POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (August 26, 2013) –The Vassar College men's soccer team will round out its preseason this week before opening the season against SUNY New Paltz on Friday, August 30 at 4:30 pm.
The Brewers return as the defending regular season Liberty League Champions. They finished the 2012 season with a record of 13-5-3 and 5-1-2 in League action, winning the regular season title and earning the honor of hosting the first round of the Liberty League playoffs. After being selected for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, the Brewers went on to defeat Tufts University in a back-and-forth double overtime, penalty kick 1-0 win before falling to host Brandeis University, 1-0, in the second round.
Vassar needed to defeat Liberty League opponents Union College and Bard College along with other variables to play out in its favor in order to claim the #1 spot in the league.
The Brewers return eight starters in Juliano Pereira, Evan Seltzer, Ryan Grimme, Adrien Demelier, Tom Wiechert, Justin Mitchell, Zach Nasipak and Jordan Palmer. Pereira, Seltzer, Grimme and Demelier are joined by Rob Manukyan as the seniors for Vassar.
Offense
Wiechert leads the Brewer offense this year, having scored nine goals and three assists last year for 21 points in his 17 starts. He had four game-winning goals against Mount Saint Mary College, Western Connecticut State University, and in both games against Union College.
Pereira, Demelier, Manukyan, Palmer, Andrea Cousineau, Mitchell and Gavin Jennings will supplement the offense.
Pereira tallied eight goals last season and two assists for 18 points, making him second on the team in goals and tied for second in points with last year's senior All-American defender, Zander Mrlik. Pereira, or "Nano," scored three game-winning goals against John Jay College, RPI, and Hunter College.
Manukyan added four goals and four assists with one game-winning goal against Bard. Demelier was sixth on the team for most shots with 25 and his speed up the middle is sure to add to the Brewers' arsenal.
Juniors Cousineau and Mitchell, along with sophomores Palmer and Jennings, combined for nine goals and eight assists.
Defense
Despite the graduation of senior defenders Mrlik and Simon Whitelaw, the Brewers return Seltzer, junior Zach Nasipak and sophomores Nick Hess and Cosmo Veneziale to the backfield.
Seltzer will lead the Brewer defense with his 20 starts from last season. He recorded three assists and two goals. Nasipak found the back of the net four times from his eight shots on goal. Hess added two assists.
Goalkeepers
Grimme returns after a tremendous season in goal. Sophomore Sebastien Lasseur and freshman Adam Warner join the goalkeeper staff.
Grimme recorded 72 saves in his 18 games played and 17 starts. He finished the season with an 11-3-3 record and seven shutouts. Facing 219 shots, Grimme only let by 13 goals. He finished the season with a save percentage of 0.847.
Coaching Staff
Andy Jennings enters his 21st year at the helm of the Brewers men's soccer program and was the 2012 Liberty League Coach of the Year along with earning the title in 2009. He is the most winningest men's soccer coach in Vassar history with a compiled record of 147-90-33.
Chuck Wilder has been the goalkeeper coach for the past six years. His work with Grimme, Lasseur and Warner is not the extent of his coaching responsibilities as you can hear him on the sideline giving hints and helping the players with their learning experiences.
Chris Taylor just joined the Vassar staff in November 2012 after a two-year stay at SUNY Plattsburgh. Taylor has worked endlessly this preseason with the players on and off the field.
Cameron Williams may not be a soccer coach, but his work as the new Strength and Conditioning Coach is vital to all of Vassar College's 23 varsity teams. Coach Williams can be found mostly in the Kenyon Hall Varsity Weight Room, but can also be seen out at the fields with the teams.
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