Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer

Virginia Cavaliers
men's soccer
2015 Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team
University University of Virginia
Conference ACC
Location Charlottesville, VA
Head Coach George Gelnovatch (18th year)
Stadium Klöckner Stadium
(Capacity: 8,000)
Nickname Cavs, Hoos
Colors Navy Blue and Orange

             

Home
Away
NCAA Tournament Champions
1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009, 2014
NCAA Tournament Runner Up
1997
NCAA Tournament College Cup
1983, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2014
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal
1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2014
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1969, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Conference Tournament Champions
1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2009
Conference Regular Season Champions
1979, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2010

The Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team represent the University of Virginia in all NCAA Division I men's soccer competitions. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The team has grown an extensive reputation as having one of the most elite collegiate soccer programs in the United States, producing several future U.S. national team players. Notable examples include Claudio Reyna and John Harkes. Present Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena coached the team and led them to four College Cup titles in a five-year period during the 1990s. George Gelnovatch has since taken the Cavaliers to five College Cup Final Fours (1997, 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2014) and two National Championship seasons in 2009 and 2014.[1]

Virginia has currently made the College Cup tournament bracket for a record consecutive 34 years, the most of any team in the history of the sport.

History

The University of Virginia first fielded a varsity men's soccer team in 1941 as an independent team. In their first season, the team posted a winless record, losing all nine of their matches.

The team made their first appearance in the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 1969, where they played their out-of-state rivals, the Maryland Terrapins. The team was eliminated in the first round of the tournament following a 5–0 defeat. Ten years would pass before the Cavaliers would make their second tournament appearance, this time losing to the American Eagles, 1–0 in the opening round. The team would make two more NCAA tournament appearances, in 1981 and 1982, before eventually progressing past the first round of the tournament. In the 1983 tournament, the Cavaliers defeated stateside opponents William & Mary Tribe by a 2–1 scoreline to advance into the quarterfinals. The tournament would culimnate with a quarterfinal victory over the San Francisco Dons before bowing out in the semifinals to the eventual champions, the Indiana Hoosiers.

During this period though, led under head coach Bruce Arena, the Cavaliers developed a well-renowned reputation as being one of the most elite soccer programs in the country. Following their 1981 tournament appearance, the Cavaliers would qualify for the NCAA Men's Division I tournament every consecutive season to date, one of the longest streaks in NCAA history for any sport. Their apex came in the late 1980s to early 1990s, when the team won five national collegiate championships in the span of six years. Future U.S. men's national team stars such as John Harkes and Claudio Reyna were members of the championship team. The Cavaliers would win the 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 editions of the tournament.

Subsequent to their dynasty run, the United States Soccer Federation, in the promise of hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup instituted the creation of a new top tier professional soccer league, later to be named Major League Soccer. Upon the creation of the league, one of the league's clubs, D.C. United hired Arena as their full-time head coach, where he led them to three MLS Cup titles, two MLS Supporters' Shields and a CONCACAF title.

The departure of Arena saw a new replacement fill managerial duties in 1996. Arena would be replaced by longtime assistant, George Gelnovatch, whom still today coaches the team.

Initially under the helm of Gelnovatch, the Cavaliers were still a fairly successful team in the Atlantic Coast Conference and in the NCAA tournaments, although their success in the latter half of the 1990s and early 2000s (decade) could not replicate the same success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During Gelnovatch's early years, the team's best finish was making the finals of the 1997 NCAA Men's Soccer championship, but to only lose 2–0 to the UCLA Bruins.

After a period of decline in the early 2000s (decade), the team had a successful campaign in 2009, reaching the final for the first time since 1997. Playing against the recently upstart Akron Zips, the Cavaliers were able to defeat the Zips in a penalty kick shootout to claim their sixth NCAA title, and their first national championship since the Arena years.

Stadium

Main article: Klöckner Stadium

One of the earliest soccer-specific stadiums in college soccer, the Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team plays their home matches at the 8,000-seater Klöckner Stadium. Since its opening in 1997, the Cavaliers have enjoyed some of the highest reported attendance figures in American college soccer.

The stadium has 3,600 grandstand seats along with an additional 3,400 grass seats. It is shared with the women's soccer team, as well as the men's and women's lacrosse teams.[2]

Fans

Rivalries

Maryland

Best known for their college football rivalry many cite the rivalry between the Cavaliers and the Maryland Terrapins as one of the most bitter rivalries in college soccer.[3][4] The two sides have long been heavyweights in the ACC and are among the colleges with the most NCAA Division I championships in the sport.[5] Throughout the 1970s, the rivalry was heavily dominated by Maryland only for the fortunes to be reversed in the 1990s. Additionally, the two sides have clashed six times against one another in the ACC championship.[4] The Terrapins' departure to the Big Ten has put the rivalry on hiatus.

Virginia Tech

As intra-conference members, and having a longstanding rivalry, another one of the top rivals of the Virginia Cavaliers is the Virginia Tech Hokies. The series between the two has been heavily dominated by the Cavaliers, who boast a 27–2–3 record against the Hokies.[6] However, in ACC play, the Cavaliers "only" better the Hokies by 5–2–3 mark, being undefeated against the Hokies in the past 6 ACC matchups between the two.

Other rivalries

With the success of Colonial Athletic Association teams in men's collegiate soccer, as well as their geographic proximity, there has been reported rivalries between the Cavaliers and the Old Dominion Monarchs, the Virginia Commonwealth Rams[7] and the William & Mary Tribe. The Cavaliers have met these opponents in numerous out of conference games, and in the NCAA tournament where they have even been defeated by Old Dominion.

Roster

2014–15 squad

As of August, 2014[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
00 United States GK Jeff Caldwell
0 United States GK Cole Moffatt
1 United States GK Spencer LaCivita
2 United States DF Steven Gandy
3 United States DF Matt Brown
4 United States DF Grant Silvester
5 United States MF Luc Fatton
6 United States MF Scott Thomsen
7 United States MF Todd Wharton
8 Guatemala MF Pablo Aguilar
9 United States FW Darius Madison
10 United States FW Nicko Corriveau
11 United States MF Eric Bird
12 United States FW Riggs Lennon
13 United States DF Kyler Sullivan
15 United States FW Bryan Lima
16 United States FW Marcus Salandy-Defour
No. Position Player
17 United States MF Jake Rozhansky
18 United States GK Calle Brown
19 United States MF Peter Pearson
20 United States MF Patrick Foss
21 United States FW Ryan Zinkhan
22 United States FW Kyle McCord
23 United States DF Will Hare
24 United States MF Matt Mills
25 United States DF Nate Odusote
27 United States MF Manny Scere
29 United States DF Wesley Suggs
30 United States DF Fabrice Shema
31 United States DF Sheldon Sullivan
32 United States MF Julian Cummings
33 United States GK Andrew Freschi
34 United States MF Liam Jenkins
35 United States DF Jeremy Lunsford

Team management

Coaching Staff
Position Staff
Head Coach United States George Gelnovatch
Associate Head Coach United States Matt Chulis
Asst. Coach United States Michael Behonick
Operations Assistant United States Gabe Bernstein

Last updated: August 14, 2011
Source: Virginia Cavaliers Athletics Website

Head coaching history

Dates Name Notes
1941–1950 United States Lawrence Ludwig
1951–1953 United States Hugh Moomaw
1954 United States Wilson Fewster
1955–1957 United States Robert Sandell
1958–1965 United States Eugene Corrigan
1966–1970 United States Gordon Burris
1971–1973 United States Jim Stephens
1974–1977 United States Larry Gross
1978–1995 United States Bruce Arena
1996–present United States George Gelnovatch

Seasons

Source: [1]

Season Conference Overall ACC Tournament College Cup
Division GP W L T GF GA Pos. GP W L T GF GA
1941 No conference 9 0 9 0 10 57
1942 9 4 2 1 15 9
1943
1944
1945
1946 5 1 3 1 4 15
1947 11 2 7 2 14 21
1948 11 3 7 1 13 22
1949 10 5 5 0 19 18
1950 10 4 5 1 26 23
1951 8 1 5 2 16 21
1952 9 5 2 2
1953 9 4 4 1
1954 ACC 4 1 1 2 8 2 4 2
1955 ACC 4 1 2 1 10 3 5 2
1956 ACC
1957 ACC
1958 ACC
1959 ACC
1960 ACC
1961 ACC
1962 ACC
1963 ACC
1964 ACC
1965 ACC
1966 ACC
1967 ACC
1968 ACC
1969 ACC R1
1970 ACC
1971 ACC
1972 ACC
1973 ACC
1974 ACC
1975 ACC
1976 ACC
1977 ACC
1978 ACC
1979 ACC R2
1980 ACC
1981 ACC
1982 ACC R2
1983 ACC SF
1984 ACC QF
1985 ACC R1
1986 ACC R1
1987 ACC 6 5 0 1 22 17 3 2 40 10 Semifinals R1
1988 ACC 6 5 0 1 22 18 1 3 42 9 Champions QF
1989 ACC 6 5 0 1 25 21 2 2 43 18 Semifinals Champions
1990 ACC 6 3 2 1 24 12 6 6 43 18 Runners-up QF
1991 ACC 6 5 1 0 22 19 1 2 55 21 Champions Champions
1992 ACC 6 5 1 0 25 21 2 1 70 20 Champions Champions
1993 ACC 6 4 2 0 25 22 3 0 66 18 Champions Champions
1994 ACC 6 4 2 0 26 22 3 1 86 35 Champions Champions
1995 ACC 6 4 0 2 24 21 1 2 83 29 Champions SF
1996 ACC 6 4 0 2 22 16 3 3 65 20 Runners-up R1
1997 ACC 6 3 1 2 26 19 4 3 61 24 Champions Runners-up
1998 ACC 6 4 1 1 23 16 4 3 50 21 Semifinals QF
1999 ACC 6 1 4 1 24 14 9 1 44 29 Runners-up QF
2000 ACC 6 5 1 0 24 17 6 1 62 29 Runners-up QF
2001 ACC 6 6 0 0 20 17 2 1 42 12 Runners-up R2
2002 ACC 6 3 3 0 22 15 7 0 55 27 Runners-up R2
2003 ACC 6 3 3 0 23 11 10 2 29 29 Champions R3
2004 ACC 7 4 3 0 24 18 5 1 50 24 Champions QF
2005 ACC 8 6 2 0 20 12 5 3 37 25 Quarterfinals R3
2006 ACC 8 5 3 0 22 17 4 1 40 21 Semifinals SF
2007 ACC 8 1 5 2 22 12 8 2 44 29 Quarterfinals R2
2008 ACC 8 4 4 0 21 11 9 1 39 29 Runners-up R2
2009 ACC 8 4 3 1 4th 25 19 3 3 37 8 Champions Champions
2010 ACC 8 2 4 2 20 11 6 3 36 16 Semifinals R1
2011 ACC 8 4 3 1 13 11 3rd 21 12 8 1 40 27 Semifinals R1
2012 ACC 8 3 4 1 7 11 6th 21 10 7 4 29 25 Semifinals R2
2013 ACC 11 4 3 4 19 13 6th 24 13 6 5 45 25 Runners-up SF
2014 ACC 8 3 3 2 9 7 8th 23 14 6 3 27 16 Quarterfinals Champions

Honors

Notable Alumni

* - Player has represented their country at the senior national team level

References

General
Notes
  1. ↑ Virginia wins 7th NCAA Championship in shootout versus UCLA, accessed December 14, 2014
  2. ↑ "Klöckner Stadium and Team Locker Rooms". University of Virginia. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Virginia, Maryland Renew Men's Soccer Rivalry This Weekend". University of Virginia. CBSSports.com. September 12, 1998. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "The 5 Greatest Rivalries in College Soccer". Collegesoccernews.com. First Point USA. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  5. ↑ Goff, Steven (December 4, 2009). "Maryland, Virginia men's soccer meet again, this time in NCAA tournament". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  6. ↑ "#4 VIRGINIA vs. #16 VIRGINIA TECH" (PDF).
  7. ↑ "A late goal gives Virginia the victory over VCU". VirginiaSportsTV.com. October 5, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  8. ↑ Soccer Roster at Cavaliers website, retrieved 12 August 2014
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, November 29, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.