Camp Opens 2019 Season for Men's Soccer

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The newest season for the University of Memphis men's soccer team began Wednesday morning with a fitness test and a scrimmage, marking the first official day of work for the team. The Tigers closed out the week with an afternoon practice session at the Park Avenue Campus. The team welcomes 12 newcomers to the squad for the 2019 season, including four transfers.

"There's always an excitement. You've been recruiting these kids for a while now, so to see them on the field as a part of this team for the first time, it's fun to watch," Head coach Richard Mulrooney said of the additions. "The first couple days have been as smooth as possible, but nothing is without its challenges."

Mulrooney embarks on his sixth season at the helm of the squad, returning 69 percent of the minutes from last season, bringing a nice blend of returning experience and fresh faces. Included in the returners are the top-three point scorers from 2018. Additionally, first team All-AAC defender Ben Roberts returns for his senior season, while All-Rookie Team honoree Gurman Sangha is back for his second year on the squad.

Including Roberts, the senior class consists of four Tigers. Senior midfielder Jackson Morse will look to continue to lead as the only four-year player on the squad. Having appeared in 51 career matches, he is the most experienced player for the Blue and Gray. Sam Ashton enters his second season with the Tigers after transferring from Concord prior to last season. Ashton appeared in 12 matches last season, registering an assist against Belmont. New to the team as a senior in 2019 is Garrett Blume, who transferred to Memphis from Oklahoma Christian College.

With three exhibitions scheduled before the beginning of the regular season, Mulrooney said, "These games are a way for us to come together as a team. You want to see the on-field chemistry, test what the ideal lineups are going to be. You want to give guys as much playing time as possible to prove themselves, and the coaches will learn just as much from these matches as the players will."

Memphis will start its exhibition slate with a match against Memphis 901 FC on Monday. The noon start time will take place at the Billy J. Murphy Track & Soccer Complex on the University's Park Avenue Campus. As always, admission is free.

For more information on the men's soccer team, follow the Tigers on social media at @MemphisMSoccer and at /MemphisSoccer.

University of Memphis Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Sam Ashton

Garrett Blume

Jackson Morse

Ben Roberts

Gurman Sangha

Related Videos