DC Metro NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer season preview: Virginia Cavaliers

By Tom Myrick

One of the great things about being a soccer fan: there is very little down time. No sooner has the excitement of the World Cup worn off, than it’s time for the MLS playoff push, the beginning of European league play and, a bit closer to home, the kick-off of the NCAA college season. Here we break down the top Division I teams in the Metro DC area, who to watch for and what games not to miss, as the college season gets underway.

[ Editor\'s Note: We are also including the University of Virginia in our DC Metro preview - who can leave out the defending national champions when they\'re so close to DC? ]

[ + University of Maryland Terrapins ]
[ + Georgetown University Hoyas ]
[ + George Washington Colonials ]
[ + American University Eagles ]
[ + George Mason Patriots ]

Virginia Cavaliers
Head Coach – George Gelnovatch (214-79-25, 15th season)
Starters Returning/Lost – 5/6
Letterwinners Returning/Lost – 13/8
2009 Record – 19-3-3
2009 Conference Finish – 4-3-1 (Fifth)
2009 Postseason – NCAA Champions (W, 0-0 (3-2) over Akron)
Season Opener – 9/3 vs. UAB
Don’t Miss: when UVA hosts ACC preseason No. 1 UNC on Oct. 1

The defending NCAA champions, the Hoos face a major overhaul in 2010 after returning less than half of their starting XI from a year ago.

Regardless, it is a safe bet that no one will be taking the Cavaliers lightly, as illustrated by their No. 2 ranking in the preseason NSCAA poll.

For starters, Virginia still boast one of the nation’s most dangerous attacking threats in Will Bates, who led the team and finished second in the ACC with 12 goals and 25 points in a spectacular freshman season. The Chester, Va. native was named Soccer America’s national Freshman of the Year, and showed a knack for the big occasion, scoring a team-best five game-winning goals, including the clincher in the team’s 1-0 win over NC State in the ACC Championship game.

At the other end, goalkeeper Diego Restrepo returns for his senior year after a record-setting campaign in 2009. Selected as a first-team All American, Restrepo posted 16 shutouts, keeping 11 consecutive clean sheets at one stretch, and went an incredible 1176:51 minutes without conceding a goal: all school-bests.

In addition to Restrepo, Virginia also retains a trio of starting defenders in Greg Monaco, Hunter Jumper and Mike Volk. The three juniors helped form a backline that let in just eight goals for the Cavs all season.

It is in the midfield, then, that the Cavs will need to rebuild, as they try to replace the skill and craft of Tony Tchani, who joined MLS side New York Red Bulls this spring. For that, they will look to a combination of underclassmen, including sophomore Ari Dimas, an exciting young attacker in freshman Brian “Cobi” Span and a workhorse in freshman Trey Saunders.