 No. 8 Billikens Open Men's Soccer Practice
Aug. 13, 2008
2008 Outlook | College Soccer News Poll | NSCAA Poll
For Starters: Saint Louis head coach Dan Donigan and his 2008 men's soccer squad open preseason training today. The Billikens, who finished 12-2-5 overall and 8-1-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference a season ago, begin two-a-day practices in preparation for their exhibition opener against DePaul at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. What's on Tap: The Billikens are primed for a strong 2008 season as they return nine of their 11 starters. In addition, Saint Louis returns 98 percent of its goal scoring and 95 percent of its points. SLU's top six scorers are back, including 2007 A-10 Offensive Player of the Year Kyle Patterson (Birmingham, England), who returns for his senior season. In addition, 2007 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year Calum Angus (Portsmouth, England) is one of several key members of the Billikens' stout defense who will return in 2008. Back for More: Last season, the Billikens led the country with five members being named to an NSCAA All-Region first team. All five of those players return in 2008. Senior forward Dado Hamzagic (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) netted 14 points (5G, 4A) last season. Senior midfielder Eric Sweetin (Overland Park, Kan./Rockhurst) and junior defender Tim Ream (St. Louis, Mo./St. Dominic) also return in 2008. Patterson and Angus appeared on the first-team All-Region squad as well.
For Tickets: Tickets for all men's soccer home games at Robert R. Hermann Stadium may be purchased at the ticket gate, by phone at (314) 977-4SLU or online here. Prices for single-game tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youth. Groups of 20 or more receive discounted tickets for $3 apiece. Students with a valid SLU ID card receive free admission. Following the Action:All home matches will be streamed live on the Billiken All-Access Channel. In addition to the matches, fans can view player interviews, highlights and the Dan Donigan Show. Subscriptions are available for $79.95 annually or $9.95 a month. GameTracker will once again be available free of charge in 2008. Ream's Rundown: Junior defender Tim Ream will keep a blog this season, a feature available only on www.slubillikens.com. It will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the men's soccer squad and will be updated periodically throughout the year. Polling Place: In preseason rankings, the Billikens come in at No. 8 at CollegeSoccerNews.com and No. 19 in the NSCAA coaches' poll. Also ranked in the polls are the following Billiken opponents: No. 2/2 Connecticut, No. 7/6 Creighton, No. 22/13 Massachusetts and No. 16/20 Northwestern. Dan's Day: Dan Donigan, the 2007 NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and the reigning back-to-back A-10 Coach of the Year, is 91-30-18 (.719) entering his eighth season at the helm. Donigan has led the Billikens to the NCAA Tournament in five of his seven campaigns. In the last two seasons combined, Donigan's Billikens have posted a 25-7-7 (.731) overall mark and a 16-1-1 (.917) ledger in A-10 regular-season games. NCAA History: The Billikens have qualified for the NCAA Tournament a record 44 times in the 49-year history of the event and have won a record 10 national championships. Saint Louis has a 65-32-5 (.662) record in NCAA Tournament action. Robert R. Hermann Stadium: The Billikens are tough to beat on Robert R. Hermann Stadium's state-of-the-art natural grass surface. SLU is 71-15-11 (.789) in eight seasons at Hermann Stadium, including 6-1-2 last season. In those eight seasons, the Billikens are 6-2-2 on their home pitch in NCAA Tournament action. Great Fans: The Billikens averaged 2,116 fans for 10 home dates at Hermann Stadium last season, which ranked ninth in the nation. Saint Louis drew 5,758 fans for Homecoming against Central Florida, the second-largest crowd in Robert R. Hermann Stadium history. The Billikens led the nation in average attendance in 2003, 2001 and 1999. The Billikens have ranked in the top 10 since 1999. On the Sidelines: Once again, the Billikens boast a full complement of assistant coaches in 2008. Matt Tutton enters his second season as an assistant, while Dave Beck is in his third year with the Billikens. Martin Hutton is in his second season as a graduate assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers. In addition, U.S. National Team assistant coach Mike Sorber will again serve as a volunteer assistant coach. Transfer Time: The Billikens welcome three transfers to the team in 2008. Midfielder James Jaramillo (UCLA) and defender Andrew Park (Loyola Marymount) are eligible this season. Stephen Bortolon (St. Bonaventure) will sit out this season and begin his eligibility in 2009. What's New: Dan Donigan and his coaching staff have brought in nine freshmen. The class, which was ranked as the 24th best by CollegeSoccerNews.com, features A-10 All-Rookie selections Jonas Reiter and Keegan Smith. |
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