Binghamton University

MEN'S SOCCER DAILY UPDATE

November 10, 2008

A Look Toward the Future

With nine graduating players this season, head coach Paul Marco could be apprehensive about what next year will bring. That, however, is not the case for the seventh-year head coach. Marco cites both several returning players as well as some of this year's freshman as being key components to future Bearcat success.

"I think we have a very good group that will come back," he said. "The mark that our guys who are graduating have left have been shown to the younger guys. They have been shown what quality soccer is and what it takes to do well in the classroom. The graduating players have carried the torch well and I think we have some guys next year who will be up to the task of leading."

In the backfield, Liam Carson will return after missing this season with an injury. He will join returning starters Kyle Kucharski and Kyle Manscuk. Jason Stenta is scheduled to begin his fourth season in goal.

"Guys like Kyle Kucharski, Jason Stenta, Kyle Manscuk, Chris Terry and Liam Carson will be people the rest of the team looks up to," Marco said. "But we have other guys like Scott Zobre, Andy Tiedt and Ryan Walter who capable of showing the way as well."

Walter and Tiedt have been the top newcomers of what Marco considers to be a strong freshman class. Walter has started all 17 games while Tiedt was named the America East Rookie of the Week on Sept. 15. In the backfield, Joel Collins has appeared in nine games with one start.

"Overall, I have been very pleased with the freshman class. We have two freshmen who have been playing (every game) but we have three or four others who could have big roles within our team next year. Austin Hughes playing in the back has shown tremendous growth this fall, Matt Kristek has shown tremendous growth as well playing up front. Cameron Wyllie did very well in preseason, fell off a little bit and now is starting to get it back, so I am expecting big things from him as well. Then there is Brian Abernethy, the goalkeeper, who has shown tremendous growth as well. He could be the heir apparent to Stenta."

Alumni Update

Matt Narode's first season as the assistant coach at Skidmore College has been a successful one. After going 5-6-6 in 2007, the Thoroughbreds improved to 10-6-3 with a team made up predominantly of underclassmen.

On Thursday Narode was on the road recruiting in the Albany area but stopped by the Bearcats' practice. While he has managed to see a couple of Binghamton games this season, making the playoff games he says will be tough with his recruiting schedule.

Posted November 10, 2008. 5 p.m.
Feedback should be sent to dobrian@binghamton.edu.

| Go Back to Home Page |