United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Soccer

The 2007 Coast Guard Academy men’s soccer team will look to continue the program’s recent success. The Bears have lost in the NEWMAC Semifinals three out of the last four years and have been selected to participate in the ECAC tournament during that stretch as well.

The success for the 2007 season will depend on many new faces as the Bears look to replace six starters and nine total players lost to graduation from the 2006 team that went 10-5-4 and earned a berth in the ECAC Tournament.

The Bears are an experienced team on defense. In goal, Sophomore Tim Olah will look to build off an outstanding freshman year that saw him secure nine shutouts with a 1.05 goals against average. Freshman Chris Tarbell will provide much needed depth in the position and will look to get some valuable experience in his first season with the Bears.

Senior co-captains Martin Villa and Greg Kotowitz will anchor the defense along with junior James Toohey, junior Ben Walsh and senior Dan Reilly. Kotowitz returns to action after a knee injury forced him out of the entire 2006 campaign. Sophomore Jacob Larsen will move from the midfield into his more comfortable center back position. Villa has started every game of his Coast Guard career and is near the top of list in minutes and games played for the Academy.

In the midfield, junior Dave O’Brien will play centrally and look to be the playmaker for the Bears. Senior Larry Sheetz and junior Bill Birch will also see time in the central midfield. Freshman Thomas Harner will challenge the incumbents for time. Wide in the midfield the Bears have a lot of depth and competition for playing time will be stiff. Seniors Ben Weber and Pat Wright will look to end their careers on a high note, while sophomores Brandon McMillan, Matthew Izbicki, and freshmen Matthew Zangle, Frank Hackett and Jeff Melville will look to compete for time. Army exchange cadet Lance Cunningham will add the depth in the position.

Up front is where the Bears need players to step up and score goals. Juniors Thomas Cameron (2 goals, 1 assist), Nate Wojcik (1 goal, 3 assists), Pete Deneen (2 goals, 3 assists), and sophomore Spencer Ross will have to carry the load for the Bears that lost 15 of their 29 goals scored last season to graduation. Freshman Nicholas Devine looks to have potential to score goals for the Bears.

The schedule has some new faces for 2007. The Bears will play both New England College, 2006 ECAC runners up, and always solid Rhode Island College for the first time. As always, NEWMAC competition will be stiff. The Bears finished 2-2-2 in NEWMAC play in 2006 with every contest going into overtime.

“2007 will be another fun year to coach at the Academy. It is an exciting year to see who will step up and lead us in our quest to get back to the postseason. Preseason has been as competitive as I can remember it and players are hungry to get on the field,” said head coach Chris Parsons.