Aug. 7, 2007

The UAB men's soccer team will face many challenges during the upcoming 2007 campaign, as the Blazers will have to look elsewhere for offense, experience and leadership. Seven seniors from last season's NCAA Tournament team, including five starters, have all graduated.

The Blazers will have to find a way to not only replace the experience, but also the team's two top scorers from last year's 10-6-4 team.

However, UAB head coach Mike Getman welcomes what he considers to be possibly the best recruiting class in the program's 30-year history. Along with the newcomers, Getman also returns 13 letterwinners and six starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team. With that knowledge, Getman feels that not only will this year's edition of the Blazers have any trouble replacing the scoring from last year, but could even be more explosive.

"This team returns a large corp of players that were very successful last year," Getman said. "We come back into this season extremely optimistic about what this team is capable of achieving."

Part of the reason for Getman's optimism is because of the returning players. Of the 13 returnees from last year's squad, 10 saw action in at least 16 of UAB's 20 contests during the 2006 season.

Leading the list of returnees is All-America candidate Dejan Jakovic.The Etobicoke, Ontario native was placed on the watch list for the 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy Award, given annually to the nation's top soccer player. He also was tabbed first team all-region and first team all-conference in 2006.

Another player to watch for the Blazers is junior midfielder Two-Boys Gumede, who is poised to challenge for first-team all-conference and all-region accolades after earning all-conference honors in each of his two seasons at UAB. Last season, Gumede used his speed and skill to pile up six assists which ranked second on the team.

Getman also returns three starters on defense which gives the Blazers experience in the back that they have not had for a while. When considering the returning experience, along with the talent and depth the newcomers will provide, the Blazers have high hopes and expectations heading into the 2007 campaign.

"We had a large group of seniors and a large group of sophomores last season," Getman said. "Now those sophomores are juniors and going into their third season of college soccer. So we have a very experienced team overall. We have the talent, the skill and athleticism and a large number of experienced players. This team has the potential to be the best team to ever play for UAB if we can stay healthy, develop the right chemistry and catch a break here and there,, this could be a great year for us."

FORWARDS
This year's team will have to replenish the scoring as the Blazers' two leading scorers from a season ago have graduated in Jerson Monteiro and Lukasz Kwapisz. Monteiro ranks among the school's all-time career leaders in goals, assists and points after having one of the best single seasons in school history in 2006. The Houston, Texas native, who was picked by the Chicago Fire of the MLS with the eighth overall pick in the 2007 SuperDraft, accounted for 14 goals, seven assists and 35 points. Between them, Monteiro and Kwapisz accounted for 21 of UAB's 33 goals and 49 of the team's 97 points. However, between the newcomers and returning players, Getman hopes the scoring gets even better that last season.

Two transfers will see plenty of playing time and fight for starting positions entering fall camp. The duo will have big shoes to fill in replacing the offensive threats that were lost to graduation, but each is capable of providing the same, if not more offense in 2007.

Frank Brown comes to UAB after earning honorable mention All-America accolades while at Rio Grande last season. Brown provides the Blazers with an instant offensive threat and is someone who could easily find his way into the starting lineup this season. Brown, a native of Preston, England, accounted for 22 points on seven goals and eight assists last season and helped lead Rio Grande to the No. 1 ranking most of the year in NAIA.

"Frank came into the spring season and earned a starting position," Getman said. "He is the classic English forward, He fights for everything and never gives up. I think he is going to be able to create and score goals for us this season."

University of Montevallo transfer John Markey also brings college experience to the Blazer offense in 2007. In 2006, Markey was one of the team's best players, earning a spot on the Gulf South Conference first team. Markey was one of the top scorers for the Falcons, accounting for seven goals and 12 assists (26 points) during his two years with Montevallo.

Getman feels between the duo, not only will his team not miss a beat in the offense, but could possibly even become a better finishing team.

Another player who could see action up front is redshirt freshman Drew Knaub. Last season, Knaub played in several games before an injury forced him to sit out with a medical redshirt. However, the C-USA Academic Medal of Honor recipient proved he could be a force up top for the Blazers, scoring a goal in the team's exhibition game. He is a very fast and talented player who could be a surprise to teams around the league.

Several freshman will also look to push for playing time and even a starting position in 2007. Kevin Sawchak is considered one of the fastest players on the team and has a knack for finding the back of the net. Sawchak was able to participate in spring practice with the Blazers and impressed the coaching staff with his skill and speed. Getman sees him a someone who could play a big role this season.

Anthony King led the renowned Vestavia Steamers soccer club in scoring and was also tabbed to the Huntsville Times Boys' Super Team in 2005 and 2006. Ken Tabata is another newcomer who is considered a good finisher and should challenge for playing time right away.

In all, Getman feels this class will not only help the Blazers' offense in 2007, but for years to come.

"We lost some goal scorers from last season, but I think think the people that create our goals are still here," Getman said. "We have had a number of players who stepped up during the offseason and a number of new players who have joined our team. These guys will give us a very dynamic attacking group. I think we are going to be better offensively than last season because we have so many players that are experienced."

MIDFIELD
As is the norm with the great Blazer teams in the past, UAB's strength in 2007 will lie in the midfield. Getman returns all four starters from last year's squad, while also welcoming a plethora of newcomers to the position this season.

Leading the way will be Jakovic, who is possibly the most versatile player on the team. Last season, Jakovic played strictly in the defense the first half of the season, before moving to midfield over the last portion of UAB's schedule.. After making the position change, Jakovic quickly developed into one of the top players in not only Conference USA, but in the nation.

Jakovic's strength is his size and skill. He has the ability to control play and to hold the ball and distribute from the midfield position. An example of the impact he made can be seen in UAB's record before and after Jakovic's position change. Prior to the switch, the Blazers were struggling to find an identity, going 6-4-2. However, after Getman made the change, the Blazers surged into an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, dropping only two of their final 10 contests.

"Dejan has played a number of positions and is one of the most versatile players we have ever had at UAB," Getman said. "He is big, skilled, athletic, confident and works very hard. He truly has all the qualities you want in a central midfielder. He is just a top quality soccer player who can really do whatever he wants to on the soccer field."

Joining Jakovic in the attacking midfield is Gumede. The South Africa native is considered one of the craftiest and skilled players in the league. Last season, Gumede ranked second on the team with six assists and eight points (1g, 6a) on his way to earning second-team all-conference honors. Gumede, who has earned all-conference accolades in each of his two seasons at UAB after being tabbed to the C-USA All-Freshman team in 2005, played mainly in the outside midfield position. He is capable of also seeing action in central midfield, as well as providing depth at the forward position.

Joining Gumede in the midfield will be junior Trey Gregory, who was voted as the team's Most Improved Player last year by teammates and coaches. In 2006, Gregory played in all 20 contests, starting 11 games. He scored three goals and had two assists for eight points, which tied him for third on the team. No goal was more important than the game-winner he scored against then-No. 1 and previously unbeaten SMU. He also scored a game-winner against Stetson in the Blazers' 2-0 victory.

Junior Carlo Schiavoni is an experienced player who has played in all 37 contests since wearing the Green and Gold, starting 33 games. Last season, Schiavoni recorded a career-best three assists, while playing the defensive midfield position. He is a consistent and hard-nosed player who Getman looks to be one of the leaders on this year's defensive front.

Derek Rios is another player who looks to continue his improvement since stepping onto the UAB campus. The junior midfielder scored a career-best two goals last season and recorded his first career assist, to finish with five points on the campaign. Rios is a target player in the midfield, using his 5-10, 160-pound frame to create space and control the ball in the midfield. Rios also has the versatility to play forward, attacking midfield and defensive midfield.

Several other returnees will look to provide depth and push for a starting position and playing time. A player looking to make a breakthrough this season is junior Bobby Changthongphio. Despite playing in only 11 contests during his two seasons, Changthongphio is a highly skilled player who is capable of making an immediate impact when inserted into a game.

Junior Mark Stachelski is another veteran player in the midfield who will attempt to see time in Getman's rotation this season. He, along with newcomers Stephen Grooms and Michael Mravec, are all talented enough that they could push for playing time.

"We return three starting central midfielders and when you have that, it will allow the rest of the team to revolve around that," Getman said. "They are the hub of what we do. It is vital to have an experienced midfield. All of the great UAB teams in the past have had a great midfield, and this team will not be any different."

DEFENSE
The Blazers return two of their four defensive starters from a year ago, as well as bring an experienced transfer who is a defensive specialist. The trio makes the defense an area of strength, which is different when compared to the beginning of the 2006 season when Getman was forced to replace three defensive starters. However, this season, UAB boasts three players who played an important role and were instrumental in their team's success last season.

Leading the list of returnees is senior Joe Klosterman and sophomore Dean Sorrell who are the lone two returnees from last year's team to have started and played in every game a year ago. In fact, the duo ranked first and second in minutes played, with Sorrell leading the team with 1,852, followed by Klosterman with 1,817.

Klosterman is the most experienced player on this year's team, having started and played in 56 contests during his career. As a freshman, the St. Louis, Mo. native was tabbed as a league third team and all-freshman honoree.

Meanwhile, Sorrell could have easily earned conference all-freshman accolades last season. He is the first freshman to ever lead a UAB squad in minutes played. Sorrell is one of the top outside backs in the league who is regularly in the middle of the action and will certainly be an all-conference candidate this season.

Another player who started a majority of games for his team last season is sophomore Sibusiso Macwele. The Alabama A&M transfer started 11 times and played in all of his team's 15 contests. He was considered one of the top defenders on a team which recorded nine games of allowing one goal or less.

Junior Logan Alexander and sophomore Jonah Stewart will look to compete for a starting position among the back line entering the fall. Alexander is the more experienced of the two, having played in 32 contests while making 14 starts during his two seasons at UAB. Meanwhile, Stewart does not have the experience but performed well as a defender during the spring season. Last season, Stewart played in 12 contests, mainly coming in at midfield. However, Getman likes his intensity and aggressiveness in the back, which may be good enough to earn a starting position.

"I can see both Dean and Jonah having breakout years," Getman said. "Both players have had a great spring and got more comfortable with what we're doing."

Several other players will also compete for a starting position, as well as playing time heading in to the fall campaign. Two redshirt freshmen in Darnell Brown and Kyle Gilbreath each have an advantage having played a season under Getman. However, true freshman Curtis Ushedo brings an impressive resume to Birmingham, and will look to push the veterans in the back.

When all the facts are considered, the UAB defense could be one of the top back lines in all of Conference USA.

"Last year, there were a lot of question marks coming into the season defensively," Getman said. "This year, there some new players that will come into the back line. Logan, Joe and Dean give us three very experienced players. Then you talk about Sibusiso and Jonah who are two players give us some experience with each playing a season of college soccer. When you add in Kyle, Darnell and Curtis, that really gives us a lot of depth. As a group, this is by far the most athletic defensive group we have ever had."

GOALKEEPERS
Three goalkeepers will enter the fall season with the hopes of winning the starting position in the net for the Blazers. The leading candidate to earn the starting position is the only netminder who returns with collegiate experience in sophomore Wes Johnson. Last year, Johnson played impressively, earning seven starts and playing in nine contests. Johnson was spectacular in UAB's win over nationally-ranked Kentucky, collecting two saves in a 1-0 overtime victory. He had a record of 5-1-2 last season, including two shutouts. Furthermore, he made nine saves and earned the victory over then-No. 1 and previously unbeaten SMU. He will enter the fall camp as the team's No. 1 goalkeeper.

Johnson will be pushed all season by a pair of talented freshmen. Goalkeepers Tucker Stone and Carl Woszcynski were both highly recruited out of high school and bring a wealth of talent to UAB. Stone, a native of Asheville, N.C., was tabbed all-state and first-team all-region in both 2005 and 2006 and holds his high school's record for most career shutouts.

Like Stone, Woszcynski is considered a talent in the net. While at Columbus (Ind.) North High School, Woszcynski earned all-state honors in 2005 and 2006 and all-conference accolades in each of his four seasons. He also recorded 42 shutouts and 80 career games and boasts a career goals allowed average of .80.

"I am really excited about the goalkeeping this year," Getman said. "They are all young, but they are all very athletic and big. Wes proved he can play at the top level when he led us through the conference and NCAA tournaments. Then we have two freshman coming in who are very capable of playing right away."

SCHEDULE
This year's schedule will once again be a challenging one, as the Blazers will battle Division I powerhouse programs such as Akron, Indiana, South Carolina and SMU, among others. Additionally, for the first time since 1998 and just the second time in school history, the UAB men's soccer team will play 10 regular-season home games during the 2007 campaign.

"We are very excited to have such a strong home schedule," Getman said. "Our fans are some of the best in college soccer and really give our team a great boost."

In addition to the 10 home regular-season contests, the Blazers will also have an advantage come tournament time, as West Campus Field will be the site of the 2007 Conference USA Championships. The league tournament, which will be held Nov. 14-18, returns to Birmingham for the first time since 1999. That year, UAB captured the regular season and conference tournament titles on its way to a program-best elite eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

"Hosting the C-USA Tourney will give our fans a chance to see some of the best soccer in the country," Getman said. "Playing at home will also be a great advantage as we move into the postseason."

Similar to last season, the men's soccer team opens the 2007 campaign in one of the top tournaments in the nation, the Westfield Insurance Cup in Akron, Ohio. The Blazers will battle Hartwick College on Aug. 31 in the season-opener for both teams, before taking on host Akron on Sept. 2.

Following that tournament, UAB will return home for seven of its next eight contests. Following home games against Lipscomb (Sept. 7) and Centenary (Sept. 9), the Blazers will also host the UAB Classic for the ninth consecutive season. UAB will battle crosstown foe Birmingham-Southern (Sept. 14) and Mercer (Sept. 16), while Alabama A&M will also compete in the annual event.

The lone road game during the eight-match stretch will be one of the toughest all season, as the Blazers will travel to Getman's alma mater and do battle against seven-time national champions Indiana University on Sept. 21.

The conference slate will not make things any easier, as UAB opens play in one of the top conferences in the nation with a home contest against South Carolina on Sept. 29. In all, the Blazers will play four league contests at home, including Florida International (Oct. 13), UCF (Oct. 27) and Memphis (Nov. 3), as well as the Gamecocks. UAB will play road conference contests at Kentucky (Oct. 6), SMU (Oct. 17), Marshall (Oct. 20) and Tulsa (Nov. 9).

Other non-conference home games include Jacksonville (Sept. 23) and Eastern Illinois (Oct. 3), while the Blazers will take on Alabama A&M on the road on Oct. 24. The 2007 campaign begins with a pair of exhibition games at West Campus Field on Aug. 18 against Mobile and Aug. 25 against Auburn-Montgomery.