2011 Men's Soccer Preview
Head Trinity men’s soccer Coach Paul McGinlay is excited about the 2011 campaign, which begins Sept. 1 with a home game against Schreiner.
The soccer playing area is now called Paul McGinlay Field, but
that is not what the 21st-year coach is most thrilled
with. He will have the services of three All-Americans, eight
returning starters, 31 returnees from the 2010 season, and a wealth
of new talent.
“I will put our players’ abilities against
anyone,” Coach McGinlay said. “We are well balanced and
focused. We are returning a similar defense, and our goal-scorers
are numerous. There is growth from within the returnees, as well as
some exciting first-year players who will join our 2011
squad.”
The Tigers won their 14th SCAC Championship (11-0-0
record), and 13th in the past 15 years. Coach McGinlay
was named SCAC Coach of the Year for the 12th
time.
Trinity qualified for its 14th NCAA Division III
Tournament, and ninth in a row. The Tigers hosted the first two
NCAA rounds, defeating Pacific (Ore.) 3-1 in the opener. Trinity
took the second round, 4-2 on penalty kicks, following a 0-0 tie
with Texas-Tyler. The Tigers will have a rematch with Texas-Tyler,
at home on Sept. 5.
In the Sectional round (Trinity’s seventh appearance) at
Delaware, Ohio, Lynchburg upset the top-ranked Tigers 2-0.
The Tigers completed the season with a 19-3-1 record. Coach
McGinlay was elected the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America West Region Coach of the Year. It marked the seventh time
Coach McGinlay was named a regional coach of the Year. The Tigers
finished the year with a ranking as high as No. 8 nationally
(D3soccer.com).
Eight seniors graduated, including three starters.
This season, Trinity enters the fray with a No. 9 ranking by the NSCAA.
A definite leader this season is senior Zach Garcia (Dallas/Lake Highlands), who was selected as an All-American by the NSCAA and D3soccer.com. Garcia, the SCAC Offensive Player of the Year, scored 12 goals (two game-winners, and accounted for five assists. He became the fourth consecutive Trinity player to earn SCAC Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
Sophomore forward Yuri Ribeiro (Salvador, Brazil/Seaton Catholic) was an NSCAA All-American and the SCAC Newcomer of the Year. Ribeiro scored 15 goals (five game-winners), while chalking up five assists.
The Tigers’ firepower included 86 goals, an average of
3.74 per game. This goal tally was the highest in the nation, in
all NCAA divisions.
Junior defender Denny Mask (Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hall), who
transferred last year from North Carolina-Greensboro, also was an
NSCAA All-American. Mask was a key member of the Tiger defense,
which yielded only 18 goals, an average of .78 per game.
Nima Naderi (Carrollton, Texas/Creekview) , a junior
midfielder, joined Garcia, Ribeiro and Mask on the All-Region Team.
Naderi scored two goals (one game-winner) and dished out seven
assists.
Returning seniors Cameron Hogsett (McKinney, Texas/McKinney)
and Josh Adams (Houston/Clear Brook) made the All-SCAC Team.
Hogsett, a forward, led the Tigers in assists, with 11, while
scoring two goals (one game-winner). Adams, a midfielder, had five
goals (one game-winner) and three assists.
Senior midfielder CH Farmer (Dallas/Lake Highlands) scored two
critical game-winning goals, and put out five assists. Junior
center/midfielder Kyle Porter (Albuquerque, N.M./El Dorado) had a
game-winning goal and five assists. Michael Micheletti (Kingwood,
Texas/Kingwood), a junior defender, scored two goals (one
game-winner) and made one assist, all while tightening up the
Tigers defense. Senior David Steuber (Phoenix/Desert Vista) also
returns to the Tigers backline.
Senior goalkeeper Jacob Truitt (Houston/Langham Creek) ,
played in 11 games, while starting three. Truitt allowed only three
goals, and made 11 saves. Junior keeper Tim Nelin (Columbus, Ohio)
had eight starts in 10 games. He gave up seven goals, but also made
14 saves. Junior Michael Barbosa (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) also
returns to action this year after a season-ending injury in
2010.
A player who was not a starter, but will make a big impact, is
sophomore forward Brian Hines (Tempe, Ariz./Brophy College
Preparatory). Hines accounted for six goals (one game-winner) and
two assists. Senior forward Peter Philpott (London, England/City of
London Freemen’s School) had five goals and three
assists.
Junior defender Lachlan Fogarty (Sydney, Australia/Trinity Grammar School) returns to the lineup this season after an injury.
“The fans will see the same characteristics that have
made us successful and formidable in the past,” Coach
McGinlay said. “We will be able to circulate the ball with
great technique. On the occasion when we don’t have the ball,
the opposition will be under tremendous pressure. We think we are
capable of playing on both sides of the ball.”
Two first-year players from Cali, Columbia, will become Tigers
this season: forward NicoEstrada and defender Simon Uribe, who both
attended Colegio Bolivar. Midfielder Roberto Camargo, who hails
from Mexico City, was a standout at San Antonio’s Reagan High
School.
Assistant Coach Kelly Altman, a former Tiger standout
(2001-2004), is optimistic about the team’s chances of making
a dent on the collegiate soccer scene.
“Our goals are the same for every year,” said
Coach Altman, beginning his fifth year on the Tiger coaching staff.
“We want to win a conference title, win the battle of Texas,
and progress on to winning the national title. With our talent, I
think those are realistic goals. I also think. At the start of the
season, we are the best team in the country.”
Paul McGinlay Field, and the “Tito” Isom Memorial – named in honor of the late Tiger soccer standout - will be dedicated Sept. 23 prior to the Tiger women’s game with Our Lady of the Lake University. The Tiger men take on Chapman the next night.
The University’s Alumni Weekend is set for Oct. 7-9, and
the Tigers will host two SCAC games during the time period. Rhodes
comes to town Oct. 7, and Millsaps is the opponent Oct. 9.
Trinity Soccer Friends and Family Weekend opens Oct. 21 with a
SCAC game against Colorado College, and concludes Oct. 23 in a
conference match-up with Hendrix.
The SCAC returns to a conference-tournament format, to be held
Nov. 4-6 at Birmingham-Southern College at Birmingham, Ala. The
tournament winner receives the SCAC’s automatic bid to the
NCAA playoffs.
Trinity will co-host, for the third year with San Antonio
Sports, the NCAA Final Four. The men’s and women’s
championships are slated for Dec. 2-3 at Blossom Soccer
Stadium.
