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2004 NJIT Men’s Soccer Outlook The New Jersey Institute of Technology men’s soccer program takes the next step in its reclassification to NCAA Dvision I this fall when, for the first time, it plays a full Division I schedule. The Highlanders have one more year of provisional membership before attaining full Division I status in 2005, but both school administrators and second-year head coach Pedro Lopes are hard at work on the transition. Of the many ways the university has increased its support of athletics, the most visible has been the recent renovation of Lubetkin Field, the Highlanders’ on-campus soccer home. The pitch sports a brand new artificial surface and new landscaping. Not only will the field not be damaged by bad weather and regular usage, but Lopes expects it to be a boon to recruiting. Lopes’s first full recruiting season, which concluded before the renovations were complete, yielded 16 new players for the 2004 Highlanders, including 11 freshmen. He hopes they will be the cornerstone for NJIT’s future Division-I success. “It’s always a challenge to move divisions,” Lopes said. “With the increased support from the school is going to come an increased expectation of results. However, I’d be a fool to think we can make that happen right away. It’s a process, and this class will do a great job of starting that process.” As part of the Division-I enhancements, assistant coach Javier Velasco was promoted and became the first full-time assistant in program history. The 2004 challenge for Lopes and Velasco will be to balance the desire to win with a realistic view of the team’s competitive situation. “This year, playing a full Division-I schedule will challenge us both mentally and physically. There will be no easy games, but we will also gain valuable playing experience which will only make us stronger for next year. I’m sure that our team will rise to the challenge of the competitive nature of college athletics at its highest level. “By the same token, I hate to lose. At the end of the year we’ll look at our record as one factor in our evaluation. But the little things between the lines will be the basis of if we get better, moreso than a certain win total.” GOALKEEPERS: With the graduation of 2003 starter Jason Manzi, this position is wide open. Junior René Cevallos (90 min, 5.00 GAA in 2003), the No. 2 man last year, will compete with three incoming freshmen, Dalton Carofilis, Collin Cunning, and Ryan Sutherland. DEFENDERS: Senior co-captains Mario Douglas (13 GP, 0g 1a) and Andrew Ma (16 GP, 0g 1a) form the heart of NJIT’s back line. Vying for the other two spots in Lopes’s “flat four” formation will be newcomers Daniel Bautista, Mina Bestawros and Andrew Suozzo, all freshmen, and junior Sean Pyne. MIDFIELDERS: Senior Rafiqul Chowdhury and sophomore Abhishek Mathur are two of only six returnees for the Highlanders, and are expected to man the wings. Chowdhury will look to create opportunities, while Mathur can add to the attack with well-timed runs. In between, the frontrunners are transfer Dario Brito and freshman Robert Herrera, who will be asked to assume leadership roles right away. Transfer Victor Vides also brings leadership skills, while freshman Michael Correa has impressed with his creativity with the ball. Freshmen Tunde Osholake and Kevin Connor may also see time. FORWARDS: Lopes is excited about his pair of rookies that will likely lead the offensive attack in André Dionisio and Eddie Romero. “Both guys have a wealth of experience at a high level of competition,” Lopes said. “They won’t play like first-year players.” Left-footed first-year junior Jodah Kandola will push both freshmen. Junior Alex Crespo will look to provide a spark off the bench. -- MARK MENTONE Coordinator of Sports Information Services, New Jersey Institute of Technology | ||
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