OLD DOMINION PICKED TO WIN CAA MEN’S SOCCER CROWN IN 2004

RICHMOND, Va. (August 11, 2004) – Old Dominion University, which returns four of its top five scorers and its entire starting backline from last year’s 15-4-1 squad that reached the second round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup, has been picked to capture the CAA men’s soccer title in 2004 according to a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches.

The Monarchs received seven first-place votes and 78 total points to earn the top spot in the poll. Two-time defending CAA champion Virginia Commonwealth University, which welcomes back six starters from last season’s 17-5 team that advanced to the third round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup, received two first-place votes and was picked second with 70 points. George Mason University, which posted an 11-6-6 overall record and reached the finals of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship in 2003, got one first-place vote and was third with 61 points. Perennial power William & Mary was close behind in fourth with 60 points, followed by James Madison, UNC Wilmington, Hofstra, Drexel, Towson and Delaware.

ODU opened last season with a school-record 14 consecutive victories, including 11 by shutout, and achieved the highest national ranking in school history after rising to #2 in the national polls for four straight weeks in October. The Monarchs are ranked #9 by College Soccer News in its 2004 pre-season Top 30 poll. ODU’s top returnee is senior defender Trevor McEachron, who earned first-team All-America and CAA Defender of the Year honors in 2003, and is one of 25 players on the pre-season watch list for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top collegiate soccer player in the nation. However, McEachron is still recovering from a severe knee injury suffered last November and his status for this season is unknown. Also back for the Monarchs are first-team All-CAA midfielder Kevon Harris (4 goals, 5 assists) and second-team All-CAA forward Brian Cvilikas, who tied for the team lead with 10 goals in 2003.

VCU set a school record for victories a year ago and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup for the first time before falling to eventual national champion Indiana. The Rams were ranked #9 nationally in the final 2003 polls and are ranked #19 by College Soccer News in its 2004 pre-season poll. Back to lead VCU is senior defender Gonzalo Segares, who is a two-time first-team All-CAA selection and a pre-season third-team All-American after contributing five goals and eight assists a year ago. Also returning are junior Stephen Shirley, who led the CAA with 10 assists last season, and senior goalkeeper Saul Montero (1.08 GAA).

Mason returns nine starters from a squad that reached the title game of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship for the first time since 1995. The Patriots posted 11 shutouts last season and welcome back two-time first team All-CAA goalie John O’Hara (0.98 GAA) and first-team All-CAA defender Damian O’Rourke. Also back is leading scorer Steve Alabi (12 goals).

William & Mary, which has earned NCAA Tournament berths in seven of the past nine seasons, has seven starters back in its first season under new head coach Chris Norris. Leading the Tribe will be top scorer Patrick Scherder (11 goals) and midfielder Bryan Hinkle (5 goals, 9 assists), who both were second-team All-CAA picks in 2003. James Madison has 10 of 11 starters back, including 2003 CAA Rookie of the Year Mark Totten (6 goals, 8 assists) and senior midfielder Denny Fulk (7 goals, 6 assists).

2004 CAA MEN’S SOCCER PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL

1. Old Dominion (7 first-place votes) 78
2. Virginia Commonwealth (2 first-place votes) 70
3. George Mason (1 first-place vote) 61
4. William & Mary 60
5. James Madison 51
6. UNC Wilmington 43
7. Hofstra 33
8. Drexel 28
9. Towson 16
10. Delaware 10

(Teams received 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.)