Men's Soccer Thread

[Kyle321n]

Interesting!  I saw that the women's team put out an announcement, but haven't noticed anything from the men.

I didn't realize there was an Angola, Indiana.  I was trying to piece together how a fellow with the name of Chris Clemens arrived by way of southwest Africa.

Indiana, where our cities are named after countries so people think we're from a more exotic locale!

[historyman]

Interesting!  I saw that the women's team put out an announcement, but haven't noticed anything from the men. I didn't realize there was an Angola, Indiana.  I was trying to piece together how a fellow with the name of Chris Clemens arrived by way of southwest Africa.

Indiana, where our cities are named after countries so people think we're from a more exotic locale!

Yes, most Hoosiers are from normal sounding towns like Greensburg, Whitestown, Wheatfield, Greenfield, Portage, South Bend, Greenwood, Whiteland, Greencastle, Franklin, Washington, Columbus, Jeffersonville, Portland, Blackford, Bloomington, Bedford, Anderson, Clarksville, Madison, Brownstown, Rushville, Shelbyville, Boonville, Greendale, Tell City, Frankfort, Bluffton, Hartford City, New Castle, Plainfield, Danville, Fortville, Princeton, Oakland City, Westville, Scottsburg, Hanover, Bremen, Goshen, Berne, Edinburgh, Vincennes, Milan, Paris Crossing, Trafalgar, Munster, Versailles, Warsaw and Valparaiso.

[valporun]

Interesting!  I saw that the women's team put out an announcement, but haven't noticed anything from the men. I didn't realize there was an Angola, Indiana.  I was trying to piece together how a fellow with the name of Chris Clemens arrived by way of southwest Africa.

Indiana, where our cities are named after countries so people think we're from a more exotic locale!

Yes, most Hoosiers are from normal sounding towns like Greensburg, Whitestown, Wheatfield, Greenfield, Portage, South Bend, Greenwood, Whiteland, Greencastle, Franklin, Washington, Columbus, Jeffersonville, Portland, Blackford, Bloomington, Bedford, Anderson, Clarksville, Madison, Brownstown, Rushville, Shelbyville, Boonville, Greendale, Tell City, Frankfort, Bluffton, Hartford City, New Castle, Plainfield, Danville, Fortville, Princeton, Oakland City, Westville, Scottsburg, Hanover, Bremen, Goshen, Berne, Edinburgh, Vincennes, Milan, Paris Crossing, Trafalgar, Munster, Versailles, Warsaw and Valparaiso.

What time is the last train to Clarksville? I'll meet you at the station, gotta be there by 4:30. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

What time is the last train to Clarksville? I'll meet you at the station, gotta be there by 4:30. 

Oh, no. No.

No.

[valporun]

Stole your thunder?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Stole your thunder?

And I don't know if I'm ever coming back.

[agibson]

I notice Zobeck got released from Dallas.  A keeper returning from loan, and another joining the senior team having come through the youth system.  They could have loaned him out, perhaps.  But just released him instead.

We'll see where he lands!  Hopefully at least in the NASL?

[agibson]

I see Antonijevic has re-signed with Ft. Lauderdale.  Good news!

[bbtds]

I see Antonijevic has re-signed with Ft. Lauderdale.  Good news!

I believe this was covered in February.

http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=1749.0

I had that deja vu feeling and then noticed I had read the thread just a few days ago.

[valpotx]

Since FC Dallas' coach 'retired,' that pretty much ended the hopes for Zobeck, as he was a big supporter of a 4th GK, and of Zobeck.

[agibson]

Looks Zobeck's on trial with the Cosmos (NASL), and getting some substitute minutes (two out of three games?) on their pre-season junket in the UAE.

Good luck to him!

[valpotx]

Definitely a historic name.  I am sure that he will be picked up full-time by someone, and hopefully somewhere he can play to showcase his abilities.

[VULB#62]

A quote from Mike Avery's year end communication:

Despite losing seven seniors, and very important players, the group took that confidence into it's winter training and spring competition. We finished our spring slate of games over the weekend and can look back on those exhibition games with pride in our progress and excitement about the next fall. We displayed some new-found toughness in the back and up the spine of the team defensively, and we kept the ball beautifully as we were able to attack in numbers with balance, width and team shape. In the seven matches we finished 6-1 (our lone defeat coming in a very evenly played 1-0 game in South Bend against defending national champion Notre Dame) and while establishing an expectation of positive results is an important outcome, playing with purpose and maintaining high performance standards day in and day out is probably even of greater importance during this spring phase of our.

Mike is continually looking to build. Last year they had 14 of 18 games away from home,with top 25 and BCS teams all over the schedule - that was not a season for the feint of heart.  Hopefully, the combination of an even more competitive team and a favorable schedule, the MSO program will improve by a leap.

[vu72]

A quote from Mike Avery's year end communication:

Despite losing seven seniors, and very important players, the group took that confidence into it's winter training and spring competition. We finished our spring slate of games over the weekend and can look back on those exhibition games with pride in our progress and excitement about the next fall. We displayed some new-found toughness in the back and up the spine of the team defensively, and we kept the ball beautifully as we were able to attack in numbers with balance, width and team shape. In the seven matches we finished 6-1 (our lone defeat coming in a very evenly played 1-0 game in South Bend against defending national champion Notre Dame) and while establishing an expectation of positive results is an important outcome, playing with purpose and maintaining high performance standards day in and day out is probably even of greater importance during this spring phase of our.

Mike is continually looking to build. Last year they had 14 of 18 games away from home,with top 25 and BCS teams all over the schedule - that was not a season for the feint of heart.  Hopefully, the combination of an even more competitive team and a favorable schedule, the MSO program will improve by a leap.

And with style in the written word that would make Apostle proud!!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

And with style in the written word that would make Apostle proud!!

#62 or Mike?

[vu72]

And with style in the written word that would make Apostle proud!!

#62 or Mike?

Well, ok, both!

[valpotx]

You have to love the Avery duo

[valpotx]

Wow, this guy sounds like a great transfer pick-up!  We haven't had too many true scorers, and he sounds like just what we need to keep improving.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/msoccer/news/2013-14/13756/crusaders-add-gweh-to-newcomers-for-2014/

[agibson]

Wow, this guy sounds like a great transfer pick-up!  We haven't had too many true scorers, and he sounds like just what we need to keep improving.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/msoccer/news/2013-14/13756/crusaders-add-gweh-to-newcomers-for-2014/

Interesting!  It's hard to know how goal scoring success translates to the "next" level.  But, some encouraging signs.  Was he _the_ player of the year in some MN ranking?  Continuing to score at the " US Soccer Development Academy" level sounds encouraging - I assume that's a pretty high level?

5'6" - so a little guy.  But, hey this is soccer.  (Even if Messi does have an inch on him.)

It'll be interesting to see the complexion of the attack next season.

Here's the player of the year info.  So, for ESPN (not sure how much HS or even college soccer they do?) he was _the_ player of the year in MN.

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/player-of-the-year/tag/_/name/matthew-gweh

[VULB#62]

He's an already D-I - proven player.  Played plenty of minutes for D-I Highpoint (Big South Conference with 2014 high profile OOC games against Pitt and VaTech [ACC] and Appalachian State).  They were 8-8-3 in 2013.  He played in 15 games, started 4, and had 610 minutes of playing time.  He had 4 assists -- team 4th best.  He must have to sit out this season I'm thinking, but the write-up doesn't really touch on that aspect of his soccer resume.  One thing I did notice is that his minutes near the end of the season began to drop.  Could have a been for a number of reasons from  injury to doghouse.

[valpotx]

I believe that only football and basketball have the rule in place regarding sitting out 1 year upon transfer.  I know that baseball and softball can transfer and play right away (i.e. Brittany Duncan to Louisville this season).

[VULB#62]

That would be nice.  I think he will thrive in Mike's MSO family environment. 

Soap Box:  My son, as a junior, was recruited by Bobby Clark (when he was at Dartmouth back in the late 90's) who is now the current Notre Dame Director of Soccer (his concept is to oversee the entire UND program -- not just be the MSO coach), and that was quite an experience for the player as well as his family.  Wish my Matt would have gone there, but Bobby left Dartmouth for the New Zealand National Team between Matt's Jr and Sr season and the new guy changed everything.  Dartmouth has not equaled what Bobby had done since, and Bobby has gone on to place Stanford and now UND on the national stage using the same formula.  It's a total soccer experience: it's a community, soccer family, service, and (BTW) competition concept that makes the last guy on the roster as important to the program as the top scorer.  Mike is a branch of Bobby's coaching tree and we are so lucky to be the beneficiaries.  Matthew Gwey may not have enjoyed his Highpoint experience (my guess), but he'll love playing whatever minutes he gets at Valpo and he'll come away smiling.

[historyman]

From the NCAA's 4-4 Tranfer rules guidelines (meaning transferring from a 4-year school to another 4-year school):

If this is your first transfer...

If you have never transferred before from a four-year school, you might be able to use the one-time transfer exception to play
right away at a Division I or II school.

To use this exception, you must:

1. Be playing a sport other than baseball in Division I, basketball in Division I, men's ice hockey in Division I or football in Division I.
Note: In football you may be eligible to use this exception if:
a. You transfer from a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) school to a Football Championship Subdivision
(formerly Division I-AA) school and have at least two seasons of competition remaining; or
b. You transfer from a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school that offers athletics scholarships to a
Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) that does not offer athletics scholarships.

Important Note: If you do not qualify for this exception due to any of the conditions in Subsection 1 above, you may
be able to use the exception if you were not recruited by your first four-year school AND have never received an athletics
scholarship.

2. Be in good academic standing and making progress toward your degree;

3. Have been considered academically eligible if you had stayed in your first school; and

4. Have a written release agreement from your first school saying that it does not object to your receiving an exception to
the transfer residence requirement. If the release is denied, you may be entitled to a hearing conducted by an institutional
entity or committee outside of the athletics department (e.g., the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or
a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members).
Further, in Division I, if your request for a written release is not provided within seven business days of the previous institution
receiving the request, the release shall be granted by default and the previous institution shall provide a written release to
you.

[valpotx]

This rule surprises me in regards to baseball, as we had 2-3 guys transfer into the program when I was in school, and they played right away.  Maybe they didn't have scholarships at their other schools (they were starters at Butler and Creighton), or maybe the rule changed since that time.

[VULB#62]

According to Mike Avery, "... He's an awesome kid, 3.8 student, who happens to be a freakish athlete and a good player."   Originally recruited to Highpoint by one of Mikes current assistants, he wasn't comfortable there and chose to transfer.  Valpo had a little leverage at that point. The 2014 season should see a lot more scoring to go along with a traditionally stingy defense.