With the season nearly upon us, Head Coach Mike Tucker checked in with UDPride and offered his first Coach’s Corner of the 2001 season. As he usually does, Coach Tucker gave us the straight scoop on where the Flyers are and where things are going, in 2001 and beyond.

UDP: Looking back at last year’s 16-5 season, nearly everything seemed to fall in place until the A-10 Tourney final loss to Xavier. Was there frustration at the end of last season thinking more wins were left on the table, or did the Flyers by and large meet your expectations?

MT: While the 16-5 record sounds okay now, there is still some disappointment as to how the season ended. We simply did not play well in the A-10 final, which was indicative of how we played on Sundays throughout the year. Looking at the NCAA tournament field however and seeing teams that we knew we were much better than that were still playing made the end of the season a bitter experience. We hope to use this as motivation for this season.

UDP: The coaching staff seriously upgraded the non-conference schedule for 2001 with national powers Stanford, Santa Clara, Michigan, and other very capable teams like UC-Irvine and Michigan State. With Top-30 Richmond joining the A-10 as well, is this the first season a Dayton team has an honest chance of making the NCAA Tournament without banking on the automatic birth from winning the A-10 Tournament?

MT: Playing a strong schedule is imperative to making the NCAA tournament as an at-large team. We knew that we had to upgrade, but doing so is easier said than done. Scheduling is usually done one to two years in advance, and it is difficult to predict how some teams will be at that point. But, we have finally reached the point that the traditional top teams consider us as an equal, and scheduling these teams is now a realistic possibility. We definitely feel that we have the type of competition now to gain an automatic berth – now it’s up to us to play ourselves in one way or another.

UDP: On paper, the 2001 Flyers are the most talented and experienced they’ve ever been. Despite the loss of Missy Gregg, Superstar Steph Weisenfeld leads a group of players who possess the technical ability to push for a national ranking. Expectations aside, how would you handicap the Flyers right now and what sticking points will greatly impact their success against such a tough schedule?

MT: It’s really too early to say just yet. I agree with you that on paper we look good. And I feel strongly that we will have a very good team. But there is so much that goes into a successful season. Is there good team chemistry? Are we deep enough to withstand injuries? Are we mentally strong enough top battle any adversity? I can already tell that we have great depth – there will be some very good players not in starting roles. The girls are getting along great and the chemistry issue should be a positive for us. The mental toughness part, particularly since we will be utilizing so many youngsters, is a key issue. Only time will tell.

UDP: It was another banner year in the recruiting department as several impact players are ready to wear the red and blue for the first time. Briefly summarize the potential of the incoming class and why fans should be excited.

MT: Well, we do have some talented youngsters. It is very exciting to know that we have not only filled the holes from graduation, but have also added depth in some areas where it has been lacking. The fans will see players who are quite capable of playing on ANY team in the country. We will score goals! We will be very good! It will be exciting to be at Baujan.

UDP: It’s no secret that the A-10 struggles for respect as a soccer conference, but Richmond’s addition will help immediately in 2001. Who do you see pushing for the top spot in the A-10 race, who may surprise, and will Xavier finally take a step back after three consecutive years of rags-to-riches seasons?

MT: Richmond is a great addition to the A-10, and probably should be the favorites along with us. Graduation hit Xavier pretty hard, but they will still be strong. UMass and Rhode Island will be right there again, as could LaSalle. The interesting dimension in the league is how some of what were formerly the middle to bottom of the pack teams perform. It looks like some of those squads could soon be elevating their programs. This should make the A-10 a more viable contender for national consideration.

UDP: It was an unbelievable year for Dayton players in the W-2 semi-professional league. Steph Weisenfeld won the Top Goalkeeper Award, and former Flyer Jen Davin won Defender of the Year. Former Flyer Missy Gregg won the league MVP award as well. Current Flyer Megan McKnight also had a strong season in the W 2. Does UD’s success against the nation’s top college and international players surprise anyone or is respect still something hard to come by in Flyerland?

MT: We can’t seem to get respect in our own league, much less nationally! The success enjoyed by our current and former players in the W-League should help our visibility somewhat too I would hope. While their success does not surprise me, even I would not have guessed that we would produce like that.

UDP: The Flyers have recruited extremely well in Ohio for the past five years, but you’ve indicated in the past that top players from California, Maryland, and other regions of the country are starting to give Dayton a better chance in the recruiting process. How is 2002 recruiting progressing and what hurdles are left to overcome to not only make a top player’s short list, but actually getting a commitment to UD?

MT: We started our recruiting list for 2002 with about 50 players who we felt were blue chip talents. They are from all parts of the country, as well as a couple of Internationals. We are still in contention for several of these young ladies. UD is still not a household name in soccer circles in some parts of the country. But, gradually it has become easier to make the short list. Success breeds success – the more we have the easier it will become to get commitments from the blue chippers. At this point in time we are still hopeful of landing our best recruiting class ever. It doen’t really matter to us where they are from, just where they end up.

UDP: With just six home games in 2001 and most of the tough matches on the road – including nearly all of the decisive games against A-10 foes, is it a coaching concern this year to give up the strong home field advantage and nationally-ranked attendance, or does the staff feel that anything left to prove must be proved on the road?

MT: It is so difficult to bring in the Top-10 type teams for games at Baujan for a number of reasons. So, we have agreed to go to them. Of course, winning on the road would carry additional weight in rankings, etc., so being road warriors holds some advantage. We would love to be at home for more matches and will schedule in the future to avoid the disparity in home and away matches that we have this year.

UDP: What should fans look for as key differences between the 2001 Flyers and last year’s squad?

MT: We should be even more attack-oriented this year, which will provide enjoyment for our fans. We will occasionally play from some different-looking formations. Look for [Beth] McHugh in the attack, [Sarah] Walker as a defender, and probably some other positional switches. Once again, we will start a couple of freshmen.

UDP: The coaching carousel really hit the A-10 hard in basketball, but soccer wasn’t without a few changes as well. Shelley Smith left Rhode Island to coach South Carolina, Geoff Bennett left SBU for URI, and St. Joseph’s just recently filled their coaching vacancy. UMass Head Coach Jim Rudy and yourself might be considered the “deans” of the A-10 – at least in terms of success. Some might question why you haven’t taken a more profile job in a major conference. Why has Dayton been such a good fit for Mike Tucker and where do you see yourself and the Flyers in five years?

MT: First of all, none have been offerred. Really, I have never pursued another coaching position collegiately. It may sound a bit corny, but I believe in the philosophy and practices here at Dayton. That is why I drive the 125 miles to and from Cincinnati daily to be here. I have all intentions of being here at UD until I am no longer effective as a coach or until it ceases to be fun. Having a strong staff of assistant coaches has made my life much easier, and I will continue to rely on them as well. So, I hope to talk to you about our National Championship season in five years.