By Dylan Butler
Dave Masur is usually cautiously optimistic, at least publicly, when it comes to speaking about his team in the preseason. But the St. John’s soccer coach made possibly his boldest statement in his 13th year at the helm when it comes to the 2003 Red Storm.
“We’re as good, nine or 10 deep, as any team in the country,” Masur said.
Masur has reason to be excited about the season, which kicks off Friday in Winston-Salem, N.C. when St. John’s faces No. 19 North Carolina as part of the Wake Forest Adidas Classic.
St. John’s, ranked No. 5 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s preseason poll, returns eight starters from a team that lost 1-0 in overtime to Creighton in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Joining a strong core of returning players is a solid recruiting class, featuring several players who are expected to compete for immediate playing time.
“I think we’re 16 or 17 deep to begin with and other guys trying to push themselves up into the team,” Masur said.
Leading the returnees is Chris Wingert, a two-time All-American defender who is one of the favorites to win the Hermann Trophy, awarded annually to the top Division I college soccer player in the country.
Joining Wingert, who also plays for the U.S. Under-23 national team and is the preseason Big East Defensive Player of the Year, in the back four is junior Chris Leidner.
The duo helped the Red Storm lead the country in goals-against average with a 0.44 mark and set a school record with 13 shutouts.
In addition to Wingert and Leidner, newcomers Ryan Kelly, a junior transfer from the University of Virginia, and freshman Georgi Spanos, a McDonald’s All-American at St. John the Baptist in Babylon, should round out the starting back four.
“I think we have the personnel to have a chance to be very good,” Wingert said. “So far we’re doing pretty well and we’re coming along, but we still have a long way to go.”
In goal, graduate student Guy Hertz, who missed the entire 2002 season with injuries, and returning starter Billy Gaudette will battle for the starting job.
Hertz was the starter in 2001 when the Red Storm won the Big East tournament and advanced to the NCAA Final Four.
Gaudette, meanwhile, started every game last season and earned All-Big East second team honors after allowing just 10 goals all season and got the nod in a 4-1 preseason win at the University of Massachusetts Saturday night.
“Both keepers need to understand they might not play every game,” Masur said.
In addition to a solid defensive core, a bevy of versatile players who can either play in the midfield or up front return for the Red Storm.
Anchoring the midfield will be graduate student Matia Damiani and senior Simone Salinno. Also back are sophomores Jean Camere and Jeff Carroll as well as Chris Corcoran, Tim O’Neil, Matt Groenwald and Angel Rodriguez.
One key to the Red Storm’s success this season is the consistent play of Andre Schmid up front. When on, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Schmid, who led St. John’s in scoring with seven goals, is one of the most dangerous forwards around.
St. John’s will also depend on Corcoran, Groenwald and O’Neil as well as newcomers Ashley Kozicki, a highly touted speedy freshman striker, and Sebastian Ralph to provide additional scoring punch.
Although 11 different players scored for the Red Storm last year, St. John’s went into an offensive slump in the postseason, averaging 1.37 goals per game for the season.
“I think it’s a concern with every team in the country; scoring is always tight,” Masur said. “I’d like to think our maturity, the fact we get back Andre, Simone, Chris Corcoran, Matt Groenwald and Timmy O’Neil and add the new guys Ashely and Sebastian, on the attacking side of things hopefully can make a little bit of a difference.”
As always the Big East, whose coaches selected St. John’s as its preseason choice to win the conference, is tougher than ever. Joining St. John’s in the NSCAA preseason top 25 is No. 10 Connecticut, No. 12 Notre Dame, No. 13 Boston College and No. 22 Syracuse.
After taking on North Carolina in its season opener Friday at 5 p.m., the Red Storm will take on fourth-ranked Wake Forest Saturday at 7 p.m. before opening its Big East slate at Notre Dame Sept. 6. St. John’s kicks off its first full season at Belson Stadium Sept. 10 against rival Rutgers.
“I think the first four games are going to be a real test for us to see how we do. Playing such good teams will tell us a little bit about ourselves but on the same token, it’s not just those four games,” Masur said. “It’s also around the corner with Georgetown and Syracuse. We need to make sure we’re ready for each and every game.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
