It’s not often that the University of Dayton has on its payroll a coach that has reached the pinnacle of achievement, but until this season, Head Coach Jim Launder was that man. He was and still is the only head coach in the history of Dayton athletics to earn a Div-I NCAA title from the sidelines – at the University of Wisconsin in 1995. His three-year stint at UD instantly made the program one of the more profile teams in the Midwest.During his reign, Launder guided the Flyers to two A-10 tournament titles, established high-water marks in wins, and just missed qualifying for the NCAAs on two occasions, dropping a double-overtime play-in game to Rider 3-1, and another to Lafayette 1-0. Last season, Dayton finished an unexpected 9-7-2 and missed out on the four-team A-10 postseason soccer tournament. Injuries and a late-season slide took a team from conference contender to sideline watcher. It was an end to more than just the season however as Launder left the program to return to Wisconsin after honoring his three-year agreement. Most insiders knew Launder was a temporary fix who yearned to reunite with his family in Wisconsin, and Launder made a conscious effort to groom a predecessor who could carry on the success by the time his contract ended. Enter new Head Coach Dave Schureck.

At 26, Schureck is as green at the college head coaching level as Launder was experienced, but don’t let that cast your judgment too soon. Schureck learned under one of the best soccer minds in the country and became heavily involved in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), the major soccer body that exploits the brightest young American soccer talent – a program in which Launder was a major force. By learning from the best, Schureck has a solid backbone to orchestrate the transition from teacher to mentor to teacher again.

How they got here…

The Flyers were a heartbeat away from the NCAAs in 1997 and 1998, but last season can be characterized as a mild disappointment in spite of the 9-7-2 record. The Flyers were picked to win the conference and looked like they were up to the challenge early in the year, but things seemed to fall apart as the latter part of the season approached. Multiple injuries to several key players also forced a bad hand and before long what started out as a season of great possibilities turned into a season of frustration. Missing out on the four-team A-10 postseason tournament was unexpected and, in hindsight, a microcosm of the entire season. The Flyers were so close to putting it all together but stumbled during the moments when there was no room for error.

Back on campus…

Dayton returns eight starters and 20 letterwinners from a year ago including senior R.J. Kaszuba (Washington, MO/St. Francis Borgia HS), a forward who led the team in goals (18), finishing 10th nationally in scoring and 4th nationally in goals per game. Kaszuba, 5’10’’, isn’t the typical long-legged thoroughbred in the front line but makes his living as an opportunist who punishes defenses for the slightest mistake. He’s a crafty, clever player who gets the most out of his game and will be looked upon to carry a heavy leadership role this year. Inexplicably, he was left off the Atlantic-10 Conference 1st Team despite nabbing the third most points in the league. Instead, voters placed him on the 2nd Team.Among the other players expected to carry the team are seniors Patrick Wirtz (Columbus/DeSales HS), Jeff Krempec (South Bend, IN/Clay HS), and Joe Forward (Brookfield, WI/Brookfield Central HS). Krempec will tend the goalmouth while Wirtz and Forward establish themselves in the midfield where most games are won or lost. The rest of the cast is steady and talented but the task of replacing several key vacancies will have everyone fighting for playing time as Schureck attempts to weed out the hungriest athletes who are willing to go the extra mile in 2000.

Holes to fill…

Departures took their toll in the offseason as several key players exhausted their eligibility – players whom the program leaned on for several seasons. Among them were Emmanuel Ayim (College Station, TX/A&M Consolidated HS), Godfrey Tenoff (Pietermaristzberg, South Africa/Haythorne), and Mark Schulte (Brecksville/Walsh Jesuit HS). Ayim and Schulte were 1st Team All-Conference selections in 1999. Ayim scored six goals and tallied five assists as a striker for the Flyers while Schulte anchored the defense with the precision of a Swiss watch. At 6’2’’, Schulte was a strong and powerful defender who created many problems for opposing strikers with his physical presence. He wasn’t flashy, but he played mistake-free soccer and impressed pro scouts enough to get drafted by the Tampa Bay Mutiny of MLS.Other losses include Marco Sanchez (New Braunfuls, TX/New Braunfuls HS) and Tom Derhake (Brighton, MI/Detroit Cath. Central HS).

The reinforcements…

Not to be completely outdone by the womens program, the UD mens soccer team has an outstanding recruiting class to heal the wounds from the departed seniors. At the top of the list is Dan Thomas (Feasterville, PA/Neshaminy HS), voted an NSCAA High School All-American in 1999.Among the other newcomers is Christian Porto (Tulsa, OK/Jenks HS). Porto has considerable ODP experience and has tested his skills in Sweden, England, and Brazil alongside fellow Flyer sophomore Michael Nsien as part of the Tulsa Thunder Soccer Club. Sunday Isename (Tulsa, OK/Booker T. Washington HS) hails from the same high school as Nsien and brings equally solid credentials. Initial reports indicate that Isename was a major coup for the Flyer program as he attracted interest from several strong schools in the recruiting process. In two recent exhibition games, his impact was felt immediately. Kentucky respected him enough to double-team him everywhere while Valparaiso got burned for a hat trick in the first half.

Denny Clanton (Aurora, IL/Waubonsie HS), is a 6’1’’ sweeper who earned All-State, All-Midwest, as well as All Chicago Tribune and Sun Times 1st Team honors. Also from Illinois is Jeff Suzuki (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville HS), a 5’8’’ forward who, like Clanton, earned All-State, All-Midwest, and All-Area honors. Both players play their club soccer for the prestigious Chicago Magic Soccer Club, one of the most successful programs in the Midwest.Two local products decided on Dayton as Joe Hall (Springfield/Springfield Cath. Central) and Jim Graham (Dayton/Carroll HS) elected to stay home and play for Schureck and his coaching staff. Hall scored a school-record 92 goals as a striker for the Irish while earning area Div-II Player of the Year as a senior. He’s a member of the ODP Ohio South state team. Graham is a midfielder and three-year starter for the Carroll Patriots, one of the Dayton area’s most successful programs. As a senior he was named co-captain, earned 1st Team All Miami Valley, and garnered 3rd Team Div-II All State.Michael Morales (Guaynabo, PR/Commonwealth) joins the Flyer program with three years of eligibility. He is a member of the Puerto Rican National Team and brings a wealth of International experience to the squad.

These talented newcomers should put the upperclassmen to work and with a little luck everyone will carve their niche in time for the season opener. While many of these recruits are proven goal scorers, don’t be surprised if some of them are converted to the midfield or defense as summer practice winds down. The coaching staff must strike a balance between scoring and defending.

Under the hood…

The Flyers were plagued by two bugaboos a year ago: injuries and inconsistency. Ayim and Schulte hobbled through much of the season alongside other equally banged-up players, and a nice rhythm to the season never materialized. As soon as the Flyers started playing excellent soccer, things bogged down. When UD bogged down, the level of play mysteriously improved. The parabola effect kept the Flyers from reaching their potential as the season wore on, something that must be exorcised before the season opener. In many ways, the finality of last season might have been for the better as the small but annoying flies in the ointment may have died with it. Dayton looked like a Top-15 program by schooling an excellent Wisconsin-Milwaukee team 3-1, but fell apart a little later with a 5-2 licking against A-10 leader Rhode Island. If Dayton manages to player more consistent — nevermind the thought of piecing together a game or two of brilliance — the overall outlook looks as good or better than last year. Assuming the players stay healthy and Schureck is dealt a full roster of able bodies, the Flyers might once again be A-10 favorites. In fact, the A-10 coaches believe just that and voted the Flyers to finish second in the conference behind nationally-ranked Rhode Island.

What to expect…

Despite the disappointments, last year was still a success in terms of wins and losses. By finishing 9-7-2, Dayton continued its habit of finishing at or above .500, one of the requisites for maintaining a solid program. There was no disaster, no bottoming-out, no meltdown, just small things that aggravate coaches and players used to winning all the close ones. This year is much like last year with optimism on one extreme and apprehension on another. Like the womens’ program, the mens team is slowly assembling a squad that is deep and athletic. What the Flyers don’t have is a lot of time to find some answers. Schureck, a young and energetic coach, can relate to the players and listen as well as anyone. A former Xavier standout himself, he knows the importance of conference play and understands the value of getting off to a good start.

What not to expect…

The freshmen are promising but wield a double-edged sword. The more playing time they receive will be dependent on how well they play or how unsatisfactory the upperclassmen perform. Putting your college coaching future in the hands of 18 year-old frosh isn’t necessarily recommended so the coaching staff will probably look to the juniors and seniors for leadership and consistency at the start, then mix in the promising new faces as they carve out their niche. With eight starters returning, there’s a chance a couple of these newcomers could sneak into the starting lineup, but it’s not something the fans should count on by the season opener.

The schedule…

Dayton must be ready early as they face Florida International in the season opener, a program that earned an NCAA National Runner-Up in the mid-1990s. As part of the FIU Tournament in Miami, FL, the Flyers will take on Florida Atlantic in the second match. Other non-conference games include Cincinnati, Wright State, Bowling Green, and Michigan. The Bearcats were nationally-ranked a year ago while Bowling Green is a perennial Midwest power. The Wolverines, playing in their first year of Div-I soccer after years as a perennial club power, visit Baujan Field for a late-season non-conference game. The usual host of A-10 foes dot the remainder of a difficult schedule. If the Flyers chalk up 15-16 wins, the competition is strong enough to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament.

The verdict…

Head Coach Dave Schureck should be excited. There’s no reason to believe Dayton can’t vie for the A-10 crown provided that everyone performs up to expectations. The keys will be finding players who can accept the scoring burden and asking certain individuals to see to it that everyone approaches each game as their last. The corrections needed are important but not overwhelming. Last year may have been a proverbial hiccup, and if that’s the case, there’s nothing to worry about. Even so however, the fine line that separates the competitors from the contenders is growing thinner every year. There are no cakewalks anymore. Unlike the womens’ game, there are no 11-0 routs. The Flyers learned a tough lesson in 1999, and maybe suffered from some bad luck. Dayton is talented enough in 2000 to challenge for the conference regular season and tournament titles, even with no luck at all. A little bit never hurts however.