Men's Soccer Ready for 2013 Season Opener
8/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug 29, 2013
SETTING THE STAGE
- Seton Hall opens the 2013 season with a pair of home games, hosting the University of Rhode Island on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m., and Drexel University on Sunday, Sept. 1, at 1 p.m.
- The Pirates are 0-1 in season and home openers under second-year head coach Gerson Echeverry; SHU fell to Saint Peter's, 3-1, in the 2012 season debut.
- Seton Hall has never faced Rhode Island in its history and the Pirates have battled Drexel just two times, winning both matches, but they have not played since the 1999 season.
SETON HALL IN SEASON OPENERS
Since the inception of the BIG EAST starting with the 1985 season Seton Hall is 16-9-3 overall in its first game of the season and the Pirates are 17-8-3 in their first home game of a season. Second-year head coach Gerson Echeverry is 0-1 in season and home openers, as the Pirates fell to Saint Peter's, 3-1, in the first matchup of 2012.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST
Senior forward George Velasquez was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team as selected by the conference coaches. Velasquez ranked second on Seton Hall last season in scoring with four goals and three assists for 11 points, and 10 of those points (4 goals, 2 assists) came against BIG EAST foes. It marked the first time in his career he received Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades.
HALL PICKED NINTH IN PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Seton Hall was picked to finish ninth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Pirates were 6-12 overall last season and 2-6 in conference play, finishing fifth in the BIG EAST Blue Division. Seton Hall returns all 10 positions starters and 20 letterwinners from last year's team. The 2012 national runner-up Georgetown Hoyas were the coaches' preseason pick to win the league title.
HALL TIME GREAT
Seton Hall head men's soccer coach Gerson Echeverry was one of the most dominant offensive players to ever wear a Seton Hall uniform and his name will forever be listed amongst the greatest student-athletes in school history as he was inducted into the Seton Hall University Athletic Hall of Fame on June 10, 2013. Echeverry was the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year in 1990 and led Seton Hall to the BIG EAST Championship in 1991, a season in which he finished third in the nation in scoring with 52 points. He still ranks sixth in program history in goals scored (41) and third in assists (32).
STRONG FOUNDATION
Seton Hall will look to build on the foundation set last season as the Pirates return nearly 100 percent of its goals and points from 2012 including their top four offensive players. Seton Hall returns 94.4 percent of its goals and 100 percent of its assists as the Pirates welcome back all 10 positional starters from a year ago and 20 letterwinners overall.
PIRATES IN THE POSTSEASON
The Pirates finished fifth in the BIG EAST Blue Division in 2012, earning their first trip to the postseason since 2007. Seton Hall traveled to Villanova in the first round of the conference tournament, falling to the Wildcats 3-1.
ASSISTANCE NEEDED
Seton Hall returns its top assist man from last season in junior midfielder Konrad Plewa. Plewa led Seton Hall with five assists and finished the season ranked 75th in the nation with 0.36 assists per game.
PIRATES NAME PAIR OF CAPTAINS
Seton Hall will have some continuity in the form of on field leadership as head coach Gerson Echeverry has named senior forward Max Garcia and junior defender Mateusz Brela as team captains for the second-straight season.
MEET THE NEW PIRATES
Head coach Gerson Echeverry has added eight new faces to the Seton Hall roster this season including five freshman, a sophomore and two transfers. Goalkeeper Brandon Barnes (Cary, Ill.), midfielder Nicholas Coppola (Florham Park, N.J.), midfielder Samuel Geiler (Offenberg, Germany), midfielder Shawn Morrison (York, Pa.), goalkeeper Julian Spindler (Weiersbach, Germany) comprise the incoming freshman class. Additionally, sophomore Juan Pinilla (Cliffside Park, N.J.) and sophomore transfer Max Moog (Newfoundland, N.J./Loyola-Maryland) and junior transfer Alex Megna (Hales Corners, Wis./Wisconsin-Milwaukee) have earned roster spots.
