Johnny Utah

Update on Reinaldo Brenes...he was a grad assistant at VCU this past season.

Does anyone know what Kofi Sarkodie's plans are?

TennZip, it was nice to meet you last night. Looking forward to seeing another Zips victory in Norfolk tomorrow night!

Whatever happened to ZFF?

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that Cameron Knowles has been named an assistant coach. Timbers head coach John Spencer made the announcement. Knowles, 29, enters his first season as an assistant coach and joins Mike Toshack and Amos Magee on Spencer’s coaching staff. He played professionally for seven seasons, including four with the Timbers from 2007-10. Knowles was originally drafted by Real Salt Lake in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft and played two seasons in MLS. “I'm really pleased we can add Cameron to our staff,” said Spencer. “Having played here before, he knows the culture and the passion of this city and also the high demands placed on us from our great support.” During his playing career with the Timbers, Knowles was a three-time USL First Division all-league selection and helped Portland claim the Commissioner’s Cup in 2009 as the league’s regular-season champion. He was a finalist for the league’s Defender of the Year award in 2007. In total, Knowles played in 77 games for the Timbers, which ranks among the club’s second-division career leaders. “I’m very excited about the transition into coaching,” said Knowles. “It is an honor to be a part of the Timbers once again and to be presented with this opportunity within the organization. It was an amazing experience to play for the Timbers and, as a coach, I look forward to being a part of the club’s growth and success in MLS.” A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Knowles’ playing career also includes time in the North American Soccer League with the Montreal Impact during the 2011 season. Knowles started his professional career in 2005 as a member of Real Salt Lake’s inaugural roster. He had a standout collegiate career at the University of Akron, where he was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference first-team selection and led the Zips to four straight NCAA tournament appearances.

MIDFIELDER SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC SIGNS WITH THE IMPACT FOR MLSNEWS RELEASE: November 1, 2011MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced Tuesday the signing of midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic. Per club and Major League Soccer policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. The 28 year-old American midfielder, born in Bosnia-Herzegovina, becomes the fourth player to sign with the Impact for its inaugural season in MLS, after Colombian defender Nelson Rivas, French midfielder Hassoun Camara and American goalkeeper Evan Bush. “I’m extremely happy to be joining the Impact family for Major League Soccer,” said Sinisa Ubiparipovic. “I am looking forward to helping this team make the transition into the new league, and also start working on winning championships.” “As a club, we are excited to have come to terms with Sinisa,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “With his MLS experience and success in the NASL this year, we think he will be an important piece moving forward for our move in MLS.” In 2011, Ubiparipovic finished the season as the Impact’s leader in assists and third leading-scorer, registering three goals and four assists for 10 points in as many games, including eight as a starter. Ubiparipovic, who had joined the team on Aug. 2, was named the club’s Newcomer of the Year. Previously in his career, Ubiparipovic played with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, from 2007 to 2010. He registered two goals and five assists in 69 regular season games, including 33 starts. He also played six playoff games with Red Bulls. In 2008, he helped New York reach the MLS Cup final, after starting all four playoff games. He also took part in two CONCACAF Champions League games in 2009. A graduate of the University of Akron, he was drafted in the third round, 33rd overall, by the Red Bulls in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC Position: Midfielder Height: 5'9 Weight: 155 lbs Date of Birth: Aug. 25, 1983, Zenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina Hometown: New York, NY (USA) Former club: Montreal Impact (NASL 2011) Acquired: November 1, 2011

There's a video of the interview here [url="http://fridaynightohio.com/videos"]. My apologies, as I couldn't figure out how to copy the actual video.

Sorry...meant to edit my post last night with that info and got sidetracked. It was written by Adam Stern from the Commonwealth Times. Link. Dave Giffard tweeted it. I just grabbed the text without thinking.

In December of 2008 when he was an assistant coach at Akron, Dave Giffard found himself in — of all places — Lusaka, Zambia, as he sought to replace America’s best college soccer player with a kid he hoped would become one.Akron striker Steve Zakuani had just won the Hermann trophy – college soccer’s version of the Heisman – that season and decided to move on from college to the professional ranks. Giffard, in search of a suitable replacement for Zakuani, had zeroed in on a quick and crafty striker from the south African country in Yoram Mwila.In Mwila’s living room, he and Giffard zipped through months worth of paperwork in a fraction of the time in an attempt to get Mwila’s paperwork through the NCAA clearing house in time for him to get on the spring roster.It didn’t work.Back in the states, Mwila’s paperwork took longer than expected. And in the meantime, another rising star who would go on to win the Hermann at Akron, Darlington Nagbe, stepped up into the starting role Mwila was originally brought in to fill. By the time Mwila gained clearance, he was the third wheel out in a system that featured two strikers.So when Giffard came to VCU, Mwila decided he needed more playing time to develop and followed along, even though he was leaving a team that finished second in the country in 2009 and won it all last season.“I think certainly Yo(ram) would have not minded winning a national championship, and he and I both knew that was going to happen,” Giffard said. “But I think in terms of long-term development, we were the right fit.“I think it was a good move for everyone involved; Akron needed a different kind of guy when we recruited Yoram, and Yoram needed the opportunity to play more and to develop that way.”Indeed, as it usually is, playing more was the key.“I didn’t play as much there so I started talking (to other coaches) and found out I probably was going to be a 90-minute guy here,” Mwila said of his decision to transfer to VCU. “A big thing for me is you have to play to get better and to evaluate yourself so that was the biggest key.”Thus far this season, the move is paying significant dividends. Mwila had only four goals and no assists in the entirety of last season; this season, a mere four games in, he already has three goals and an assist. His goals have helped make the Rams 4-0 heading into this weekend’s play.And with that, the team moved into the NSCAA’s Top 25 poll this week for the first time in six years. VCU debuted on the Top 25 rankings at the No. 16 slot after receiving 157 votes in the coaches’ poll.Even though it was way back in 2005 when the men’s soccer team was last ranked, Giffard and Mwila aren’t satisfied. Perhaps that’s not surprising, though, given that they came to VCU from a school of the highest soccer standard in Akron.“It doesn’t mean anything four games in; it doesn’t mean anything to begin with,” Giffard said of the ranking. “It is nice for the program, nice for the fans, nice for recruits to hear VCU and hear VCU soccer.”“We’re 4-0 but that’s in the rear view; it’s done,” Mwila said. “We still have goals we want to accomplish and want to achieve.”They have goals to achieve in, of all places, Richmond, Va., the city both Mwila and Giffard ended up in some three years after meeting for the first time that day in Mwila’s living room. And it’s all in the name of becoming one of the best college soccer teams in the country.

Dr. Z...ya beat me to the punch! I live in the Tampa Bay area and have season tickets to South Florida (USF). There's been much discussion in this thread about multiple helmet designs. I love the combinations that USF has...and would love to see us have something like this! Now...if you want over the top. Check out the Maryland uniforms. They've got some really ugly color jersey/pants combinations too.

Travis Clark interviews Perry & Chris. Perry & Chris Interview

His high school teammate, B. Dupont is transferring there and Henninger's younger brother will be going there for hoops.

Turned on Sounders/Rapids game just as they were strapping Steve-O on the stretcher. Must be a nasty break as they already had an air cast on his lower leg. From all the posts on Twitter, it sounds as if it were a horrible tackle and already calling for a lengthy suspension for Brian Mullan from the Rapids. Haven't watched this yet, but it's supposedly graphic. http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=13995

During his rookie season last year, midfielder Blair Gavin quickly became a fan favorite, showing a creative spark and lots of potential. But a hamstring problem cut that season short, and he’s been battling reoccurrences of the injury and working to get healthy ever since. After another reoccurrence early this season, he knew it was time to try something different. So he traveled to Europe earlier this month and spent a week in Konstanz, a small city in southern Germany, near the border with Switzerland. “It’s a nice town,” said Gavin. “It’s small, but the area itself is very nice and there’s a little lake. It was very relaxing. I walked around the city a lot meeting people- and surprisingly a lot of people knew English. It was a good time, I got to see the culture of Germany.” It was Gavin’s first time in Germany, and he was even able to take in a Bundesliga game. But while the relaxation did him well, he obviously didn’t travel all the way to Konstanz for a vacation. Gavin spent most of the week working with Dr. Kurt Mosetter, a groundbreaking mind in the field of sports rehabilitation. “He’s just a phenomenal doctor,” said Gavin. “He’s traveled the world to come up with own type of therapy. He’s worked with the best players in the world, and [Chivas USA assistant coach Nick] Theslof knew him. So I’m very lucky that Chivas was able to work out this opportunity for me and I’m very grateful.” Theslof was as a member of Jürgen Klinsmann’s staff at Bayern Munich and the German National team, and has connections throughout Europe. Fortunately for Chivas USA, one of those connections was with Dr. Mosetter, whose unique treatment seems to be working for Gavin. “It’s called Myo-Reflex therapy,” said Gavin. “They don’t call them ‘pressure points’, but they push spots in your body that are very tight to release tension. We were even working on my neck and it went all the way down to my calves. It wasn’t just ‘hamstring, hamstring, hamstring’, it was a full body thing… My hips were terrible, my pelvis was over rotated, I had some back issues, and stuff like that. His philosophy is that your muscles are a chain through your body. If one link is weak, it leads to another. So it’s basically about strengthening everything and making your whole body better.” Now continuing his rehab with Chivas USA, Gavin maintains an open line of communication with Dr. Mosetter. The Red-and-White’s training staff is continuing Mosetter’s work, and trying to get Gavin back on the field as soon as possible. He’s back at training now, but working on the sidelines, running and trying to increase his base level cardio. “It feels better, I’m definitely getting back,” said Gavin. “It’s just a longer process than I would like. Obviously I want to come back as quickly as I can, but I can’t rush it. I’ve rushed it a lot [in the past]. We’re hoping I’m only about two weeks away.”

No disrespect to Bradley...but is that a step up?!

Nice timing on the thread... A promising season for Coastal Carolina has suddenly turned into a struggle with the team losing two starters in just two days. The Chanticleers announced Thursday that leading scorer Desmond Holloway was indefinitely suspended from the team for an eligibility issue, just two days after the team's nation-leading 22-game winning streak was snapped in a 59-57 home loss to Gardner-Webb, the eighth-place team in the Big South Conference. During that game, starting point guard Kierre Greenwood tore a ligament in his left knee and will be out the rest of the season. Holloway is averaging 18.5 points and 6.9 rebounds a game, while Greenwood leads the team with four assists a game and before Thursday night's game against North Carolina Central was the only player to start every game for the past two seasons. Combine those two losses with having starting forward Mike Holmes kicked off the team and losing reserve guard Willie Kirkland to academic issues and Coastal Carolina is left with just seven scholarship players and a walk-on. "I really believe in our team, and I trust our team. I wish we were full strength, but that's just not the case,'' Chanticleers coach Cliff Ellis said Wednesday after Greenwood's injury was announced. This season was on the verge of becoming historic before this week for Coastal Carolina. The team is just five wins away from setting a school record for victories and is just one win away from setting the conference record for victories in a season. There was some good news for the Chanticleers this week. A Liberty loss to VMI clinched the top seed in the Big South tournament, meaning Coastal Carolina will host its games. The Chanticleers are trying to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1993 and become the four team Ellis has lead to the NCAAs in his career.

Kirk Harwat played in Germany, so we've had at least one player go overseas to play professionally.

Travis Clark tweeted that he had spoken to Caleb and was told that the Zips were heading to Spain to play RMadrid, Athletico Madrid and Getafe reserves. How cool is that?!?!

From Soccer by Ives When the University of Akron lifted its first NCAA men’s soccer championship last Sunday, it wasn’t just verification of the Zips’ status as one of the most talented teams ever seen on the college level. It was also the well-earned vindication of a coach who still believes in the value of the college game, and its importance in the American soccer landscape. Caleb Porter said no to Major League Soccer and the head coaching job with D.C. United a year ago. He passed on the chance to coach the most successful team in MLS history for the opportunity to keep teaching and grooming young players on the college level. Porter turned down an offer to coach D.C. United in order to stick with Akron University. Even as he rumbled along on a day-long bus ride from Akron to North Carolina at the start of the college season, Porter couldn’t say enough about how important his role as a teacher of the game still was, and what it meant to him to be a college coach. The fruits of Porter’s labor were there for all to see last weekend, when Akron won an NCAA title playing attractive, technically sound soccer that was a far cry from the kick-and-run style associated with the college game in generations past. Akron’s victory wasn’t just an honor for Porter, but also a nod to college soccer’s continued importance in American soccer’s player development structure. College soccer faces justifiable criticism for its quirky rules, such as timeouts and substitution re-entries, as well as its restrictions on matches and practice time, but the fact remains college soccer has played a vital role in American soccer’s growth, even though some would rather blame the college system for being inadequate. To blame college soccer for the slow growth in the sport in this country is like criticizing a foster parent for not being a biological parent. College soccer has filled the void left by an absence of a professional player development system, a void that is only now being filled as MLS teams finally establish academies and MLS is finally moving toward taking on the responsibility faced by professional leagues in all other soccer nations. In the meantime, college soccer has produced generations of top players, with current standouts such as Clint Dempsey, Stuart Holden and Maurice Edu having been developed through the American system. It continues to produce quality talent for the pros, as evidenced by the past two MLS Drafts, which were among the strongest in league history. Then you have the 2010 Akron Zips, with a lineup boasting as many as six players who could be first-round draft picks in next month’s MLS Draft. It is a squad featuring future U.S. national team prospects such as Perry Kitchen, Kofi Sarkodie and Zarek Valentin, as well standout international pro prospects like Darlington Nagbe and Darren Mattocks. Credit for building such a powerhouse in Ohio goes to Porter, a product of long-time college dynasty Indiana University and the most highly-regarded young American soccer coach this side of Jason Kreis. His ability to work with young players and his emphasis on an attacking style of soccer led D.C. United to try and make him the youngest head coach in MLS history last year before he passed on the offer to sign a long-term deal with Akron. More offers are sure to come, but Porter isn’t likely to go anywhere any time soon. He knows the volatility of professional jobs (Curt Onalfo, the man who eventually took the D.C. United job, lasted half a season before being let go), and at 35, Porter believes he can still wait on the pros. With several of his best players looking like safe bets to leave school early, Porter will have the fresh task of rebuilding his powerhouse yet again, and proving that his philosophy and his system can continue to produce entertaining soccer and polished players. Porter and Akron aren’t alone in helping college grow stronger. Established powers like Maryland and UCLA continue to produce pro-caliber talent, while coaches such as Ken Lolla at Louisville and Steve Burns at Michigan have established programs to the list of those pro scouts can turn to for players. MLS Academies have already begun tapping into the nation’s considerable talent, and pro teams will start devoting more roster spots to academy players who bypass college altogether, but college soccer isn’t going to suddenly fade away though. Even when all MLS teams in America are running strong academies there still won’t be enough of them to cover a country the size of the United States. For that reason, college soccer will remain a vital part of the player development system in America and coaches like Caleb Porter will continue to play significant roles in producing the type of soccer and players that will help the sports continued growth in the United States.

From www.goal.com Akron (18-1-1) vs West Virginia (11-2-7) 4:00 PM Breakdown: Akron fans are great. I had a few of them send me messages on twitter about the West Virginia-Xavier game. They were just watching to scout their next opponent. Well, Xavier jumped out to an early two goal lead in the first eight minutes. Eventually, West Virginia would battle back and overcome the early deficit on their way to a 4-2 victory. It will give the Mountaineers some confidence heading to Akron with the ability to climb back from an early hole. However, Akron is not Xavier. And there is a reason they are the most feared team in the country. If you give up two goals to Akron in the first eight minutes, you might as well shake Caleb Porter’s hand and start the bus. Otherwise, for the next 82 minutes, the Zips are going to demoralize you with a rousing game of keep-away. Players to watch: Kofi Sarkodie, Defense, Akron Sarkodie should be on the short list of player of the year candidates. Just look at the impact Sarkodie has had on this Akron team when he isn’t on the field. Their offense struggles, their defense starts to look like a leaky pipe, and they really don’t play up to their potential. It is amazing to think a right back who is not known for his defending should be on the list for player of the year, but that is the case with Sarkodie. He makes every player on Akron better when he is on the field. He also is one of the few players in the country who is unanimously regarded as the best at his position. And you better believe West Virginia is studying tapes to figure out a way to stop him. Zach Johnson, Goalkeeper, West Virginia The senior keeper will be tested early and often against the Zips. Plus, the atmosphere in Akron will be electric. If Johnson can make the big saves early and hold the Akron offense off the score sheet in the first half, this could be a much closer game than many think. Johnson already is in the record books at West Virginia for saves in a career. It may take him breaking the single game saves record for him to keep his collegiate career alive. Prediction: Akron received the third seed in the tournament. Caleb Porter and the rest of his staff are likely using this as motivation. Telling his players, ‘this is what the selection committee and some silly computer program think of you. Now, let’s go into Terminator mode and destroy everyone that gets in our way.’ West Virginia coach Marlon LeBlanc is a fine coach in his own right, and he will have his boys ready for this game. However, he is going up against an insurmountable force. Akron losing at home is unheard of, Akron losing in general has only happened once in two years. Akron 4-0 West Virginia

Going off topic, but Zips Win comment on the tents/canopies prompted this question. Who is responsible at the University or athletic department for "licensing" products like that? A couple of other examples are fatheads, Tervis tumblers, etc. I can go buy these products for other MAC teams...why not us?

Mike posted the announcement on his facebook page. Congrats to him and his family. Towson will name Mike Waddell, a senior associate director of athletics at the University of Cincinnati, its new athletic director, according to a source. Waddell will be introduced Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Minnegan room of Johnny Unitas Stadium. Waddell replaces Mike Hermann, who resigned after four years at Towson on June 15. Waddell, a 1991 graduate of Guilford (N.C.) College who also has a master's degree in sport administration from Ohio University, spent five years at Cincinnati. In his role as senior associate director of athletics, Waddell oversaw marketing/fan development, ticket sales/customer service, sports communication, game-day programming, information technology and the Bearcats' football bowl planning. Waddell was also the athletic department's point person for the men's soccer, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's swimming and diving teams, in addition to working on a daily basis with the football and men's basketball programs. Before coming to Cincinnati in 2006, Waddell served as the University of Akron's associate athletics director for external relations. He was also the Zips' interim athletic director from Dec. 2005 to Jan. 2006. Waddell, a North Carolina native, has also worked as director of marketing and broadcasting at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and the director of athletics external operations at Appalachian State.

I made it to the game on Saturday. Thoughts and observations: 1) Big crowd for a USF soccer game - > 2300 people with a lot of students. I've lived down here for 2.5 years and this will be my 3rd season of going to games there. Easily the biggest crowd I remember. They handed out vuvuzela's (sp?) to students. They had to stay on one end of the stadium, but were still humming. Think they are trying to replicate our Rowdies and did a decent job of doing so. 2) Coach Porter saw me on the sideline in my Zips gear prior to the game. Came over to introduce himself and thank me for giving the Zips some love. Great representative for the UofA!! 3) Sat with the Barson family and friends during the game. Really nice people!! 4) Tulloch gives us a dimension that I haven't seen in my 7 years of following Zips soccer. Not only is the dude big, but he is lightning fast. He had the students around me talking. Look for great things from him. 5) Nanchoff did play. Stevenson (may have been Ontiveros - they both came in during 2nd half) substituted for him. He seemed pretty upset after coming off the pitch. 6) USF's 2nd goal was the direct result of one sloppy pass on the defensive end of the field. Can't have mistakes like that and expect to win. 7) We were on the attack the whole game, but the 1st half was something to behold. I love watching Zips soccer when they attack like that! Lets hope the team takes two this coming weekend!!

I'm following NCAASoccer on Twitter and it was posted there. Hope this link works?! www.goal.com/en-us/news/2617/youth-soccer/2010/08/24/2086341/college-soccer-professor-10-things-to-watch-for-in-2010

The Zips are discussed prominently throughout the article. The plots to watch in NCAA this season. 1. Development Academy Influence College soccer teams are beginning to see the influx of Development Academy players on their rosters this season. On one hand, it is a positive thing as players entering the NCAA level have more experience against higher level talent. For instance, Harrison Petts (Indiana), Soony Saad (Michigan) and Martin Ontiveros (Akron) will all be expected to make an impact in their freshman campaigns due to success at the Development Academy level. On the other hand, a handful of schools have lost out on a recruit because they signed early with MLS through the academies. Not to suggest that is a bad thing for player development, just to imply it has altered the make-up of recruiting. 2. Foreign Prominence The top pick in the last two MLS SuperDrafts have come from African descent (Steve Zakuani and Danny Mwanga). Most schools across the nation have a few players of African descent on their rosters. It has shifted the dynamic of college soccer to a point -- more and more players are tactically strong with good technique, the days of long balls up front with a big physical forward to bowl people over are slowly dying. Meanwhile, the changing demographic of the players is an often unspoken dilemma of programs. Players from other countries are staking claim to more scholarships than before and the quality of play is increasing. While some programs have built successful programs with domestic talent, others have pursued untapped resources in other countries, it is a developing story-line in NCAA ranks. 3. Favorites to win it all Entering the 2010 season, there are question marks surrounding every team in the top 10. The top teams from last season all lost players to the draft early. Akron lost their prolific forward, Teal Bunbury, and midfield anchor, Blair Gavin. Virginia lost their midfield general, Tony Tchani. Wake Forest lost their defensive stalwart, Ike Opara. North Carolina didn’t lose any players early, but they lost Zach Loyd, Brooks Haggerty, and Jordan Graye to graduation. All were key contributors to their defense last season. Not to say these teams won’t be back at the top by the time December rolls around, but there are questions that remain unanswered as to how they will fill holes. Akron is the odds-on favorite to lift the title in Santa Barbara, but in the last decade, Indiana is the only school with a repeat trip to the final in consecutive years. 4. Dillon Powers The Notre Dame center midfielder enjoyed a very successful summer with the U.S. U20s. Now, he is back in South Bend and looking to return the Irish to prominence. A lot of eyes will be on the center midfielder from Texas as he remains a slowly dying breed -- U.S. U20 players still in college. Zac MacMath, goalkeeper from Maryland, is another player on this list. With the emergence of the Development Academy and MLS home grown rule, this might be the last U20 cycle where key contributors to the national team still play in college. 5. Attendance With both UCSB and Akron already selling over 500 season tickets, it might be the year we see rising attendance numbers at college games across the country. The last three seasons, UCSB has led the country in attendance at around 3,400 per game. With over 25 teams averaging over 1000 a game in attendance, ticket sales have been slowly going in the right direction for college teams. For the selective few who have not seen a college soccer game at one of the rabid stadiums (Akron, Cal Poly, Maryland, UCSB, etc) do yourself a favor and go see one this season. Intimate atmosphere, crazy fans, and passionate players, it is a great experience for any soccer or sports fan. 6. Will the West Rise Again? With the College Cup in Santa Barbara this year, there is more pressure on a California school to step up and make the final four than ever before. UCSB and UCLA are the likely candidates as each has enjoyed success in the tournament in the last decade. Also, Stanford have a realistic shot at making the trip down the coast in December. The dominance by the ACC in the last few Final Fours have unmistakably staked their claim to the title as top conference in the country. If the PAC-10 has any hope of remaining close to the discussion, they are going to need to put at least one team (read: UCLA or Stanford) in the Final Four. 7. Recommended Viewing Here are a handful of games to mark on your calendar for the upcoming season: Wake Forest vs Akron, Sept. 5: two of the best coaches in the nation square off in an early season game. Both teams will be showcasing new pieces in what should be one of the best games of the year. Wake Forest-Virginia, Sept. 18: the defending champions open their ACC campaign with one of the toughest games on the schedule. Tulsa-Akron and UCSB-UCLA, Sept. 24: A double header on the 24th with Akron facing off against a team that gave them a very tough test last season. Out West, a battle of the California schools should be as charged as ever. UCLA ended UCSB’s season last year and, frankly, these two teams just don’t like each other. Maryland-Duke, Oct. 1: a clash that could go a long way to securing the ACC title for one of these squads. Plus, any game in College Park is worth your two hours of time. 8. Indiana The new regime is in place, but there won’t be any patience from the fans of this program to rebuild. New coach, Todd Yeagley, knows all to well the pressures of the Hoosier faithful; his father’s name is on the field his team plays on. The younger Yeagley might already be feeling a restless crowd after a disappointing preseason loss to Xavier. A lot is expected of this team in Yeagley’s first year in charge, it should be an interesting plot to watch develop in Bloomington. 9. Sleeper Teams Last season, Drake went on an impressive run in the post-season and advanced to the Elite Eight. In 2008, Northwestern emerged from Big Ten sleeper status to Elite Eight power behind victories over Notre Dame and Akron. Almost every year, there is a team that gets hot at the right time and takes advantage of a soft bracket. While that is difficult to predict prior to the tournament field being set, here are a couple of teams not in major conferences to keep an eye on: Not a surprise pick as Tulsa have been knocking on the door the last few years. With a heavy contingent of returning players, and a challenging schedule, Tulsa is set up for a deep post-season run. Other teams to keep an eye on are Monmouth and Butler. Monmouth has the post-season experience now and should have no problem booking their ticket back to the tournament this Fall. Butler is a very stout defensive team, which teams could have trouble breaking down. 10. Players Of course, there are the rather popular names of Zac MacMath (Maryland, GK), Bobby Warshaw (Stanford, DEF), Michael Farfan (North Carolina, MID), and Darlington Nagbe (Akron, FWD). There are also players a bit further off the beaten path to keep an eye on including: Rafael Baca, midfield, LMU: He is one of the few players in the country who opposing teams game-plan against. Baca reminds me a bit of Irving Garcia sans some of the pace but with better vision. Anthony Ampaipitakwong, midfield, Akron: is the creative mind who runs the Akron offense. If he decides to pursue a professional future in MLS, he will definitely be among the first names taken off the board in January. Brent Richards, forward, Washington: Richards really stamped his place on this list following a very impressive PDL season, PDL MVP and Rookie of the Year. He will be looking to duplicate that form in his junior year with the Huskies.