University of Memphis Athletics
2004 Men's Soccer Outlook
Jul 22, 2004 | Men's Soccer
July 22, 2004
Looking down the University of Memphis men's soccer roster, the obvious is easy to point out. The 2004 squad is young. Fourteen freshmen compose 56 percent of the 25 player lineup.
"As you're building a program, it just takes time," said men's head coach Richie Grant. "It takes a few years to get the program exactly where you want it to go. We're very excited about the size and the quantity of the incoming class we have."
But don't think this year is a rebuilding year. Eight of the nine returning players make up last year's starting 11 led by all-Conference-USA second team selections Andy Metcalf and Dayton O'Brien.
Behind the experienced leadership that includes four seniors and the unlimited resource of youthful talent, the Tigers look to improve on last year's 8-8-2 record.
"We're very focused on the contributions of the returning players," Grant said. "The commitments they made last spring are what we believe will be the foundation of the team this year. While we're young, we return a lot of players that have made significant contributions in the last few years."
In 2003, Memphis finished 1-6-2 in C-USA action, ending in ninth place for the second-straight year and being left out of the six-team conference tournament, a tournament hosted by the Tigers. The last time Memphis made the tournament came in 2000 when the team finished fourth with a 5-3 conference record.
However, results can be different in 2004. This year's team has the potential and is determined to make a large splash early on as it begins preseason play on August 24 against cross-town Christian Brothers University.
"We have a very simple approach to the season," Grant said. "As a coach, it's a clich?ff?,??, but we take it one game at a time. Our goal in the beginning of the season is to make the conference tournament."
Coaches
Richie Grant heads into his sixth season as the head coach for the Tigers after leading Lambuth University for four years. In his nine seasons, Grant has compiled a record of 102-76-7 (.570), picking up his 100th career win last season. The 34-year-old Ireland native has helped the Tigers eclipse the 10-win mark twice and has led the team to a record of .500 or better in three of the last four seasons. He enters the 2004 season with a 45-41-5 record (.522) at Memphis.
Aiding Grant on the sidelines, Robert Nicholson enters his second year as an assistant coach with Memphis. The Scotland native joined the Tigers after two years at Christian Brothers University where he assisted both the men's and women's teams. He had an important hand in leading the CBU women's squad to a Division II National Championship in 2002.
"Robbie (Nicholson) is a key component to what we are trying to do with our program," Grant said. "I expect that you will see the influence that Robby had in the spring on our team this fall."
The Tigers added a second assistant coach this year bringing in former U of M star Carl Schmitt. He joins the coaching staff after playing three years with the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The Germantown, Tenn., native played his senior year in 1999 for Grant after transferring from South Alabama where he helped lead the Jaguars to the 1998 Big South Conference title.
"Carl (Schmitt) brings energy and passion," Grant said. "I think it's great for our players to see firsthand what it's like to make the transition to the pros. We're hopeful a lot of our players advance from college to the level beyond, and Carl will help them in making the transition."
Seniors
Four seniors lead the team into the 2004 season. Midfielder/defender Daniel Dobson serves as the team captain and joins two other three-year letterwinners in midfielder John Reilly and defender Justin Dyer as well as last year's starting goalie Sebastian Vecchio.
"I think this is the best senior class in terms of their commitment to be successful this year," Grant said. "This is a group of players that have been frustrated with not accomplishing our goals the last few years. Our senior players will need to have strong performances, and they will need to be leaders of our team throughout the season."
Forwards
The forward position will be led by junior Andy Metcalf followed by a talented group of freshmen.
"We've always had very good attacking players at Memphis, and this season is no different," Grant said. "We have tremendous options."
The Tigers will look for Metcalf to be a goal scorer on the team. The Jackson, Tenn., native had a breakout year in 2003. One of only two players to start all 18 games, Metcalf led the team with 10 goals and 24 points. He earned All-Midwest Region second team and All-C-USA second team honors last year as well as being named an academic All-American.
"(Metcalf) is the most natural finisher that we have," Grant said. "For us to be successful, we will rely on him scoring goals.
"After the tremendous year he had last year, he will be heavily marked. He'll probably get closer attention from the opposition this year than he did last year. He's had a season of PDL (Premier Development League) that's prepared him. Andy continues to develop on a daily basis, and I think he's ready for the challenge."
Freshmen newcomers Marcus McCarty, Tyler Camp and Brett Schreiber, who Grant said is a fiery center forward in the mold of former U of M star Tommy White, will also compete for playing time in the forward position.
Midfielders
Juniors Dayton O'Brien and Cormac McArdle and seniors Daniel Dobson and John Reilly lead a talented crop of midfielders.
"Our midfield is very attack minded and very strong," Grant said. "We have plenty of options on the left side."
O'Brien followed up his All-C-USA freshman campaign with a strong performance in 2003, capturing all-conference second team and All-Midwest Region third-team honors. The junior joined Metcalf as the only two players to start all 18 games. He ended the year second on the team with nine goals and 23 points and led the team with five assists. O'Brien also led the team with a .237 shot percentage.
Coming off an excellent spring, McArdle should lead the Tigers' attack. A prolific scorer, McArdle transfered to Memphis from NAIA's Thomas University (Ga.). He was named Thomas University's Offensive MVP after scoring 52 points on 21 goals and 10 assists as a sophomore in 2003 and earning honorable mention All-American honor
Reilly struggled last season after scoring eight goals and making 20 points as a sophomore in 2002. His reemergence is key for the Tigers in 2004.
Dobson produced career highs last year with a pair of goals and added four assists for a total of eight points. Memphis will have a unique formation this year and will use the team captain as a holding player. Grant will use Dobson to play in the center of the field and distribute the ball in both directions.
"(Dobson) will have to have a strong season on both sides of the ball; attacking and defending," Grant said.
This is also an important season for Harrison Kiser and Brad Whitsitt after strong freshmen seasons. Kiser started 17 games and appeared in all 18 matches. He scored a goal and made two assists. Whitsitt appeared in 15 games in 2003, starting three of them. He scored two goals and added three assists for seven points. The coaches believe Whitsitt has gotten stronger over the spring.
Junior transfer Stephen Cooling, Dublin City University (Ireland) and freshmen Adam Montgomery, Aaron Volanski, Adam Raborn, Jared Touchstone and Bradley Phillips will also compete for playing time in the midfield position. Grant said Montgomery is the best player this year in the state of Tennessee.
Defenders
Senior Justin Dyer and junior Gary Connolly head an inexperienced group of defenders into the season, but both will have the opportunity to shine.
"Gary Connolly and Justin Dyer have the potential to be two of the best defenders in the league," Grant said. "They need to have strong seasons and use their experience.
"Our defense is an area that we've had to strengthen. We've had to focus on it in our spring training, and we've had to recruit players that can step in immediately."
After losing last year's senior team captain, Graham Gibbs, Grant said he believes the addition of freshman Michael Coburn, a strong, physical defender, will help lessen the loss.
A freshmen trio of Mark Gourlay, Afif Najjar and Jared Britcher will also compete for playing time.
Goalkeepers
Senior starting goalkeeper Sebastian Vecchio returns after transferring from Mid-Continent College (Ky.) last year and stepping into the starting role early in the season. Vecchio started 13 games for the Tigers, capturing 37 saves, a .649 percentage and averaging 1.42 goals per game. Memphis went 6-6-2 in games he controlled the 18-yard box.
"Sebas (Vecchio) has improved all the time in our program," Grant said. "He was in a difficult situation in transferring in last year and being exposed immediately to conference competition. He enters the season as our No. 1 goalie."
Freshmen giants Trey Meyer, 6'4", and Tyler Strom, 6'5", will also compete for playing time.
"The lads have been brought in to compete with Sebastian and ultimately replace him as he is in his senior year," Grant said.
Schedule
The Tigers will play nine non-conference games and two preseason games in 2004. The schedule includes four games against Missouri Valley Conference teams Western Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Eastern Illinois and Evansville.
"We've always used the non-conference games as preparation games for our conference matches," Grant said. "In our last few years, we've had very successful results in our non-conference games."
In Grant's five years at Memphis, the Tigers have gone 31-13-2 (.696) in non-conference games. Memphis will once again host the Diadora Tournament in September with Centenary, Oral Roberts and Western Kentucky participating. The Tigers also play in the Vanderbilt Puma Classic in September against the host school and Eastern Illinois.
With the realignment of C-USA in 2005, this will be the last year Memphis will play the current group of conference teams. Everybody will be fighting hard for one of six spots in the conference tournament in Louisville on November 11-14.
"I think people will be very eager to do well this year," Grant said. "There's some great history between the teams in terms of competition. I think that's what makes the conference tournament in Louisville special. It's going to be very competitive to make it to that conference tournament."
