It's off to face Yale in New Haven on Wednesday for a tough non-conference match.  Brian Tompkins to me is one of the top coaches around and does an outstanding job with his team year in and year out.  The best thing about his team is that they really try to play the game the right way and through that he develops good players.  They are always one of the more difficult teams on our schedule and should be a great match.

 

On Saturday, October 27th we will host Marquette University on Senior Night.  Louie Bennett is doing a great job rebuilding Marquette and his team has really improved over the last two years.

 

Senior Night is always a difficult night for me.  We watch young men, who we have spent so much time together over the last four years come out for their last regular-season match.  It is always an evening of mixed emotions for me.  This year's group (Chukwudi Chijindu, Ryan Cordeiro, Julius James, Louis Jones, Robert Navarrete and Steve Sealy) is a very special and unique group to me.

 

Chuki has really matured into a great young adult.  He has always had an older then his years mentality and excelled in the classroom.  His role has always been as our injection.  Chuk has been "the man" to come off the bench and provide us with a spark.  He has always accepted this role and continues to be a difference maker for our team.  He will be sorely missed.

 

Ryan Cordeiro has started to reach his potential in all aspects of life.  He is going to graduate in 3 1/2 years (as are Chuk and Julius) and has turned into a fantastic player and a great captain.  His play this year has been outstanding and has been a huge part of the team's successes so far.  He is one of the top flank players in college soccer and destined for a professional career.  To me, the best thing is that in the last year our relationship has really grown and that makes me extremely happy.

 

Julius James has been everything you could want in a player.  He loves the game, is committed to winning and trains very hard.  He is loyal, hard working and has a conscience.  He has helped keep UConn soccer among the nation's elite during his four years and has really matured into a fine young man.  I have coached over 750 players at the college level and very few show the passion for the game that he does.  If I had ever been fortunate to have a son, I would hope that the was like J.J.

 

Julius is a finalist for one of the top awards in college soccer, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.  While the on-field performance thus far during the college soccer season was a factor in determining the finalists, the criteria also includes a large emphasis on the classroom, character and community service. Julius epitomizes all of these things and I'd like to ask everyone to vote for him for this award. For more information and to cast your vote, please go here:

http://soccer.seniorclassaward.com/10316/playercard.aspx

 

Louis Jones (presently in graduate school) epitomizes what I want a UConn player to be.  He is a tremendous student, he has really improved as a player during his five years and has been an invaluable contributor to us this season.  Louis gets it, he really does.  He is very smart, a very good leader and an outstanding competitor.  He is someone I really trust and his opinion is important.  He has just fulfilled a life long dream by being accepted to medical school and I am very proud of him.

 

Robert Navarrete is a walk-on who joined us this fall and his mentality, approach and committment has made him a great team member.  We have really enjoyed him being part of our family.

 

Finally Steve Sealy, a tremendous player whose playing career was finished way too early by his battle with cancer.  Steve has endured things over the last three years that many of us have never faced.  He was a big time player with an abundance of talent and most certainly would have been a professional if he had not become ill.  He battled the illness and he won.  He is the biggest champion of all!  His smile and personality is infectious and his competitiveness is unwavering.  In the biggest game of all Steve, "YOU WON".  We all love you Steve and you have our respect and admiration.

 

I would like to thank these six young men for what they have done for the University of Connecticut, the UConn Soccer team and for our community.  We have been blessed to have you with us. 

 

These six are what we try to be about.  To the six of you let's WTNG.