The 2012 season promises to be a rebuilding year for Berkeley New York men's soccer. After reaching the Hudson Valley Men's Athletic Conference final in 2009 and winning the conference championship in 2010, the 2011 season ended disappointingly with a second place regular season finish and a home loss in the conference semi-final.
Since then, the team has graduated ten seniors, of which six were starters; and lost two freshmen that combined for twenty goals in 2011 who have transfered to higher divisions, NCAA Division II Mercy College and Canada's Acadia University. Still, there is a strong core of 12 returning players, 7 of whom have a conference championship plaque in their trophy case.
Junior goalkeeper Camilo Montes (Bayside/Bayside, NY) will be protected by Guillermo Moscoso (Long Island City/Long Island, NY), an outside defender and the teams 2011 Most Improved Player. Moscoso is the sole returning senior and will aim to become the first Berkeley New York soccer player to earn four intercollegiate varsity letters. The center of the defense will be anchored by the 2010 Most Improved Player, Mamadou Diallo (Paul Robeson/Brooklyn, NY), and the outstanding third year player Waqas Afgan. Ifeanyi Ekwermuba (Canarsie/Brooklyn, NY) hopes to recover from his early season injury issues in 2011 and return to his near all-conference 2010 form.
The Knights midfield will see the most changes. Returning are junior starter Ulises Bravo (Graphic Communication Arts/New York, NY), Xhuljano Shala, and freshman standout Joachim Moe. Ibahima Ndayie is sure to make a huge impact on the flanks after enjoying a fruitful second half of the 2011 season. Lucas Pucheta (Dr. Michael Krop/Miami, FL) is also returning after an injury prone season that saw him miss the last part of the season.
"I am excited about the recruits we have secured for the 2012 season as I believe they will strengthen our midfield from which most of our offense is generated," said fourth year head coach Stavros Zomopoulos.
At the top Berkeley will depend heavily on the finishing prowess of Dare Aniyikaye. His explosive skill is expected to propel him towards the top of the conference scoring charts.
The eighteen game 2012 schedule promises to be a tough one. It opens at Fairleigh Dickinson University at Florham on August 31st and features three of last year's USCAA Top 20; Maine-Fort Kent, Briarcliffe College, and SUNY ESF. It also incudes two 2011 NCAA Division III tournament participants (the CUNY and Skyline Champions) Lehman College and SUNY-Maritime.
"We are accustomed to such a tough schedule as we have consistently played one of the most difficult schedules in the tri-state area for the last three years. Our teams prefer to compete against the best," said Zomopoulos.
7/24/12
7/16/12
LONIAKAN NAMED TO ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Instituted last season, the All-Academic Team recognizes excellence both in the field of play and in the classroom. The All-Academic Team consists of student-athletes who have reached sophomore academic standing and have earned a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or better at the conclusion of the spring semester, and participate in one of the conference’s winter and spring sports – basketball, tennis and volleyball.
7/14/12
NJ MEN'S SOCCER HAS EYES SET ON NORTH CAROLINA
The Berkeley College New Jersey men's soccer team enters the 2012 season with aspirations of competing for a playoff spot at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament in North Carolina. A learning curve in 2011 with ten starting freshmen that managed to still secure six wins should help this young, talented group reach its goals in 2012.
"We developed a solid foundation last year," said fourth-year coach Bruno Ferreira, "and we've added some important pieces to the roster this year. By all indications, we should be prepared to have a successful season."
If they are to do so, they will have to overcome a very strong schedule. This season alone the Knights will square off against fourteen NCAA Division III programs including Drew University, Medgar Evers College, The College of New Jersey, and Albright College to name a few.
"We like the tough schedule," says Ferreira. "You have to earn your wins here at Berkeley. We want to play the best."
The team will also host home games for the first time in their brief history, with five matches being played at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
"The home games are important and a natural evolution of our athletic programs," said Athletic Director Brian Maher. "We are looking forward to seeing our students, friends, and families come out and support the team this season."
The team will be led by returning sophomore goal keeper and team captain Thomas Frangieh (Newton/Newton, NJ) who was off to a stellar rookie season before a leg injury sidelined him for the second half. Leading the defense are sophomore co-captain Raymond Scalfani (Parsippany/Lake Hiawatha, NJ) and fellow sophomores Veton Tela (Eastside/Paterson, NJ) and Dan Freitas (Kearny/Kearny, NJ).
In the midfield there is a deep core of talent. Tactic-savy sophomore Nuno Santos (Kearny/Kearny, NJ) is a bruising center defensive mid alongside two explosive playmakers in Eurcario Solano (Absegami/Galloway, NJ) and Ramon Arce (Bernards/Bernardsville, NJ).
The team also returns Academic All-American junior defender Paul Logan (Kearny/Kearny, NJ), junior midfielder Jason Rodrigues (Kearny/Kearny, NJ), junior forward Johnny Campos (Kearny/Kearny, NJ) and sophomore forward Daniel Vieceli (Kearny/Kearny, NJ).
"We are deep and talented at every position," says coach Ferreira. "The season's success could possibly come down to one goal so we must be at the top of our game every night."
The Knights open the season at Utica College on August 31 at 7 P.M.
"We developed a solid foundation last year," said fourth-year coach Bruno Ferreira, "and we've added some important pieces to the roster this year. By all indications, we should be prepared to have a successful season."
If they are to do so, they will have to overcome a very strong schedule. This season alone the Knights will square off against fourteen NCAA Division III programs including Drew University, Medgar Evers College, The College of New Jersey, and Albright College to name a few.
"We like the tough schedule," says Ferreira. "You have to earn your wins here at Berkeley. We want to play the best."
The team will also host home games for the first time in their brief history, with five matches being played at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
"The home games are important and a natural evolution of our athletic programs," said Athletic Director Brian Maher. "We are looking forward to seeing our students, friends, and families come out and support the team this season."
The team will be led by returning sophomore goal keeper and team captain Thomas Frangieh (Newton/Newton, NJ) who was off to a stellar rookie season before a leg injury sidelined him for the second half. Leading the defense are sophomore co-captain Raymond Scalfani (Parsippany/Lake Hiawatha, NJ) and fellow sophomores Veton Tela (Eastside/Paterson, NJ) and Dan Freitas (Kearny/Kearny, NJ).
In the midfield there is a deep core of talent. Tactic-savy sophomore Nuno Santos (Kearny/Kearny, NJ) is a bruising center defensive mid alongside two explosive playmakers in Eurcario Solano (Absegami/Galloway, NJ) and Ramon Arce (Bernards/Bernardsville, NJ).
The team also returns Academic All-American junior defender Paul Logan (Kearny/Kearny, NJ), junior midfielder Jason Rodrigues (Kearny/Kearny, NJ), junior forward Johnny Campos (Kearny/Kearny, NJ) and sophomore forward Daniel Vieceli (Kearny/Kearny, NJ).
"We are deep and talented at every position," says coach Ferreira. "The season's success could possibly come down to one goal so we must be at the top of our game every night."
The Knights open the season at Utica College on August 31 at 7 P.M.
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