After a successful 2008 season, the Jays are looking to go further.
For the second year in a row, men’s soccer has entered the season ranked sixth in the NSCAA/adidas preseason poll. The No. 6 ranking followed College Soccer News’ preseason poll, which gave the Jays a second-place ranking, behind 2008 College Cup semifinalist St. John’s University. The team was also picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference, receiving four of six possible first-place votes.
The Jays know that with high preseason rankings, many teams will be gunning for them, but that doesn’t change things.
“The thing about preseason rankings is that they are never remembered at the end of the year,” senior forward Jeff Thayer said.
For the team, how the season ends is all that matters.
“At the end of the year, 64 teams make the tournament, and we want to be one of those teams,” sophomore midfielder/forward Ethan Finlay said.
This season the Jays have five players who received preseason honors. Senior defenseman Chris Schuler received four honors, including two preseason All-American honors and being named to the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Senior midfielder Seth Sinovic and fifth-year senior forward Byron Dacy were both named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as well. Dacy is the only player to be named to this list four times. Freshman forward/midfielder Dian Acoff also received an honor, being placed on College Soccer News’ annual list of “100 Freshmen to Keep an Eye On.”
The Jays changed things up a bit this offseason and spent more time weight training with new strength and conditioning coaches Zach Duval and Jacob Talcott.
“This offseason we really focused on getting stronger and faster,” Sinovic said. “We felt like we struggled physically to our Elite Eight match-up with Maryland last year and we really made lifting a point of emphasis coming into this year.”
This season, the Jays have nine returning starters and seven seniors from last year’s team, which took the MVC title and was one win short of an appearance in the College Cup. With so many veterans from last year’s successful season, the bar is set high, but the Jays haven’t changed their goal.
“With so many players back from last year, there are high expectations and some added pressure, but in the end our goal is the same every year: to make the College Cup and win a National Championship,” Sinovic said.
After the first two games of the 2009 season, the Jays have one win and one tie. Their win against No. 23 Cal Poly gave them a record of 13-1-1 all-time against top-25 teams at Morrison Stadium. The win also moved the Jays from sixth to fifth in the NSCAA/adidas poll.
“This year is going to be about hard work and dedication,” Thayer said.
You will see a lot of heart and soul on the field this year.”