Weekly Release #2
8/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Sept. 1 -- vs. DePaul (Elbel Field), 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 5 -- at Cleveland State (Cleveland, Ohio), 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 8 -- at Loyola (Chicago, Ill.), 7 p.m. CDT
This Week
Friday (Sept. 1) will be a historic day for the University of Michigan men's soccer program as the Wolverines get their first taste of NCAA Division I competition as a varsity sport after 52 years of being a club team. U-M will host DePaul for its first regular-season varsity game, at 7 p.m. on Elbel Field. The festivities begin around 6 p.m. with a pep rally and pregame speech from head coach Steve Burns as a part of "Maize Craze" on Elbel.
The Wolverines will then travel to Cleveland State on Tuesday (Sept. 5) for a 7 p.m. match with the Vikings. It will be the first road test for the Maize and Blue during the regular season.
Scouting the Opponents
DePaul -- DePaul is coming off a 7-8-0 overall record (3-5 Conference USA) from the 1999 season. Junior Chris Greer finished as the team's leading scorer with 17 points, and Casey Carr was on the C-USA All-Freshman team a year ago.
Cleveland State -- Cleveland State posted a 2-14-2 overall record (1-6 Mid-Continent Conference) last year. The Vikings were outscored 47-8 during the 1999 season.
Last Week
Michigan prepared for the regular season with a pair of road exhibition matches. The Wolverines took the field for the first time as a varsity program and christened the brand new Black Beauty Field at the University of Evansville (Aug. 25). In a game dominated by defense, Michigan dropped its inaugural exhibition 2-0. "I am very pleased overall in terms of our performance, especially in the second half," said coach Steve Burns. "I think we've underestimated the nature and character of our team and may be more of a team that can press high and cause some turnovers in our attacking third of the field. We are still looking for goal scorers, but we do have Kevin Robinson (Caro, Mich./Faith Baptist HS) coming back from a hamstring injury who should to help in that area. Overall, we have very positive results for our first game."
The Wolverines came out more aggressive in the second half of their second exhibition game, against Oakland (Aug. 29) on the Grizzlies' home field. The result was two second-half goals to tie the Grizzlies 3-3 at the end of regulation. There was no overtime played. Mike White (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) made history with the first unofficial goal in Michigan's varsity history on an assist by JJ Kern (Trenton, Mich./Lake Orion HS). Ryan Yoder (Whitehouse, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit HS) added the second U-M goal on a counter attack breakaway from Robert Turpin (Pontiac, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS). Turpin would later score a goal of his own to tie the game 3-3.
"It was a great battle where we controlled the last 25 minutes of the game," said Burns. "So I am proud of the way our players recognized how to play versus a good team. We are understanding the physical college game, and that is our goal."
Home Field
Elbel Field will serve as the home field for the Michigan men's soccer team. Home to many intramural and recreational sports, Elbel now has a new team with varsity status included. The seating capacity will be roughly 750 with added bleachers brought in from around the campus. Two of the nine home games will be played under the lights at night (Sept. 1 vs. DePaul and Sept. 14 vs. Illinois-Chicago). Elbel is located on South Division, in between Hill Street and East Hoover.
Captains Selected
The players selected co-captains for the 2000 inaugural season. Fifth-year seniors, and former club team members, Will Purdy (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic Central HS) and Jack Stead (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) each received the honor.
Soccer Era to Start with Familiar Face
Steve Burns is the first head coach of the Wolverine men's soccer varsity program. Burns previously served as head coach for the Michigan men's soccer club team from 1993-99 after one year as assistant coach (1992). Under Burn's guidance, the U-M club team posted a 121-51-26 mark (.663) and made six consecutive appearances in the national club championship tournament. The team won back-to-back national championships in 1997 and 1998.
Assistant coaches Walt Barrett and Ernie Yarborough complete the coaching staff for the inaugural season of men's soccer. Barrett comes from Eastern Michigan, where he was an assistant coach (1998-99). Yarborough helped guide Indiana University to the past two national titles as a volunteer coach (1997-99).
Championship Experience
The Maize and Blue roster includes 12 players from last year's U-M club team: Andrew Balazer, Albert Geldres, Dave George, Steve Huber, JJ Kern, Matt Murch, Pat Murphy, Brian Peters, Will Purdy, Jack Stead, Steve Walton and Ryan Yoder. Michigan won back-to-back club national titles in 1997 and 1998.
Been A While
Michigan men's soccer is in its first season after being granted varsity status in March 1999. The last Michigan men's sport to be added as a varsity program was men's gymnastics in 1948.
Contact: Steve Grialou (734) 763-4423
