FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU men's soccer team will be tested from the start as the Eagles hit the road to start the 2019 season against No. 13 Michigan and No. 7 Michigan State.
The Green and Blue
This will be the fourth-straight year the squad starts its season on the road as head coach
Jesse Cormier enters his third year at the helm. In 2018, the Eagles produced a 9-5-2 (5-1-0) record, collecting their seventh overall ASUN regular season crown while making it to the ASUN Tournament for an eighth-straight year.
FGCU returns its three ASUN First Team members in
Shak Adams,
O'Vonte Mullings (Freshman of the Year), and
Gustavo Vasconcelos (Goalkeeper of the Year).
Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge HS) led the team in goals (eight) and assists (eight),
Mullings (Toronto, Ontario/ Northview Heights Secondary) was second with seven goals. Keeper
Vasconcelos (Recife, Brazil/Colegio GGE) secured 62 saves with three clean sheets as he led the ASUN in save percentage (.782).
Overall, the Eagles are 3-3-1 against Big 10 opponents.
Scouting the Wolverines
Michigan went 12-5-4 (4-2-2 Big 10) in 2018 with a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines return 18 players from last season's roster, including five who started at least 10 matches. Senior Jack Hallahan netted eight goals and assists apiece last year as he was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List earlier this summer.
TopDrawerSoccer.com has the Wolverines ranked No. 13 while the United Soccer Coaches poll has them at No. 24.
This will be the second all-time meeting between both programs as they battled to a 2-2 draw in 2016 at the Nest.
Scouting the Spartans
Michigan State is coming off a historical season producing an overall record of 14-5-4 (4-2-2 Big 10), advancing to the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1968. Giuseppe Barone returns as he led the Spartans with 10 assists and was second in points (16). He went on to earn First Team All-American Honors.
The United Soccer Coaches poll have the Spartans ranked No. 7, meanwhile, TopDrawerSoccer.com have them one spot above at No. 8.
This will be the first all-time meeting between both programs.
FGCU Record Book
Points
| 1 |
76 |
Albert Ruiz (34g 8a) - 2014-17 |
| 2 |
48 |
Shak Adams (19g 10a) 2016-Present |
| 3 |
43 |
Cristian Raudales (19g 5a) - 2008-11 |
| 4 |
38 |
Felipe DeSousa(18g 2a) - 2012-14 |
|
38 |
Arion Sobers-Assue(12g 14a) - 2014-17 |
| 6 |
32 |
Dylan Sacramento (12g 8a) - 2015-17 |
| 7 |
31 |
Joey Portillo (8g 15a) - 2008-11 |
| 8 |
31 |
Dennis Zapata (10g 11a) - 2015-18 |
| 9 |
30 |
Francesco DiStefano (9g 12a) - 2008-11 |
| 10 |
30 |
Scott Harrison (12g 6a) - 2008-11 |
Goals
Assists
| 1 |
15 |
Josey Portillo - 2008-11 |
| 2 |
14 |
Arion Sobers-Assue -2014-17 |
| 3 |
12 |
Francesco DiStefano - 2008-11 |
| 4 |
11 |
Dennis Zapata - 2015-18 |
|
11 |
Andres Navas- 2009-12 |
|
11 |
Shak Adams - 2016-Present |
|
10 |
Deion Jones - 2009-12 |
| 7 |
9 |
William Morse - 2009-12 |
|
9 |
Skylar Wilks - 2013-15 |
|
9 |
Miguel Jaime - 2014-17 |
Game-winning goals
| 1 |
8 |
Felipe DeSousa - 2012-14 |
| 2 |
6 |
Cristian Raudales - 2008-11 |
|
6 |
Shak Adams - 2016-Present |
| 4 |
5 |
Xavier Silva -2011-14 |
|
5 |
Albert Ruiz - 2014-2017 |
|
5 |
Henry Penagos - 2010-14 |
| 7 |
4 |
Robert Ferrer - 2015-17 |
|
4 |
Arion Sobers-Assue - 2014-17 |
|
4 |
Francesco DiStefano - 2008-11 |
|
4 |
Santiago Echeverri - 2011-14 |
Fall Sports Single-Game, Season and Group Tickets On Sale
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).
Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.
For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men's soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer, and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.
HEAD COACH JESSE CORMIER
Jesse Cormier completed his second as head coach of the FGCU men's soccer program after being hired in January of 2017 to become just the 2nd head coach in program history. Cormier has guided FGCU to a 17-11-5 (.594) record overall, including a 9-2-2 mark (.773) in ASUN play. The Eagles have reached the ASUN Tournament semifinals for eight-straight seasons (every year of eligibility), as Cormier has coached 16 all-conference selections since his arrival (program-record 10 in 2017). Cormier was the head coach at his alma mater the University of Vermont for the previous 13 seasons. He won 14 games with the Catamounts in 2016 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. During his time with Vermont, Cormier guided the program to the America East Tournament in 12 of 13 seasons, making five title game appearances, winning two tournament crowns, claiming a regular-season championship and advancing to three NCAA tournaments, including a pair of Second Round appearances. Cormier holds an overall 131-100-52 (.553) record as a head coach in his fourteen plus seasons at the helm.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
