The 2004 soccer season is just a couple days away and womens soccer coach Mike Tucker took the time to answer some preseason questions once again on his team’s chances, the large incoming class, the schedule, and many other items of interest. And as Coach Tucker always does, his answers are to the point and unscripted brilliance.

UDP: Every year about this time the first question we usually ask is what comfort level the prior season left you in. This year is no different. It was a crazy final two weeks to the A-10 season a year ago, but a few breaks fell Dayton’s way and we seemed to play our best late in the year Things came together and UD ended up where most expected. With the spring and summer to reflect on the relative success of 2003, what sticking points have you taken from it as a springboard for bigger and better things in 2004?

MT: It’s safe to say that the unaninmous feeling of players and coaches alike after last season was disappointment at our failure to play up to our potential. Interestingly, we played our best soccer of the year in the A-10 tournament, and less than a week later played some of our worst. That was kind of a reflection of the entire season … inconsistency! We have had tremendous enthusiasm throughout the remaining months and are determined to be much better this year. The biggest hurdles will be replacing some very experienced and talented grads, and finding additional scoring punch. We certainly like our chances, however, and feel great heading into the season.

UDP: There are always concerns about departed seniors and incoming freshmen, however this year poses perhaps your greatest challenge since you took over the program. There are so many new faces this year you could field a starting 11 consisting of players new to the college game. A few freshmen must always step up and be able to contribute immediately, however is this the first year the success of the team may ultimately depend on it?

MT: We are always excited to add the incoming frosh to the mix … they seem to get better almost every year. This year we have an exceptionally talented incoming class, so several will play key roles. But several of our less experienced returners really stepped up in the spring. What we have now is perhaps the deepest talent pool in many years. It will truly be a team effort this year, with every class participating in our success.

UDP: It would take too long to provide a scouting report on each newcomer. As a whole however, what does this incoming class bring to the program that you specifically addressed to help improve?

MT: We have recruited and will continue to do so with a few key things in mind. Athleticism, ball skills, and competitive attitude will be evident in our incoming players. Again, we brought on this size of class so that we could have tremendous competition every day in training for every position on the field.

UDP: Injuries remain the unknown and last year the Flyers were hampered at times. Perhaps not as injury-plagued as years past, but the injuries affected key players. What’s the overall health of the team right now compared to preseasons of the past?

MT: There are two big injury concerns heading into preseason. One is how quickly Sarah West can get back to 100% from her ACL repair. Early in the season you probably will not see her on the field. So DeLuca and Kuntz will have to be ready to go. Incoming freshman April Carbajal will miss the fall season and redshirt this year with yet another ACL.

UDP: Briefly handicap the Flyers. Is it fair to say the strengths remain in the middle of the field? Several positions appear to be up for grabs along the touchlines, especially someone who can fill speedy Beth McHugh’s shoes
as the designated zonebuster. What have you and your staff addressed as areas of potential exploitation and liability?

MT: That is probably a fair assessment – our midfield is definitely a strength. While no one on the roster will have Beth’s speed, overall we may be quicker on the flanks. We also are several players deep in every midfield spot. Our returners have worked very hard conditioning and getting ready for the season. But you can expect to see a few newcomers in the midfield mix as well. Having Jen Simonetti back is a big lift in the defensive third. We are very comfortable there as well. The biggest question mark is who will step up in the goal-scoring department. Keep an eye on Reba Sedlacek … she is primed for a BIG season. We have a lot of talent vying for time up top, so I am not terribly concerned.

UDP: How is the Atlantic-10 shaping up this year? Will it remain top-heavy with the same four or five teams duking it out, or is there a potential sleeper? Do you see any traditional conference contenders slipping a bit?

MT: By all appearances the league will be much stronger this year, and certainly more so in the future. Duquesne and St. Joseph’s are doing a great job of bringing in talent, and several others also look to have improved. This may be our toughest challenge in many years. The A-10 will be a dogfight to the last weekend, I am sure.

UDP: The non-conference schedule remains strong as usual, however the first six games are on the road, including a date with former national champion Florida. The good news is four of those six are inside state lines and comprise a nice variety of schools like local rivals UC and WSU and a tournament hosted by Ohio State pitting the Flyers against LSU and Va Tech. At the very least, travel has been kept to a minimum and all the key conference games are at Baujan Field. Is this a schedule the Flyers can expect to do well against in 2004?

MT: There is a good mix of games where we will not be expected to win, some where we are expected to win, and some 50-50s. And it’s definitely nice to be at home more frequently than in the past couple of years. We hope to have great success in the non-conference matches, but more importantly, we feel like we will be well prepared for the A-10. I kind of like our chances for a good overall record!

UDP: Amy Berbary replaces former Flyer Megan McKnight this year on your staff. Quickly bring us up to speed on Coach Berbary’s credentials and why you felt she’d be a perfect fit for the Flyer program.

MT: Amy was a great find for us. She brings a lot to the table … top level playing experience at the University of Georgia, the maturity and experience of working as a high school teacher and coach, a passion for coaching at the collegiate level, and a very competitive attitude. She has very quickly earned the respect of the players and will be a tremendous asset to the coaching staff and to the University of Dayton.

UDP: It seems as if coaches are forced to work one or two years in advance to remain competitive. The incoming recruits were scouted back in late 2002 and early 2003. Perhaps earlier. Without going into specifics, what can fans expect from future commitments and potential opponents on the Flyer schedule in 2005 and beyond?

MT: It’s simply amazing how quickly the recruiting calendar has advanced. In past years we would just be starting to bring prospects to campus and to make a couple of offers. This year we invited most of our top prospects for early unofficial visits and have already obtained five verbal commitments from 2005 grads. It should be an outstanding class! We have even had some 2006 prospects on campus and feel good about our prospects in that class. As for scheduling, we just recently received the A-10 scheduling model, so we should be able to announce the completed 2005 and 2006 schedules very soon. The ’05 schedule already features matches vs. West Virginia, Cincinnati, Furman, Tennessee, and William and Mary among others. In 2006 we have West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, San Diego, Pepperdine, Cal-Berkeley and Washington scheduled. We are scheduling with expectations of being a top 15 program. There will be many outstanding matches at Baujan in the next few years!

UDP: It’s year number 10 of the Mike Tucker era of UD womens soccer. After seven conference titles, four tournament titles, and four NCAA berths, needless to say it’s been a success. What’s the next step for this program and what can be done this year to move up the soccer food chain?

MT: We have established ourselves as one of the top programs in the A-10 and in the region. We are working with a goal of being a top 15 national program annually. To get there we need to be more consistently competitive with the “power” teams on our schedule. While it will be a challenge, we feel like we are ready to move forward.

UDP: Finish this sentence: The Flyers will be in a position to win every game in 2004 if…”

MT: …we are able to identify the right mix of players and keep them healthy. It usually takes several games before we are able to best identify a rotation of players that leads to the best success. This year we should have the luxury of many options.