The 2001 edition of the NC State men's soccer team is eager to return to the winning ways, and past success of this storied program. The Wolfpack has had plenty of enjoyable moments both on and off the field in its 50 years of varsity soccer, and the 2001 season is a rededication to that success.

Last year's NC State squad was beset with injuries very early in the 2000 campaign, and was unable to produce the results that the Wolfpack is accustomed to. For that reason, the 2001 squad is driven to come together and prove that NC State is a force in the always tough ACC conference.

Four talented seniors will head up this year's team. Defenders Damon Butler and Eric Kaufman, midfielder Lee Baldwin, and forward Matt Tabor all look to end their playing careers with one more successful season. These four players have provided both hard work and leadership while in a Wolfpack uniform.

The rest of the Wolfpack roster is filled with veteran players who made strong contributions to the Pack last season. Led by junior goalkeeper Mitchell Watson, who has started his first two seasons, NC State returns eight starters from one year ago and a couple of veterans who were forced to medical redshirt.

Perhaps the biggest jolt of excitement to the 2001 squad will be the wide variety of new players playing their first season with the Pack. NC State's offense will need added punch this season, and this freshmen class will be more than able to provide that needed spark. Ten true freshmen will be on this year's team, along with two redshirt freshmen.

THE GOALKEEPERS: Returning to the nets this season will be junior Mitchell Watson (Modesto, Calif.), who has started the previous two seasons. Watson saw plenty of action last year in goal for NC State, as he logged 1,588 minutes in his 17 starts. He led the ACC in saves with 121, and finished eighth in the NCAA in saves per game with 6.72. With only two years in goal, Watson already ranks sixth in the NC State record books in career saves (195), and he has posted 7.5 shutouts.

Backing up Watson this season will be Tyler Dutton (Edmond, Okla.). Dutton redshirted last season as a freshman to save a year of eligibility. Dutton had 16 shutouts during his varsity career in high school, and earned all-state honors as a senior. The third goalie on this year's roster, freshman Cameron Coley (Hickory, N.C.), is likely to redshirt this season. Coley was named all-state first team last season with a GAA of 0.95.

THE DEFENSE: Senior Damon Butler (Cleveland, Ohio) has been one of the Pack's most stellar performers throughout his career, and his senior year should prove to be no different. Butler, the team's top marking back, brings the most experience to the back line having started 49 games in the past three seasons. Last season, Butler got into the offensive flow more often and set career-highs with three goals and two assists.

Also returning to a starting position on defense will be junior Marcus Johnson (Baltimore, Md.). Johnson has started all 34 games he has played in during his two years at NC State. He will play stopper this season, after logging time at stopper and some at sweeper last season due to the Pack's injuries.

Senior Eric Kaufman (Clearfield, Pa.) will return to his sweeper position, after making the switch from outside midfielder one season ago. Last season, Kaufman was limited to seven games due to a reoccurring thigh injury, but made a smooth transition to his new position and helped shore up the Pack defense.

The other starting job at marking back should be a highly competitive battle between sophomore David Snoke (Mathews, N.C.) and freshman Chiedu Chukwumah (Columbus, Ohio). Snoke made a strong impact as a freshman on last year's squad, starting 15 games as a defensive midfielder. Chukwumah started four years in high school, and helped his team win the state championship as a senior.

Looking to compete for playing time will be junior Phillip Herndl (Durham, N.C.). Herndl started two games last season and appeared in a total of five, while playing marking back. Returning to action this season will be Matt Truscello (Davidson, N.C.), who missed all of his freshman campaign with a back injury.

A pair of freshmen defenders will be thrown into the mix on defense as well. Sahar Asad (Raleigh, N.C.), the younger brother of former NC State standout Shaker Asad, recorded 30 goals and 38 assists while playing midfield at local Athens Drive High School. Classmate Kyle Fragakis (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) played four years at sweeper during high school, and competed in the 2001 Florida All-Star game.

THE MIDFIELD: Senior Lee Baldwin (Ripon, England) had the biggest impact as a newcomer on last year's squad after transferring from Meridian Community College. Last season, Baldwin led the team in assists with six, and was second on the squad in both goals (five) and points (16). A creative passer, Baldwin will reprise his role as an attacking outside midfielder, and look to end his NC State career on a positive note.

Junior Michael Karim (Port-Au-Prince, Haiti) suffered a severely sprained ankle in the first game of the season last year, and missed the rest of the season and was redshirted. This season however, Karim is expected to bring experience to the midfield as he has played in 33 games in his first two years at NC State.

Two valuable contributors to last year's team were sophomore midfielders Scott MacNeill (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and Isreal Mejia (Santa Cruz, Bolivia), both of whom will once again be in the starting line-up. MacNeill tied for third with eight points last season, while starting 17 of 18 games and playing mainly as an offensive midfielder. Mejia finished the season with two goals and two assists, while starting 13 games.

Sophomores Jeff Cline (Cary, N.C.) and Hiroki Kawase (Yokohama, Japan) each saw playing time in the midfield last season, and will be looked upon to provide depth this season. Cline started eight games playing mostly as an outside midfielder, and Kawase played in 13 games and provided offense when he was in the game.

A trio of freshmen will also be given the opportunity to the action right from the start. John Mason (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was to be one of the top freshmen last season, but suffered a broken leg in the preseason and missed the entire year after surgery. Sean Neville (Nassau, Bahamas) brings some international experience to the midfield, as he has been a member of the Under-17 Bahamas National Team. Brock Trejo (Temecula, Calif.) could step right in and start in the middle of the midfield. Trejo recorded a total of 33 goals and 14 assists while in high school, and his team was the state runner-up in California in 1999-2000.

THE FORWARDS: The forward position was hit hardest by graduation last season. Gone is Nick Olivencia who was named All-ACC second-team and led the team in goals (7) and points (17). This year's group of forwards will consist of one senior, and a trio of freshmen competing for playing time.

Senior Matt Tabor (Indianapolis, Ind.) returns to the Pack's starting line-up after notching 15 starts a year ago, and has a total of 31 for his career. Tabor finished with two goals and one assist, while playing along side Olivencia throughout last season.

Freshman Karim Sesay (Milton Keynes, England) is expected to start along side Tabor and make an immediate impact in his first season with the Pack. Sesay will to once again give the Pack an talented player from England for the second straight season, as he has played for the Aston Villa Football Club in Milton Keynes.

Banky Adebanjo (Orlando, Fla.) and Justin Branch (Cary, N.C.) are two freshmen that will be asked to both provide depth and add punch to the front line. Adebanjo was a three-year letterwinner at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla., and he tallied 10 goals and 11 assists as a senior. Branch is a local product from Apex High school in Cary, North Carolina. Branch totaled 90 goals and 34 assists in his high school career, breaking all of former NC State and current MLS forward Ray Lassiter's Raleigh scoring records.

THE SCHEDULE: The ACC proved to be the toughest conference in the country last season, with four teams being ranked 13th or higher in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. Making the trip to Method Road this season will be conference foes Clemson (Sept. 23), Virginia (Sept. 30) and North Carolina (Oct. 21), while the Pack will make visits to Maryland, Wake Forest and Duke to conclude conference action.

For the fifth consecutive season, NC State will host the adidas/Wolfpack Classic the weekend of September 1. NC State will face off against Northeastern and Massachusetts, with Duke also competing that weekend. The Pack will also take part in the Adidas Tournament, against South Florida and Richmond, and the third annual Big Four Tournament, against Charlotte and UNC Greensboro.

In other home contests, NC State will play Charleston Southern (Sept. 19), High Point (Oct. 3), Elon (Oct. 10), and Georgia State (Nov. 4).

Back to ACC Home

Email this article

Printer-friendly format