With the UD mens soccer season soon to kick off, it’s time to take a look at Head Coach Dave Schureck’s squad and what 2003 might hold for them as the season opener against Michigan nears. With many returning faces and a talented crop of newcomers, it would appear things look good for a strong season. It’s time to break it all down and answer all those pertinent questions.

LOOKING BACK

Dayton struggled much of last year and finished with a 9-10-1 record. Ironically, Dayton played very well at home, beating the likes of Michigan and winning their own tournament against a strong Denver club. Just two losses came at home – a fluke game against LaSalle that Dayton dominated, and a season-ending match against Xavier after both teams were eliminated from the A-10 postseason tournament. UD struggled on the road however and though they played well enough to win at times, couldn’t find the right formula away from Baujan Field to pad win column.

The Flyers played well in most matches and put together 85 minutes of solid soccer, but a few defensive breakdowns here or there seemed to bite Dayton at critical points in several matches. A large freshmen class played major minutes and though they learned on the job, much of their play was entirely adequate all things considered. Scoring came in bunches and at times looked formidable. Dayton looked exceptional against Michigan. In other matches though, goals were harder to come by against seemingly lesser opponents. If any one thing was needed in 2002 it was consistency because Dayton was never far from putting it all together. Had a few twists and turns gone in a different direction, UD would have been in the A-10 postseason tournament as usual – a spot the program has grown accustomed to.

THE PERSONNEL LOSSES

Dayton lost All Conference striker Sunday Isename in the front line. Isename was a small but extremely crafty player with the quickness of a jackrabbit. Isename developed a strong reputation in the Atlantic-10 and took a lot of pressure off of other scorers like Chris Rolfe and Tye Stebbins, but Isename never had the type of senior year he had as a sophomore when he took the conference by storm. Maybe more was expected of Isename. At times he was downright brilliant while at other times he seemed lost. What cannot be denied is his ability to bear some of the scoring load because he finished second on the team in points (7 goals, 1 assist) including three game-winners.

Midfielder/forward Michael Morales, a native of Puerto Rico, saw limited action as a senior (5 games) but scored late in the year for his lone career goal.

In the back line, Mike Nsien will be missed. Nsien may have been the fastest player on the team and played a physical brand of soccer at left fullback, willing to unleash a barrage of painful tackles to keep opponents twitchy. Nsien also saw action up front and turned himself into a very opportunistic goal scorer – perhaps the best nose for the goal after Chris Rolfe. What Nsien lacked in style he made up for in substance and his starting duties must go to someone else in 2003.

Scott Hinshaw, a walk-on who developed into a fine defender and midfielder, elected not to return. Hinshaw got more out of his abilities than anyone and always found ways to contribute when on the field. He ended up earning the respect of the UDPride staff for his work ethic and determination.

THE RETURNEES

Nearly the entire roster from 2002 returns and that’s a very good thing. Most of the roster received ample playing time a year ago and that experience bodes well for the upcoming season.

Dayton returns two goalkeepers this year. Redshirt senior Jason Kurdziel from Coon Rapids, MN, earned eight victories and six shutouts in 2002 while sharing goalkeeping duties with redshirt junior Steve Ladislaw. Ladislaw, a Philly native, started the year in goal for the Flyers and eventually made seven starts. Both keepers should fight for the starting job once again unless Matt Handy, a sophomore transfer from Centenary College, comes on strong. Handy, a native of Houston, TX, played in five matches for Centenary a year ago, starting four. Scott Balloon, a sophomore, elected to return to his home state of Florida and enroll in studies only at Univ. Florida.

Headlining the list of returnees in the back line is 1st Team All-Conference sweeper Denny Clanton. Clanton, a senior, is the best defender in the league – just as he was in 2002. Big, strong, athletic, and always in control, Clanton is the rock in the back that will hold everything together for the Flyers. Playing for the Chicago Fire Reserves this summer, he earned All-PDL for the second year in a row after a PDL Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2002. Clanton is a legitimate MLS prospect that stands a good chance of being drafted if the powers that be have any foresight.

Help in the back line should come from Dasan Robinson, Dan Thomas, Nate Darr, Jim Graham, and Ian Mulligan.

Robinson saw quality minutes as a frosh last year and has the size and speed to be a very good defender. As an outside back, he’s equally skilled at attacking forward when his side of the field opens up. More of that will be a good thing for Dayton because Robinson is elusive in the open field and chews up real estate very quickly.

Dan Thomas is one of the more unheralded players on the team, yet one of the most consistent and most talented. Thomas is extremely fast – faster than most will admit to – and always seems to be in the right place at the right time, making the difficult look relatively easy. He has terrific closure speed when chasing a wing forward and does well to force a lateral move once he catches up. Thomas isn’t a stat stuffer by any means, but he does things the stat sheet doesn’t account for. Good instincts, anticipation, and soccer IQ make Thomas a player UD needs on the field.

Darr arrived at Dayton a year ago after a standout career at nearby Centerville. Inserted into the starting lineup early in the year, he eventually started 18 matches. The 6-1 stopper is a terrific ball winner in the air and downright lethal on set pieces in the box when the Flyers look for offensive punch. Darr almost led his HS team in scoring because off his uncanny ability to put headers in the net and Flyer fans saw a lot of that potential in 2002. Defensively, he’s physical and disrupts play in the middle of the field for opposing forwards, making Clanton’s job at sweeper an easier one. Darr tallied three goals and three assists last year and should improve on that in his sophomore season.

Jim Graham, a tall, physical presence in the back line, ran into bad luck a year ago when he tore his ACL. Graham started in two of his three appearances before falling to injuries but managed to secure a medical redshirt and will have two years of eligibility remaining should he decide to return for a fifth year after this season. The senior from Carroll HS should give Dayton added depth in the defense and at 6-2, is strong in the air when clearing headers off of set pieces.

Ian Mulligan came into the Flyer program as a preferred walk-on in 2002 and redshirted, but the All-State player from St. Louis had a great spring. Mulligan has developed very well and used the year off to polish his game, making him one of the new faces to watch. With a year under his belt in the Flyer system, the sophomore may be better suited to make an immediate impact for Dayton than some of the very talented but unproven frosh.

The Flyer midfield should be one of the team’s strengths and a large group of players will fight for playing time in the middle third of the field. Heading that list is junior Tye Stebbins, along with seniors Christian Porto and Jeff Suzuki.

Stebbins had a solid sophomore year and led the team in assists (six) while finishing fourth on the team in total points. A crafty, hard-nosed player in the middle of the field who reminds many Flyer fans of Lee Crawford, Stebbins is always ready and able to mix it up. He’s also a very polished conduit who does a nice job of linking the defense and offense together when pushing the attack or organizing things on defense. More goal scoring is well within Stebbins’ abilities and he should have no trouble scoring more this season. Stebbins’ real asset however is doing much of the dirty work in the midfield – and he’s not too proud to do it if that’s what the team needs. Good soccer players do things that can’t always be quantified in boxscores and Stebbins is a lunchpail player.

Porto enters his senior year after a very good spring and summer. Tall and lean, Porto has the body control and ball skills to dominate in the midfield. He started all 20 games a year ago — as did Stebbins — and together they form a very good one-two punch. Porto looks like a goal scorer but hasn’t put up big numbers yet. That could change this year. Other players must step up to replace the scoring load of the departed Isename and Porto is as likely a candidate as any. He scored one goal and dished out two assists in 2002, but doubling or tripling those numbers is within reach if the spring and summer confidence carry over into his game this fall.

Suzuki, also a senior, started the preseason with a bang as he tallied the first two goals in the opening nine minutes of play in a 6-0 whitewash of Western Kentucky. Suzuki appeared in 10 games and started two last season, but could find his way into the starting lineup this year as a permanent fixture in the midfield. He’s got the speed, has good foot skills, and at times can unleash incredible shots on goal.

The midfield will also find contributions from sophomores Brennan Randquist, George Nanchoff, Mpoki Tenende, Dan Hartwig, and Damion Blackburn. The first three logged major minutes a year ago and played very well against upperclassmen. In fact, Randquist, Nanchoff, and Tenende accounted for a combined 24 starts last year, further indicating the young talent in the Flyer midfield. All three are quality ball control specialists with Randquist being a good possession player, Nanchoff a ball winner, and Tenende a physically-gifted attacker on the touch line. The trio should pick up where they left off a year ago and give Dayton an armada of quality weapons in the midfield.

Hartwig, who attended the same St. Louis area high school a Ian Mulligan, started against WKU and had two assists in the match. Blackburn, a walk-on from Beavercreek, appeared in six matches a year ago. Both are vastly improved and should see quality minutes.

Leading the way at forward is Chris Rolfe, an All-Conference player from Fairmont HS and the team leader in points a year ago with 33pts (15 goals, 3 assists). That was more than twice as many points as Sunday Isename’s second-best 15pts. There’s no question the Flyer offense will look for #17 in 2003 and Rolfe will be counted on to provide much of the scoring load. With a bag of tricks when the ball is at his feet, Rolfe has the magic to pull off incredible moves to get around opponents and put a quality shot on goal. And it doesn’t take much room for him to find a quality shot. Rolfe does well even when small cracks in the armor are seen, giving the Flyers a great opportunist to make defenses pay for the slightest mistakes. Rolfe should be one of the league’s best once again in 2002 and could lead the league in scoring.

Help up top will come from returnees Jesse Faily and Joe Hall. Faily, a redshirt junior, gives Dayton a physical presence that balances nicely with Rolfe’s creative flair. Making eight starts and appearing in all 20 matches, Coach Schureck is counting on more productivity from Faily this year after a one-assist season a year ago. Faily has the tools to be a reliable scorer for Dayton and fans should keep an eye on his progress this fall. Joe Hall, a 6-0 product from Springfield Catholic HS, can play either in the defense or up top as a striker. Given his size, we like Hall’s ability in the offensive third of the field. Hall is a redshirt junior who played in 17 matches in 2001 but just six last year. That number is likely to go up.

THE NEWCOMERS

For the first time in the Dave Schureck era, the Flyer roster consists of players recruited entirely by Schureck and his staff. This year’s freshmen class is a large one with a lot of talent, but given the number of returning players, shouldn’t have to bear as much of the responsibility early on as last year’s class. The 2003 class brings a little bit of everything to the program and over time should prove themselves worthy of playing time.

Staying in-state, Richie Campbell, Tony DiBello, and Devin McKenney are all Ohio products from standout prep programs poised to make their mark on the Flyer program. Campbell hails from St. Xavier HS and was named 2nd Team All Greater Cincinnati a year ago. The 5-10 defender brings a strong soccer IQ to the program and will give the Flyer defense and perhaps even the midfield added depth through the course of the season. DiBello comes from Notre Dame HS and has the tools to be a great forward for the Flyers in the coming years. He scored a goal in the 6-0 victory over Western Kentucky in the exhibition season and with his strong, physical play, gives Dayton a Jerome Bettis up top to muscle opposing defenders. McKenney, like Campbell, is a defender by trade and comes to UD after a great career at prep power North Olmstead HS. The 5-11 McKenney is a tenacious tackler who chose the Flyers over Elon, Akron, and Xavier and might remind Flyer followers of former defender Chris Harder in terms of toughness.

Out-of-state recruits in the freshmen class include Antti Arst, Clint Loughner, and Michael Huff. Arst comes to UD by way of Estonia where he captained the U19 Estonian National team. Arst has also suited up for the full Estonian National Team on a couple of occasions but did not play. The 5-8 midfielder will add a creative presence and give Dayton some more dynamic playmaking ability in the center of the field. Loughner hails from Yough HS in Pennsylvania after a very good prep career. The 6-2 striker is tall and lean, and though he’ll need to add weight and improve his strength, has the frame and a great nose for the goal, scoring 88 times to set his school career record. Huff is yet another product from Oklahoma, a state the Flyers have successfully mined for the last 5-6 years. The 5-9 midfielder brings considerable club credentials to the program and should measure up extremely well to past Oklahoma recruits such as Mike Nsien, Jesse Faily, Sunday Isename, and Christian Porto.

THE SCHEDULE

The competition is tough but manageable. Dayton has nine home matches on newly resurfaced Baujan Field, not to mention a road match in Fairborn against local rival Wright State. The Flyers must get it done on the road to start the season however and that’s never easy. The season opener against Michigan will be a great indicator of where things may be headed this year. The Wolverines are currently receiving votes in the Top-25 and are still smarting from last year’s loss to UD here in Dayton. After Michigan, Dayton plays UW-Milwaukee in Louisville as part of a weekend tournament hosted by the Cards. UW-M is currently ranked in the Top-15. The Flyers finish things off against host Louisville that Sunday. UD once again hosts a tournament of their own as Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and IUPUI arrive for the Flyer Classic. UD will go up against the Hokies and Badgers, two teams from strong soccer conferences who know what it takes to win. The non-conference schedule rounds out with a home game with Oakland before the Atlantic-10 season commences. The Flyers do catch a break in-conference as the league contenders must play in Dayton. That includes Rhode Island, UMass, Richmond, and George Washington. This could play a significant role in the A-10 race. Overall, the schedule presents at least one tough challenge every weekend and sometimes two, but if the Flyers do well in the non-conference portion of the schedule, the A-10 schedule is ripe for the taking in light of those critical home games.

STRENGTHS

Soccer is sometimes a numbers game and Dayton has numbers – lots of them. It’s not unrealistic to think the Flyers have 18-19 starters on the roster. Finding the right combination will be a tough task for the coaching staff to hammer out. The first six or seven guys in the rotation are locked in, but the next 13 or 14 may be on a weekend-to-weekend basis, making the Flyer practices even more competitive. By and large, the numbers should allow Dayton to roll with players who are having a good night while giving those players with an off night a chance to collect themselves. For many teams, there are no alternatives, but the Flyers appear to have several when someone is struggling. Injuries are always key, but even so, Dayton looks deep enough and talented enough to absorb a few cuts and bruises along the way with little effect.

WEAKNESSES

A lack of consistency plagued the Flyers a year ago and avoiding this same bugaboo in 2003 is paramount. If UD gets the season off to a good start, confidence will bloom and things may take off. But struggling early could be a tell-tale sign of some players unable or unwilling to step up and carry the load. Dayton had a great spring and summer season, winning all their matches and doing so with aplomb. It looks and feels like a completely different team than a year ago and that’s what the coaching staff is hoping. If the momentum carries over into the season opener at Michigan, then it’s time to get excited. Solid goalkeeping will once again be vital.

THE VERDICT

On paper, Dayton looks like an A-10 contender. They looked like it last year as well, but small things led to bigger things and the Flyers struggled. We don’t see that happening in 2003. The team is older and wiser, stronger and more physical, more polished and more collected. The talented freshmen class from a year ago knows what to expect this year. Dayton has a first class goal scorer in Chris Rolfe, along with a deep and talented midfield with loads of experience. The defense is anchored by one of the best defenders in the country (Clanton) along with speedy veterans on the outside and up the middle. And for the first time, the freshmen class need not be counted on to produce early and often for Dayton to have a chance in any match. What things ultimately boil down to are details. If Dayton takes care of the details, the Flyer talent and experience will take care of the rest. A top-4 finish in the Atlantic-10 is well within reach and an outright A-10 regular season title not out of the question if things fall into place. The league gave little respect to the Flyers in the preseason picks, putting Dayton fifth. That’s too low. Before it’s all said and done, we think the race to the A-10 regular season title will come down to three teams, and one of those is Dayton.