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July 28, 2003
2003 OUTLOOK
When fans stroll into Kl?ckner Stadium to watch the 2003 Virginia Cavaliers take the field, their expectations of past seasons will be the same this year as they have been before – to win a national championship. However, that may be where the similarities begin and end. With 14 newcomers donning orange and blue for the first time and UVa head coach George Gelnovatch stating his team will have a “new and different style of play,” fans may be putting their game programs to good use in order to come up to speed with the new-look Cavaliers.
Exactly half of UVa’s 2003 roster consists of players who were not on last year’s team, which finished 15-7-0 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. This year, three incoming transfers and 10 first-year players will grace UVa’s roster. But despite so many new faces on the team, UVa’s returning core of players is strong. That said, if the veterans and newcomers can unify and mesh as one, the 2003 season can become something Virginia fans are very familiar with – a successful one.
Gelnovatch enters his eighth season at the helm of the UVa program, boasting a record of 114-35-12 overall and 26-10-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He has guided every team he has coached at Virginia to an NCAA Tournament birth, keeping alive a current streak of 22 consecutive appearances. Gelnovatch has also led UVa to the finals of the ACC Tournament six of the seven times it played in the event. Most of those Gelnovatch-coached teams had a similar style of play and a similar look about them – high-scoring forwards, ankle-breaking midfielders, bruising defenders and imposing goalkeepers. Although some of the 2003 Cavaliers do fit that mold, there are several key members who do not, and that has Gelnovatch and his staff intrigued.
“I think this season is going to be the most challenging year for me to coach, it should be very interesting,” said Gelnovatch. “Our expectations as a coaching staff is that we all have to be patient and we all have to have an open mind with so many new players on this year’s team. Half of our roster is made of up new players. We have a good group of new guys coming in, but it is a new group. We have got to keep the big picture in mind and make sure the new guys coming in are getting established and understand what we are all about, as to how and why our program has become so good traditionally.”
Several returning players who make up the experienced core unit of the team will be vying for a starting position in 2003. Their experience and knowledge of the game will be essential to the program. But with another top-notch recruiting class coming to Charlottesville, Gelnovatch has stated the possibility that three and maybe even four first-year’s could be taking the field as starters, as well as one or two of the incoming transfers.
FORWARDS
When you start up front with UVa at the forward position, last year’s strongest area may be this season’s biggest concern for the Cavaliers. Virginia lost the dynamic duo and the potent one-two punch of forwards Alecko Eskandarian (54 points, 25 goals, 4 assists in 2002) and Ryan Gibbs (23 points, 8 goals, 7 assists in 2002). The tandem finished one and two respectively in scoring and goals scored after racking up a combined 77 points, 33 goals and 11 assists combined in 2002. Factor into the equation that third-leading scorer Ryan Kelly (16 points, 6 goals, 4 assists in 2002) transferred and fourth-leading scoring Rob Wright (14 points, 5 goals, 4 assists in 2002) graduated, that removes a quartet of players responsible for 107 of the team’s 162 points from last season.
Filling out the forward positions is one of Gelnovatch’s biggest concerns. “Who is going to score goals for us, and who is going to keep teams from scoring goals on us? Those are our two biggest questions heading into the season,” said Gelnovatch.
Despite the losses up front from last season, the cupboard is far from bare for Gelnovatch and his staff. The Cavaliers return some young but experienced players and received a boost from its recruiting and transfer infusion.
“We have a couple of candidates as our potential goals scorers, beginning with incoming transfer Mike Littlefield from Coastal Carolina who had 16 goals in 2002,” said Gelnovatch. “We obviously hope that he will continue that trend here at UVa and score some more goals for us. We’ve also got first-year newcomer Adam Cristman, who played on the U-18 U.S. National Team, who will look to fill that scoring void. Both of these guys represent the kind of players that we have not had in awhile here at UVa. They are big, strong, athletic players who are good in the air as opposed to some of the types of players we have had up front in the past who were not quite as physical. It is certainly going to be a new look for us up front.”
Aside from the new blood added to the forward position, second-year returning forward Phillip Long (9 points, 4 goals, 1 assist in 2002) returns up front as UVa’s leading points and goal scorer from last season. Long will be joined up front by another incoming transfer, Martin Burwell, from the University of Massachusetts. “Burwell was injured for a part of last season at UMass,” said Gelnovatch. “But we expect him to come in and help us up front. He is athletic and very good with the ball.
Third-year forward Chris Megaloudis, who red-shirted last year, had a solid spring and looks ready to contribute. Megaloudis made the very most out of his minutes in 2001. The fleet-footed forward scored five points resulting from two goals and one assist in just 102 minutes of action. “Long and Megaloudis kind of fit more into the mold of an Eskandarian-type of a player because they are both crafty and compact,” said Gelnovatch. “Ian Holder is another first-year guy who can score some goals, but he will have to prove himself as time goes on at this level. He’s athletic and kind of fits the same mold as Littlefield and Cristman as a physically bigger, target-type of a forward with good athleticism.”
MIDFIELDERS
Although the Cavaliers did suffer some key losses from last year’s team in the midfield positions (Jacob LeBlanc – 8 points, eight goals; Eric Solomon – 7 points, 7 assists; Kenny Arena – 5 points, 3 assists, 1 goal), the midfielder positions still appear to be in very good hands. Virginia returns a solid core of midfielders and defenders that prompted Gelnovatch to admit these two areas should be the team’s strengths in 2003. UVa has several key players returning in the midfield and also has some highly-touted newcomers who should bolster the roster immediately with their presence.
“Returning midfielders Joe Vide (4 points, 2 assists, 1 goal in 2002) and Kirk Dinnall (5 points, 3 assists, 1 goal in 2002) both had outstanding spring seasons,” said Gelnovatch. “In my opinion, out of all the games we played in the spring, Vide and Dinnall were the best players for us in most of the games.”
Gelnovatch has high hopes that Vide, an attacking central-midfielder, can help generate a little more offense in 2003. “It is still yet to be seen as to how much of an impact-type of a player he can be for us, but he has the tools,” said Gelnovatch. “Now, it is just a matter of him stepping up to the plate and grabbing the bull by the horns. We think he is heading in the right direction, and if he does, he can turn out to be a very, very good player.”
Gelnovatch was extremely impressed with the improvements that Dinnall made and expects big things from the crafty veteran. “I think Dinnall had a break-out spring,” said Gelnovatch. “I feel like this is kind of his team now, he is now one of the veterans, and he is going to be one of the guys who makes this team go. I think Dinnall has embraced that responsibility and he has had fun with it. We are going to count on him for some things this season.”
Rounding out the rest of the midfield will be third-year returner Zane Hill (10 starts in 2002) and a cast of newcomers to the program. “Hill is a returning player who is a candidate as a starting midfielder, but he is also a candidate as a back as well,” said Gelnovatch. “He is very versatile, and wherever he plays, he displays his quickness, his good feet and his toughness. Hill is one of the toughest guys on the team that we have in terms of tackling and getting after players. He should also be one of the leaders on this team as well. Where he ends up as far as a position is something we will have to figure out, but he will be on the field for us.”
Two first-year players who have the potential to step in and be starters are Will Hall and Drew Harrison. Both players come to UVa with National Team experience and high hopes that those international experiences will translate into positive experiences at the collegiate ranks.
“Hall is a U-18 U.S. National Team player and he should be on the field for us,” said Gelnovatch. “But first, he has got to step in here and prove he can do that. Hall is a guy who has the ability to keep the ball and is very good at connecting with his passes. He is very smart, he can get up and down the field, and is just a good central-midfielder. Hall is a guy who does not give the ball away, makes great decisions, and does a lot of good things on the field. Harrison is a U-17 U.S. National Team player, a left-sided player. Like Hall, he is a Blue Chip guy and we expect him to compete for a position. If Harrison is not on the field starting for us, which is very possible, I am sure he will be coming in off the bench to help us and in the future. Harrison can play as a left-back, a left-midfielder or even as a holding central-midfielder.”
There is an additional group of first-year players who will fight for playing time and add solid depth to the midfield positions. The quartet of Chris Mein, Aaron Geotz, Sean Hinkle and Brian Yi look to pay dividends for the Cavaliers in 2003. “Mein and Geotz are a pair of newcomers who will look for playing time in the midfield, but will also have to prove themselves in the college ranks,” said Gelnovatch. “Hinkle is an interesting guy, we know a little more about him because he is from Virginia. He has made some nice progress over the spring so I am cautiously optimistic about what he can do for us and to see how he fits into the mix. Yi was a Regional Team player and was arguably one of the better players in the country. He can play as a central-midfielder, a wide-midfielder and as a back. Yi is pretty versatile, so we have to figure out where he is going to play for us.”
One of the most talented Cavaliers on the roster will not be focusing on getting on the field in 2003. He will, however, be focusing on getting back into the kind of form that made him one of the elite soccer players in the nation. “Chefik Simo, a transfer from Furman, is one of the best college soccer players in the country,” said Gelnovatch. “He will not be playing for us in the fall, he will be sitting out the season to rehabilitate some injuries he sustained last year in an automobile accident. But when Simo is ready to play, he will be among the top players around. He is strong, tremendously athletic – the guy is a special player. Simo is an elite athlete.”
The Cavaliers also have hopes that Thomas Kelley and Gifford Okatah-Boi can provide the much needed spark they displayed in some recent workouts with UVa. “We picked up Kelley last fall and he did enough for us to continue to take a good look at him,” said Gelnovatch. “He needs to prove himself again and we will take a good hard look at him. Okatah-Boi had a good spring and pleasantly surprised us and we gave him a good honest look too. Both of these guys bring something to the table.”
DEFENDERS
Just as with the midfielder position, Virginia appears to be in very good shape with its defenders. The Cavaliers did lose the multi-talented Jonathan Cole (4 points, 2 assist, 1 goal in 2002) to graduation, but they do return the focal point of the UVa backs in All-American defender Matt Oliver (22 starts, one assist in 2002). Oliver, who will serve as the Cavaliers’ team captain in 2003, enjoyed a stellar season last year where he was honored as an honorable mention All-American selection by College Soccer News, named a Second Team All-ACC choice and was selected to the NSCAA/adidas South Atlantic Region Second Team. Oliver has a unique blend of mental smarts, physical toughness and great playmaking ability and will be the building block for the UVa defensive foundation.
“Obviously, Oliver is going to be the man back there this year for us,” said Gelnovatch. “He will be our team captain and will be among the best center-backs in the country. With his leadership and athleticism, he is the full package.”
Joining Oliver in the backfield will be a familiar face, but one in a new neighborhood. Converted forward Paul Johnson (6 points, 2 goals, 2 assists in 2002) will be Oliver’s running-mate in the backfield and gives the Cavaliers one of the most athletically gifted defensive duos around. “Converting Johnson into a center back has gone very well,” said Gelnovatch. “We gave him a lot of repetitions during the spring during his training to get him familiar with the position. Johnson played every minute in the spring as a center-back and I actually think he did better than I thought he would at first, but the proof will be in the fall. We expect him to make the transition and do well for us. When you combine the athleticism of both Oliver and Johnson – that is a very good tandem.”
Gelnovatch also has the luxury of four key players returning to man the backfield, including a pair or All-Conference candidates in Hunter Freeman (15 starts in 2002) and John Hartman (18 starts, one assist in 2002). “Freeman had a great finish down the stretch towards the end of his first season,” said Gelnovatch. “He could be starting for us as a right-back, but we may also look at him as being a right-midfielder as well. Freeman is very good going forward with crossing balls and taking people on. Hartman should be our starting left-back and he played there last year. He is a very solid player and we feel comfortable with him out on the field. Harrison, Hill and Yi may also get a look there.”
Virginia has another pair of talented and experienced players in Jeff Tuman (12 starts, one assist in 2002) and Joe Villanueva (five appearances in 2002) who are ready to contend for some playing time. “Tuman had a very solid spring and actually had to start the whole spring as a center-back while Oliver was out with an injury,” said Gelnovatch. “He did a solid job back there. There are a few things Tuman needs to work on, and if he does and if he makes some strides, he could be back there helping us out one way or another. Tuman has got some experience and he could find his way onto the field this year. Villanueva is a left-sided player and will have an opportunity to get his chance as a left-back or a left-midfielder. He is very good with the ball, is a hard worker and has a great attitude to go along with a year of experience under his belt.”
GOALKEEPING
As is the case with his forwards, Gelnovatch and his staff have several concerns with its goalkeepers in 2003. David Comfort (1.24 GAA, .713 saves percentage, 13-7-0 record in 2002) exhausted his eligibility, leaving the Cavaliers without a player who has spent much time between the pipes. Comfort left some big shoes to fill after making his mark in just about every statistical category in the Virginia record books. But several Cavaliers appear ready to fill the void.
The first choice to fill the goalkeeping position may fall on fourth-year Brett Mayer-Aschhoff’s shoulders. Mayer-Aschhoff started one of the six games he appeared in last season and racked up 10 saves en route to a .833 saves percentage and a 0.92 GAA. Virginia was 2-0-0 in games where he was the keeper of record. “Mayer-Aschhoff has the most experience out of all the goalkeepers and turned in a very solid spring for us,” said Gelnovatch. “I have seen him make more progress in the last year and a half than any goalkeeper here before during that same amount of time. Mayer-Aschhoff is certainly a very strong candidate to be there in the goal.”
After Mayer-Aschhoff, a trio of inexperienced but talented players fall in line. “Ryan Best, is another U-18 U.S. National Team member, and is a candidate despite being a true freshman,” said Gelnovatch. ” It is not easy to start a freshman in goal, but he has got the skills and the talent to do it. Now, it is just a matter of time to see if he can get it done. Best is only going to get stronger over time, so with some experience and confidence, it can only help him out.”
Aaron Haas and Ryan Burke round out the goalkeeping candidates. “Haas has a year of experience under his belt,” said Gelnovatch. “He has been with us for a season and he knows what is expected out of the position. Burke is another first-year newcomer, and he might be the kind of player you call a sleeper. We feel he has got a lot of up-side potential. We are interested in seeing how Burke develops. We like everything about him – his demeanor, his size, his work ethic – those are good qualities. We really feel like we have a good core of goalkeepers, with a lot of different attributes. We just hope a couple of these guys step up and become what we need them to be.”
SCHEDULE
Virginia has traditionally played one of the toughest and most challenging schedules in the country every year. That is the case once again in 2003. UVa will face the ever-so-strong ACC force of Wake Forest, Clemson and North Carolina at home and Maryland, Duke and N.C. State on the road. Aside from the rigorous ACC slate, the Cavaliers also face another challenging and competitive group of teams on the non-conference portion of their schedule, including the defending national champion UCLA Bruins and the always strong St. Louis Billikens to name a few.
“I do not think our schedule has been ranked below five in the RPI since I have been the coach here,” said Gelnovatch. “Obviously, a lot of that has to do with the conference we play in, but we have some other pretty good opponents on the schedule. It has never hurt us to play a tough schedule. My theory has always been, if you are going to play 10 or 12 nationally ranked teams, even if you lose half of those games and you win the other half, it is better off going .500 against top teams than winning almost all of your games against weaker teams. Your RPI will be so much higher and your team will be better off. That has kind of been my formula – to play at least two-thirds of our schedule against Top-25 type of opponents. You are going to take some losses and you are going to take some ties, but if you win half of those games your strength of schedule is going to look great.”
UVa will play a total of 12 scheduled home games (including two exhibition games) in the friendly confines of Kl?ckner Stadium where Virginia is an impressive 136-17-7 (.872). Among Virginia’s home dates are 10 regular season contests which include three matches with ACC opponents and seven against non-conference foes. Two of those seven non-conference games will take place in the 2003 Virginia Soccer Classic. The Cavaliers are scheduled to play a total of six regular season games outside of Charlottesville including two on a neutral field as part of the 2003 Maryland/FILA Classic and three road matches against ACC opponents. UVa will only play one true road game against a non-conference opponent all year when Virginia faces UNC-Greensboro in Greensboro, N.C. Following its regular season slate, UVa will compete in the ACC Tournament (November 13-16) in Cary, N.C. before looking to compete in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. The 2003 College Cup will be played in Columbus, Ohio on December 12th and 14th.
“When you play a tough schedule, you get a good look nationally at the best competition,” said Gelnovatch. “Your team is playing against other teams that are competing for the national championship. Scheduling is almost an art form. We have always played and will continue to play a tough schedule.”
–UVA–