They will both have an impact for us this year.”

Behonick had a deceiving 3-6-1 record last year, and allowed 1.76 goals per game. He posted a shuout win over No. 19 VCU, and then came back strong in a 1-1 tie with No. 3 St. John’s and a 1-0 loss to traditional power Rutgers.

All in all, it should be an exciting year for the American University men’s soccer team. The program is ready to add a new chapter to its storied tradition, and it begins now.