Aug. 14, 2002

Stony Brook, N.Y. - When the 2002 Stony Brook men's soccer team takes the field for the first time this season, two things will be immediately apparent. One is that many new faces will be donning the scarlet and gray for the first time. The other is that this year's team is brimming with talent and boundless potential.

"This is the best recruiting class we've ever had here," said head coach Scott Dean, who enters his sixth season with the Seawolves. "Not only does this group rank as the best because of the talent level, but these student-athletes are also strong academically and in personality."

Seventeen newcomers will join a solid core of returning players in their quest for a shot at the America East Tournament in Stony Brook's second year as a member of the conference. According to Dean, that is a very realistic goal.

"Even though this will be a young team that will have to rely on the experience and knowledge of our returning players, our goal is to be in the America East playoffs," Dean said. "We'll probably make mistakes early because of a lack of experience, but we should make up for some of them with our talent level and ability."

Great Expectations

Although the majority of this year's team will be new to the Seawolves program, many of the 2002 newcomers will be familiar faces to each other. Six of them, along with sophomore Shane Arikian, played for Dean's U-19 West Babylon Panthers, who won the national championship in 2000. Arikian, Josh Allen, Anthony Barberio, Chris Doyle, Chong Han, Jose Sura and Rob Yturraspe all played for the Panthers under Dean just two years ago.

Not only that, Kyle Hicks and Payton Webb squared off against each other in the national championship this past summer with their respective club teams, with Hicks' FC Delco squad defeating the Houston Texans for the crown. The combination of several transfers with previous collegiate experience and incoming freshmen who have played with and against each other in club competition should serve the Seawolves well.

"That experience will help greatly in the transition," Dean said. "Even though so many of our players this fall are new, they've known each other for awhile and know how each other plays."

Josh Allen, a 5-7 transfer from Virginia Commonwealth, was named All-State and All-Long Island his senior year at Kellenberg Memorial High School, while 5-4 sophomore transfer Jose Sura started for nationally-ranked Connecticut as just a freshman.

Barberio, a junior transfer from Hofstra University, played in 20 games as a freshman for the Pride, while sophomore transfer Chris Doyle was All-County and All-Conference for Central Islip High School before playing one season for the New York Institute of Technology. Junior transfer Chong Han started every game during his two seasons at the University of New Haven, while 6-2 defender Chris Musinski transfers to Stony Brook from Columbia University. Rob Yturraspe got a lot of experience as a freshman at Villanova University, while Sherwin Vialva brings two years of experience from Rockland Community College.

"This group is made up of very high quality transfers as well as freshmen who have played at an extremely high level," Dean said. "The new players will have to rely on our upperclassmen to get themselves acclimated to the America East and the collegiate level of play, but the quicker they figure out how to play with each other, the fewer mistakes we will make early on."

Two years ago, 16 newcomers helped lead Stony Brook to the most successful season in the program's history with an overall record of 12-4-2 and a Top 25 national ranking. Although Dean doesn't see much of a resemblance between that team and this year's squad, he believes the makeup of the 2002 Seawolves is a direct result of that team's success.

"Now the program is attracting student-athletes from all over the country, high level players from quality teams," Dean said. "This group is coming to Stony Brook because of what that 2000 team did."

A Team Effort

Junior captain Dan Ferrin returns after another outstanding campaign between the posts in 2001, while fellow junior Matt Thibdeau will be expected to challenge Ferrin for playing time.

Last fall, Ferrin battled through injury to start 13 games, posting a goals-against average of just 1.70 in nearly 1217 minutes. The program's all-time leader in shutouts after only two seasons, he registered three last season en route to a 6-4-2 overall record.

Thibdeau started three games last year and played a total of nearly 408 minutes, but will have to step up his effort to challenge for more playing time.

"They've had a really good working relationship," Dean said. "Together they do an excellent job in the back. They approach it with a total team attitude and they are very supportive of each other."

New Look in the Back

Over the past few seasons, the Seawolves have boasted a tough defensive unit comprised of older, experienced players. However, Kwame Richardson and Johan Thomsson, who started nearly every game in the back for the past two years, have graduated. Also missing is Kenyatta Montgomery, who served as both a starter and reserve at the position.

With sophomore Mike Salvador as the only returning defender, the Seawolves will have a completely new look in front of the goal. But after a solid freshman campaign with 11 starts and two goals scored, Salvador should emerge as not only a valuable defender, but a team leader as well.

"Mike is one of the few experienced players coming back, so he needs to take on a leadership role even though he's only a sophomore," Dean said. "Mike is more of a leader by example than by voice, but he will need to be more vocal to keep the new guys organized."

Joining Salvador in the back will be sophomore transfer Josh Allen; 6-0, 191-pound freshman Andrew Marihart, a native of Lake Oswego, Ore.; sophomore transfer Chris Musinski; Federal Way, Wash., native Zach Norwood, whose sister, Brittany, was team MVP with the Stony Brook women's soccer team last year; 6-1 freshman Chris Scarpati, a three-sport standout for Half Hollow Hills East High School; and 5-8 sophomore Rob Yturraspe.

Strength in Numbers

Defense isn't the only position that suffered key losses last year. Gone from the midfield will be the Seawolves' Most Valuable Player from 2001, Jamie Gaither, a two-year starter who scored four gamewinners a season ago. Everett Watts, also a two-year starter, graduated as well.

Returning is 5-7 senior Ivan Perez, who has steadily improved since his freshman year, and 5-7 sophomore Akil Jordan, both of whom should step up their production and help the newcomers adjust to the college game. Perez played in 16 games last year and started 12, collecting a goal and an assist.

"Ivan will play an integral role in the midfield and should step up his leadership role," Dean said. "He is the type of player who always finds a way to get on the field and make something happen."

Jordan played in all 17 games with 15 starts in his debut season and was one of four Seawolves to score two goals and an assist.

"Even though Akil is only a sophomore, he'll almost be considered an upperclassman because he played so many minutes last year," Dean said. "He will play a couple of different roles for us."

Despite the loss of Gaither, the Seawolves add several new faces to the midfield, and Dean considers it to be the Seawolves' deepest position.

"Obviously, we lost someone (Gaither) who was very productive and had a great work rate," Dean said. "But now we have several players who will put forth the same effort. We'll have much more depth, which will make for a much more productive midfield."

Dean welcomes a mix of experienced transfers and talented freshmen in the midfield: junior transfer Anthony Barberio, who could also see action up front; freshman Noe Canales, a three-time MVP for Thomas A. Edison Vocational Technical School; sophomore transfer Chris Doyle; junior transfer Chong Han; 5-9 freshman Kyle Hicks; 6-2 freshman Austin Morris, who received All-State honors at Bowie High School in Bowie, Md.; Kingston, Jamaica, native Keegan Pitter, who transfers to Stony Brook from NYC Tech; 5-6 freshman David Sobarzo from St. John the Baptist in nearby Deer Park, N.Y.; sophomore transfer Jose Sura; and junior transfer Sherwin Vialva.

"The depth we have this year will make us that much better in the midfield," Dean said. "Last year, Gaither was essentially our only goal scorer, and opposing teams keyed in on him. This year, teams will have to worry about more than one scoring threat."

With so many talented midfielders, Dean says a team effort is needed for them to excel.

"All of our midfielders are good enough to play a lot of minutes and all can be key contributors," he said. "But they will have to be supportive of one another and approach the battle for playing time the same way Matt and Dan do in the goal--by pushing each other and making one another better."

Raring to Go

The Seawolves return the most experience up front, as both sophomore Shane Arikian and senior Kevin Cameron return with explosive scoring ability.

After leading the Seawolves in scoring as a freshman, Arikian saw his 2001 season cut short due to a dislocated foot suffered in the closing seconds of Stony Brook's second game of the year. With months of rehabilitation and weight training behind him, Arikian is anxious to return to form.

"Coming off the injury, Shane has set high goals for himself," Dean said. "We expect him to be a reliable goal scorer for us."

The talented Cameron has showcased a myriad of awe-inspiring moves throughout his career, and Dean hopes Cameron emerges as a consistent finisher during his final season.

"At this stage of Kevin's career, he has to step up and perform," Dean said. "He has a load of talent, vast experience and solid support players around him. With less pressure on him to score, he should be able to take full advantage of his opportunities."

In addition to Arikian and Cameron, former walk-on Olubode Banjoko returns as the Seawolves' Most Improved Player from a season ago. Dedicated weight training and conditioning in the offseason has helped the 5-10 Banjoko improve even more since he first joined the Seawolves in the fall of 2001.

"He has worked exceptionally hard," Dean said. "Due to his work ethic, listening and learning, he has put himself in a position to earn more playing time this fall."

Texas native Payton Webb, a three-time All-District honoree for Klein High School in Spring, Texas, also joins the Seawolves at forward, while Anthony Barberio could see minutes when not in the midfield.

Striving For Success

While last year's team, a group of veterans who relied on experience and maturity, fell short of making the America East playoffs, the 2002 Seawolves seem poised to make a run at the goal that eluded them a year ago.

Although the 2002 squad is young, Stony Brook will have talent and depth on its side, not to mention key returners at every position. Because of that, the Seawolves hope that come November, they will find themselves somewhere for the first time ever--postseason play.