DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's soccer team begins its 2014 campaign down in San Antonio, Texas for a pair of games this weekend against fifth-ranked Trinity University (Texas) and Southwestern University (Texas).
 
Where:
McGinlay Soccer Field – Trinity University
 
When:
Friday
#5 Trinity – 4 p.m.
Saturday
Southwestern – 8 p.m.
 
Watch: Southwestern game only (http://portal.stretchinternet.com/trinitytigers/)
 
Live Stats: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/trinitytigers/
 
Social Media:
Twitter: twitter.com/CSSsaints
Instagram: instagram.com/csssaints
 
St. Scholastica Saints
Roster | 2013 Stats
2013 Record: 17-3-3, 14-0-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
 
 
The St. Scholastica men's soccer team has made the NCAA Division III Tournament in three of the last four seasons and have led the nation in scoring in 2012 and 2013. The Saints will have a lot of offensive firepower back this season, but will have question marks at goalkeeper and at defense entering the season.
 
Who's Back: The Saints return just five starters from last year's squad, but of those five one is two-time Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Offensive Player of the Year Andrew Jenkins (Cardiff, Wales/Whitchurch HS) and another is 2013 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year Ben Cullen (Clough, Northern Ireland/Shimna Integrated College) … Jenkins has led NCAA Division III in points in each of the last two seasons … His 33 goals last season were fifth-most in a single-season in NCAA Division III history … Juniors Sean Morgan (Belfast, Ireland/St. Patrick’s Grammar School) and Tom Corcoran (Warrington, England/Great Sankey HS, Priestley College) also return … Morgan finished second in the country in 2013 with 22 assists … Corcoran finished second behind Jenkins with 27 goals last season … Senior defender Erik Graham (Raade, Norway/Duluth Marshall School) and senior midfielder Andrew Xotta-Dickson (Adelaide, South Australia/Prince Alfred College (Anoka Ramsey CC)) will also look to play a bigger role this season.
 
Who's Gone: The program's career points leader Joe Watt (London, England/North West Kent College) has moved into an assistant coach role with both the men's and women's soccer teams … Watt set a single-season NCAA Division III record with 33 assists last season … His 73 career assists were second-most in NCAA history … Goalkeeper Adam Hewitt (Richmond Hill, Ontario/St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic HS) was a First Team All-UMAC selection in 2013 and won 33 games the last two seasons … Caleb Yurek (Northfield, Minn./Northfield HS) was an anchor at center defense for the Saints for four seasons … Yurek started every game (90) of his college career.
 
Newcomers: More than half of Head Coach Barry Chastey's squad this season are new … Chastey brought in 16 freshmen, one transfer and a former Saint … The biggest position battle will be at goalkeeper as Jacob Ballheimer (Gerrards Cross, England/Chalfonts Community College), Kilen Eilefson (New Brighton, Minn./Irondale HS) and Sandy Davidson-Hunt (Kenora, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) are all battling for the top spot.
 
New, but Not: The Saints welcome back Kyle Farrar (Sevenoaks, England/Kelsey Park Sports College) to the pitch … Farrar played his freshman season in 2011 for CSS, but went back home after the season … He re-joins the Saints after being named a second team all-region choice his freshman season and ranked 10^th in the nation with 43 points.
 
Another Top 5 Team to Open the Season: For the second straight year, the Saints will open with a nationally top 5-ranked opponent … The Saints hosted second-ranked Loras College (Iowa) last season and fell 2-1 … The Saints have yet to beat a ranked opponent.
 
Regular Season Unbeaten Streak: The Saints enter this weekend's contests on a 15-game regular season unbeaten streak … The last loss came 1-0 in double overtime at Macalester College on 9/14/13.
 
Record Season in 2013: The Saints set a NCAA Division III record for with 113 goals during the 2013 season … The team also had a program-record 17-game unbeaten streak.
 
UMAC Unbeaten Streak: The Saints have not lost in 61 straight UMAC regular season contests.
 
Must Beat the Heat: Temperatures in Duluth have ranged in the 60s and 70s during preseason camp … Forecasted game temperatures this weekend are 96-degrees on Friday and 97-degrees on Saturday.
 
Top 5 Games to Watch
8/29 – at Trinity
Season opener for the Saints … The Tigers made it to the NCAA Quarterfinals last season before falling to Loras.
9/6 – at UW-Oshkosh
The Titans are ranked 20^th nationally in the preseason … The Saints have lost 1-0 to the Titans in each of the two previous meetings.
9/12 – at Gustavus Adolphus
The Gusties ended the Saints season in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament with an overtime goal.
10-4 – vs. Minnesota Morris
The Cougars and Saints have finished 1-2 in the conference standings each year since the 2008 season … It is also Homecoming at CSS.
10/22 – vs. UW-Superior
Another Bridge Battle under the lights at Ordean Stadium … UWS won the WIAC Tournament in 2013.
 
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. 49 Points – College of St. Scholastica (7 First Place Votes)
2. 42 Points – University of Minnesota Morris (1)
3. 38 Points – University of Northwestern
4. 31 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
5. 22 Points – Martin Luther College
6. 19 Points – Crown College
7. 13 Points – Northland College
8. 10 Points – North Central University
 
Opponents this Weekend
Trinity University Tigers
The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since the 2008 season last year … The Tigers will be led by senior midfielder Victor Araujo, who was named a second team NSCAA All-American last season … Araujo recorded 11 goals last season, including five game-winners … Trinity will need to replace departed seniors Yuri Ribeiro and Darren McAfee … Ribeiro was a three All-American and led the team in points a season ago … Senior goalkeeper Matt Cardone is a two-time all-region choice.
Southwestern University Pirates
The Pirates finished runners-up in the conference to Trinity in 2013 and tied a program record with 14 victories … Southwestern lost SCAC Defensive Player of the Year Matthew Nickell, who was also an all-region performer … Other all-region performers gone are forward Steven Resnik and goalkeeper Daniel Poole … Much like the Saints, the Pirates bolster a roster with 17 freshmen this season.