UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men's soccer opens the 2022 season with a pair of home matchups against nationally ranked opponents starting Thursday.
The Cardinals are coming off a successful 2021 season, that saw SVSU finish 10-5-5 overall and 6-3-5 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Fourth-year head coach Louis Barrow has a strong core of returners coming back for the 2022 season, along with several fresh faces that will look to make an immediate impact.
Key Returners:
- Brady Walker, Senior, Midfield: Two-time All-GLIAC Second Team, seven goals and five assists in 2021, 19 career goals, and seven assists.
- Mason Maziasz, Senior, Goalkeeper: 2021 Spring GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year, four shutouts in seven games played in 2021 Fall, with a 0.39 GAA, 22 career wins and 12 shutouts.
- Benjamin Adamson, Sophomore, Defense: First Team All-Region and All-GLIAC in 2021, two-time GLIAC All-Tournament team honoree, scored two goals from his defensive position last season.
- Robbie Baker, Senior, Midfield: Second Team All-Region and All-GLIAC in 2021 Fall, named GLIAC Defender in 2021 Spring, CoSIDA Academic All-District.
- Lachlan Hepburn, Senior, Defense: All-GLIAC Honorable Mention in 2021 Spring, helped lead a strong SVSU defense that allowed just 16 goals in 20 games in the fall of 2021.
Other key returners for the Cardinals include Jack Simms, Logan Kunnen, Jordan Murray, Elliot Nottoli, Jayden Cameron, Shiekh Manneh, Joshua Rubin, Chidie Nnolim, Anthony Waller, Cody Miller, Anta Berkley, and Seth Buff.
Newcomers for the Cardinals in 2022 include Connor Beach, Phila Dlamini, Nathan Robertson, Jason Squeo, Pedro Bottene, Anthony DeRuvo, Jonathon Monney, Yeabsira Vlasma, Ryan Bovee, and Nick Kay.
Joining Barrow on the bench in 2022 will be assistant coaches Nduka Kemjika, Robbie Bruce, Damon Favero.
The Cardinals open the 2022 season against No. 25 Maryville University at 2 pm on Thursday at the IM fields. SVSU will remain home to host No. 16 University of Illinois-Springfield at 2 pm on Saturday.
After two games on the road, including against rival Northwood University on Sept. 4, the Cardinals open the 2022 GLIAC season against Purdue-Northwest at home on Sept. 9, followed by a matchup with Davenport University on Sept. 11. SVSU will play its final regular season home games starting against (RV) University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Oct. 7 and followed by Senior Day against Northern Michigan University on Oct. 9.
The regular season ends for SVSU on Oct. 23 at Purdue-Northwest. The GLIAC Postseason Tournament will take place on campus sites from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, followed by the NCAA DII National Tournament.
The Cardinals were picked to finish third in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Season Preview Interview with Head Coach Louis Barrow below: