Just what is in a name?

By Jim McCabe

I remember the days when Cincinnati Bengals fans were so embarrassed of their team, the fans who actually showed up to the games would often wear paper bags over their head. Break out the lunch bags once again Bengals fans, but this time, don’t bother cutting eye-holes.

You don’t want to see this. Chad Johnson has legally changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco.



Great. I, as a self-respecting sports fan, refuse to acknowledge this and thus, “Ocho Cinco” is still “Johnson”, Brett Farve is still a Packer, and Hank Aaron is still home-run king. More so than an act of humor, Johnson, a player who was out of the national headlines last season, is looking to inject himself into the spotlight this year with more antics that simply derive from the game of football.

Yes, of course we all enjoy the over-the-top touchdown celebrations, who doesn’t? But who do you, as a sports fan, respect more? The guy who scores a touchdown and begins to dance in the fashion of a seizure victim? Or the player who scores, tosses the ball to the ref, and returns to the huddle to get the extra point?

Mr. Johnson, if by some means you happen to read this (and I pray you do), you are single-handily ruining the game of football. Well, there’s a few of you that are ruining the game of football. The Chad Johnsons and Ray Lewises of the game would rather do something so outlandish that they make headlines, rather than win games.

Case in point: numerous times, Johnson has been slapped with a fine for excessive celebration after scoring a touchdown. While seemingly harmless, this distracts people from the game. It distracts the fans, distracts the coaches, and certainly distracts the players. Head Coach Marvin Lewis has expressed on several occasions his disdain for Johnson’s stunts. If you don’t listen or respect your Head Coach, I don’t care how good you are. You aren’t worth the number on the back of your jersey.

Mr. Johnson, a few truths for you:
No one, outside the city of Cincinnati, cares.
Let’s be real, people inside the city of Cincinnati probably don’t care.
“Ocho Cinco” does NOT mean “Eighty Five” in Spanish.

I have compiled a list of other athletes who should change their name or number to more accurately represent their personality or playing style.

Brett Farve – Change his age to 62 (the retirement age). Get him off of my TV.
Jeff Cirilo – Change his number to his current trade value: 00
John Rocker – Change his middle name to “Isoffhis”
Alex Rodriguez – Change his last name to “Clutch”
The New Orleans Saints – Change team name to “New Orleans Aint’s”
Baltimore Orioles – Change team name to “Can’t Play Ball”
Chad Ocho Cinco – Change his last name to “Johnson”




The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

WSOU Sports Bringing Back SHU Soccer

By Jeremiah Sullivan

Ok Pirate fans, school is just about back in session and the exhibition season for fall sports at the Hall is already underway. It's time to get ready to head back out to Owen T. Carroll field to catch another year of blue and white soccer.



Can't catch the game from the stands? Be sure to tune into 89.5 FM WSOU for your SHU soccer action.

Don't have the radio handy at home? Be sure to log onto www.wsou.net to catch all the action streaming on the web.

It's recommended you download the most up to date version of Mozilla Firefox if you plan to catch us online.

The following select games will be offered to our listeners this upcoming season:

MON Sept. 1
Men's Soccer vs. St. Peter's at 1:00 PM

FRI Sept. 19
Women's Soccer vs. Rutgers at 7:00 PM

SUN Sept. 28
Men's Soccer @ Rutger at 5:00 PM

SAT Oct. 4
Men's Soccer vs. Providence at 7:00 PM

SUN Oct. 5
Women's Soccer vs. Pittsburgh at 1:00 PM

SUN Oct. 12
Women's Soccer vs. Louisville at 7:00 PM

SUN Oct. 19
Women's Soccer @ St. John's at 7:00 PM

SAT Oct. 25
Men's Soccer vs. Pittsburgh at 3:00 PM


Also offered this year for Pirate sports fans will be Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Baseball and Softball broadcasts!

Checkin' In on the NL East

By Timothy Dooley



With a little more than one month to go in the regular season, the NL East remains up for grabs. The New York Mets, who had an murky and unpredictable first half of the season, have since been on fire after picking up a new manager just before the All-Star break. Since Jerry Manuel has come on board, the Mets have amassed a 38-28 record, ripping of a 10-game winning streak prior to July 15th. Intended staff ace Johann Santana looks like he'll earn his $16.9 million a year, by having a 2.64 ERA and winning his last five games. (where he was given a decision). However, it's sure to bet that the Mets still have last year’s collapse on their mind, as well as a shaky bullpen and a starting rotation with a hole. There's no doubt about it though; these Mets will look to finish strong and make the playoffs in their last year at Shea Stadium.



The Philadelphia Phillies have run a little hot, and a little cold in the month of August, but at the time of this post, have taken the NL East lead with a 13-inning slaying of New York. The Phillies’ biggest concern has been a lack of run support for their starting pitchers. However, the Phils have displayed an explosive offense with recent 8-1 and 9-2 shellackings of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and with that a sense of determination with a 5-2 win in extras after coming behind in the bottom of the ninth. If the Phillies want to defend their NL East title, they have do go through the rest of the division, with 8 out of their last 10 series against NL East opponents.



The biggest surprise of the division has been the Florida Marlins. The Fish don't have a single player making over $5 million in 2008 (Paul Lo Duca makes exactly that, and he was a National to start with) However, they play with the tenacity of a team with a payroll of 20 times that. Hanley Ramirez, the 24 year old shortstop, leads the team in average, homeruns, hits, runs and stolen bases. It goes without saying that he has played extremely well this year and is a major reason why the Marlins have done well this year. Lack of strong starting pitching, however, looks to be the Fish’s biggest concern and will probably keep them out of the playoffs. Don't you wish it was 2003?



The Braves have had a tough year. That also goes without saying. Despite having a strong lineup with Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, pitching and injuries have derailed the Braves’ hopes for a playoff berth this year. Combine the team's ERA of 4.60, and the injuries to future Hall of Famers John Smoltz and Tom Glavine as you begin to comprehend what has happened down in Hot-lanta. With the trading of Mark Teixeira, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bobby Cox is let go after this season and a total revamping of this squad begins. This just in: Mark Kotsay, a playing chip the Braves were reported to keep has in fact been shipped to Boston.



Finally, in last place is the Washington Nationals. The team hasn’t finished above fourth in the division since their move to the nation’s capital. With an extraordinary lack of talent, a lackluster GM and trouble selling seats, the team needs an ace and potentially a major offensive player to complement current players like Aaron Boone, Christian Guzman, and Ryan Zimmerman if they want to compete in the NL East next year.

THE BOTTOMLINE

With the Marlins fading, the division will come down to the Mets and Phillies. Expect only one of these teams to make the playoffs with the other falling short of the Wildcard spot. While the Mets have an arguably better starting staff, the Phillies have a stronger bullpen with Brad Lidge as the closer. If the Phillies can give good run support for their starters, than they will repeat as NL East Champs.


The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

Who is Keon Lawrence?

By Jeremiah Sullivan

After the 2007-2008 season came to an end at the hands of a loss to Marquette in the first round of the Big East Tournament at MSG, the Pirates turned their sights away from 2007-2008, and began looking towards 2008-2009. So what has changed since?

Gone are two players who recorded 1,000 points in their SHU careers in Laing and Nutter. Also departed is big man Augustine Okuson, lost to transfer opportunities. Say adios to Larry Davis, another former Pirate who’s transferred too.

Who’s still around? Three-point machine Jeremy Hazell, the mix of raw-talent and foul –friendliness that is Mike Davis, as well as Eugene Harvey, who has to become a leader and break out of his sophomore slump this year. John Garcia will be manning the boards, though always trying to regain the form lost due to previous injuries. Don’t forget turnover forcing machine Paul Gause either; he'll be there. Wonder if we'll see him more on defense or offense this season...

New faces: Jamel Jackson, Melvyn Oliver, Robert Mitchell, and the highly touted Jordan Theodore. Oh and don’t worry, you will actually see Brandon Walters get some minutes this year.

But Keon Lawrence? Sure there is no doubt Coach Gonzalez prioritized his team's needs going into the recruiting process this offseason, but did even he, the man with a master rep for snagging kids in the metropolitan area, know that Lawrence was itching for a Mizzou divorce?

On Monday July 7th, Lawrence made his decision to leave Mizzou for a return to his East Coast roots official. According to The Star Ledger, the former Weequahic High hoops star decided his run with the Tigers ended "a while ago," but finished out the 2007-2008 campaign mainly because he didn't want to desert his teammates halfway through the season.

According to the same publication, Lawrence said after he got his release from Missouri, schools like Villanova, Louisville, Memphis, Georgetown, UCLA, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Pittsburgh and Rutgers all tried to bring him to their campuses. However, for Keon it always remained true that he wanted to play in either the Big East or the ACC. For him, it seems, Seton Hall was a natural fit because of the up-tempo style of play Coach Gonzalez promotes.

Perhaps last year's birth of a brand-new arena in his hometown might have helped a bit too?

So why did the standout player leave after only his sophomore season? Some reports have claimed that Lawrence felt snubbed after loosing his starting role mid-way through last season, only to regain it later on in the year after a former teammate was knocked from the Tiger starting five upon his dismissal from the University.

“The well-being of our student-athletes is always a chief concern for us, and with that, I have always wanted my players to be happy,” Mizzou Head Coach Anderson said in a statement released regarding Lawrence's departure.

“I feel by granting Keon his release it’s in the best interest of both him and our program. We appreciate Keon’s efforts at Missouri and wish him nothing but the best.”

However, for Lawrence, his version of the ordeal was slightly different.

“It’s not my teammates, and it’s not the fans,” Lawrence told The Columbia Daily Tribune in a story published Friday afternoon. “That should tell you something

Despite the current itch Lawrence has to return home to his roots, it appears that wasn’t always the case. The 6 foot 2, 175 pound guard from the Brick City said about his initial choice to play at Mizzou, “"I was trying to get away from home at that time," Lawrence said. "I felt I needed to grow up. Now it's time to come back."

So what are the Pirates getting out of the junior guard? Last season he averaged 11.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, and led the Tigers with 29.2 minutes per game. His two year averages for the Tigers were 10.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 2.1apg. Oh yeah, by the way he shot 43.3 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from 3-point range.

And get this Pirate fans: there is a chance that Lawrence doesn’t sit out this season like most other transfers are obligated to. Why? Well, according to published reports, Alif Muhammad, a close adviosr to Lawrence, the transfer student is currently seeking a hardship ruling from the NCAA. The request for the ruling comes as several members of Lawrence’s family are battling serious illness, and, it is rumored that Lawrence will address the NCAA with these concerns to help illustrate the need for his move back to N.J. from Mizzou.

If the ruling goes in his favor, he’ll be able to suit up for the blue and white this season. According to The Columbia Daily Tribune, Lawrence was expected to sign his scholarship agreement on Aug. 13th, having formally been admitted into the University three days prior. Muhammad said Lawrence planned to apply for his hardship with the NCAA by Aug. 16th.

So if Lawrence does suit up for the Pirates this season, he won’t have to wait long to show off his new ‘digs to his former Tiger temmates. Both teams are scheduled to partake in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in November, although they start on different sides of the brackets.

Stay tuned you SHU-diehards.



The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

By Paul Roper

During my last year as a student at Seton Hall, I broadcasted many a game and witnessed the ups and downs of the University's sports teams as a fan. Unfortunately, the downs were more frequent than the ups my senior year, with some of SHU's marquee sports stumbling towards the ends of their respective seasons, leaving only a questionable future ahead of them in 2008-2009.

However, there were a few bright spots, and it’s only right that I point out the good before I point out the shortcomnigs.


THE GOOD:


Baseball – Although it took six years, Coach Rob Sheppard finally built his own legacy within the SHU Program, aside from the one left by his father, and guided Seton Hall to a Big East tournament berth. The last time the Pirates were there, in 2001, they won the Big East Title with a 31-25 record, thanks to a great mix of terrific starting pitching and an improving offense (Rob Sheppard was Interim Coach). The talent has gotten better thanks to Sheppard’s tireless recruiting within New Jersey, which has long been considered a baseball hotbed in the Northeast. The team produced two first-day picks in the 2008 MLB amateur draft , lefty pitcher Corey Young(TEX) and right-handed hurler Greg Miller (MIL). Returnees like A.J. Rusbarsky, Chris Spagnuolo, Chris Affinito and Sean Black will lead a Pirates team in 2009 that should end up in the middle of the pack in the Big East.


Sacha Kljestan – He may not be on the Pirates anymore, but Sacha is doing Seton Hall proud with his performances on the field for Chivas USA as well as for the United States National Team. Kljestian is considered to be one of the best midfielders in MLS and it was argued that he might have been the best player for the United States in the Olympics. Sooner than later, Sacha will go overseas where his popularity will increase but one thing is for sure, he should figure into the plans of the United States National Team as they qualify for the 2010 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa.


Prudential Center – The new building in Newark is the first step towards improving the men’s basketball program. The closer proximity to South Orange, better convenience and atmosphere make the previous experience at Continental Airlines Arena a mere afterthought, even though the Pirates played basketball there for nearly a quarter-century. The intimate atmosphere provided by the perfectly placed curtain-drapes generates a home-court advantage not seen since the early-1990’s. The one knock on “The Rock” is it's location and the bad conotation put on 'Newark, N.J.'. Having worked within the city of Newark for most of the summer, it is my opinion that the media have blown the “Newark is unsafe” mantra out of proportion. Couple that lack of open mindedness with the narrow-minded who are dead-set against stepping foot in the Brick City, and you get the uneccessary perception that the Prudential Center carries a bad rap. In fact. it is just the opposite. Go see a Pirates game at the brand new jewel of Newark and I guarantee you will walk away a satisfied fan.


Golf – One complaint I heard throughout my time as a Seton Hall sports journalist and broadcaster was that the “minor sports” never got credit. The linksmen of Seton Hall deserve some press for their third-place finish at the Big East Championship, one of the better finishes for a Pirates team this season. To add to the success, Kyle Morris performed well off the green, earning a prestigious post-graduate scholarship en route to continuing his education.



THE BAD


Women’s Basketball – The several season long hot-and-cold stretch for the women’s team continued, with a poor season following a WNIT second round appearance in 2006-2007. They came on strong out of the gate in 2007-2008 but lack of experience, along with key injuries, led to the Pirates struggling through much of their conference play. The team lost their final ten games of the season. With a promising freshman class and most of the core players returning, their trend of hot-and-cold luck should have the Pirates on the warmer end of the spectrum this year. Expect better things in 2008-2009.


Volleyball – Probably unfair to put them in the bad category, but their struggles at the start of conference play did cost them a Big East Tournament berth. The team does deserve credit for a great run at the end of the season but fans who aren't satisfied with almosts will continue to wonder what could have been. The Pirates do have one of the best middle blockers in the conference with Tricia Meyers and won’t have lost many players going into 2008, but the pundits have placed Seton Hall 10th in the pre-season poll, perhaps painting a bleak picture for the season. Hopefully they are wrong. I personally think the team can still improve their size to compete with the height of the Big East.


THE UGLY


Men’s Basketball – While I didn’t expect a great season, the lack of improvement in certain areas should be of concern to fans. Certain players have transferred out, others have not yet found their eligibility confirmed and the team defense could be an issue; there doesn't appear to be an answer to the Pirates' post problems. The sophomore slump of Eugene Harvey? The departure of two 1,000 point machines in Laing and Nutter? Will John Garcia be able to handle another season with his weary knees? Who leads this team now?


Softball – The once dominant program of the Big East had a 20-33 season in 2007-2008, losing all but six of their games on the road. It’s a somewhat unsettling situation over at Ivy Hill because the team was back-to-back champions just two years ago, but since then, they have had two of the worst seasons in program history. Kealan Waldron will try to make sure she brings the team back some respect for the 2009 season, especially since their baseball counterparts are on their way up.


Where’s Eliseo? – Like the Baltimore Colts leaving for Indianapolis in 1983, Eliseo Guisfredi disappeared in the middle of the night as well. The marquee player of Seton Hall’s men’s soccer team vanished from campus life, and rumors began to swirl about overseas signings with a foreign teams. However, nothing has surfaced to date on where Eliseo is and whether his soccer career will in fact continue, making him New Jersey’s most-sought after missing person since Jimmy Hoffa (at least to Seton Hall soccer fans). Don't worry though...he certainly isn't hiding under the 'turf at Giants Stadium.


Despite these lukewarm times, there has been success:

The move to Prudential Center

The Field Turf installation at Owen T. Carroll Field

The great fund-raising efforts by Pirate Blue
(though Bryan Felt deserves most of the credit there)



I offer two pieces of advice: “Be careful what you wish for” and “Give the man some time.”



The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

Who is for real?

By Brian Wisowaty

I suppose this is part two of the previous post, and the time to get into who may emerge as a BCS contender this year.

Preseason rankings have been set for a few weeks, and the bowl projections are starting to trickle in. It can be clearly seen that a few programs are expected to run through their respective conferences and head into the national championship game.

But, even the casual sports fan knows this doesn't work anymore. The BCS system, amid annual controversy, and the strength of dangerous conferences (SEC fans, be prepared for a wild ride) can assure a fun filled fall until December and the plethora of bowl games. Until then, all we can do is analyze the top 25 and figure out who has some "staying power".

The top five and "cream of the crop": Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Georgia

Florida has quarterback gem Tim Tebow who may be enough, along with ultra-athletic Percy Harvin, to propel the Gators back into the title game. I am not convinced, however, that UF can survive a tough conference schedule including a four-week span featuring at Tennessee, at Arkansas, and vs. LSU. Oklahoma is my dark horse pick to take the championship, mainly because of they seem much better than fellow Big 12 competition. And, on a local note, stay cognizant of Georgia HB Knowshon Moreno of Middletown South (Middletown, NJ) High School. He's may already be the nation's best running back in his second year as a Bulldog. Most overrated in this group is USC, as per to an untested quarterback core of Mark Sanchez and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain. But, playing in the Pac 10 will help them out greatly. Ohio State stays the perennial power with a talented defense and definite home-field advantage.

Rest of the top ten: Missouri, Clemson, West Virginia, LSU, Auburn

Clemson has the best running back duo in the ACC, with James Davis and C.J. Spiller. They are the class of the conference, and anything but the conference title would be a letdown. Food for thought: the next ACC team in the top polls in Virginia Tech, pegged in the 20-25 range. West Virginia can benefit from a Big East in limbo, with teams like Lousiville suffering a setback. Pat White and Noel Devine are just a more talented QB/HB tandem than Rutgers or South Florida have to offer. Louisiana State opens its title defense in 2008 with three easy contests before traveling to Auburn, a Sept. 20 showdown and marquee game for both squads. Missouri, once again due in part to a shaky conference, can emerge similar to Oklahoma. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin form a quarterback/wide out team that can put up points quick.

It's expected that your national champion will come from this top ten group. I'll go with the Sooners to take it all in early 2009.

Meanwhile, the Heisman watch never stops. In a short but brief analysis, keep an eye out for:

Pat White, West Virginia (favorite; will torch lower-level Big East teams)

Tim Tebow, Florida

Matt Stafford, Georgia (at quarterback, his numbers might be down if Moreno eats up TD's and stats)

Dark horse: Joe McKnight, Southern California (if the quarterbacks are shaky, and Sanchez cannot recover fully from a recent dislocated kneecap, this halfback can put up some big numbers)



The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

College Football from a Student Perspective

By Brian Wisowaty

There will always be those who wish and hope that Seton Hall University will develop a football program (again) in the future. In the meantime, and with realistic views in mind, there is no reason to ignore NCAA Football throughout the upcoming fall.

First and foremost, I am of the strong belief that New Jersey residence does not mandate required cheering and rooting for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have certaintly turned things around from where they stood five or ten years back, but there are many teams that can draw local interest.

You have the perennial national powerhouses that can draw fans from around the nation: Florida, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, and Ohio State to name a few. Some college football die hards, such as myself, live for programs who have been up and down in the last decade but remained popular overall: Miami (FL), Florida State, Alabama, Penn State, and "everyone's favorite" Notre Dame.

As a Hurricanes fan, I have seen Miami go from back-to-back national championship berths (record in them: a controversy-filled 1-1) to a team that failed to qualify for a bowl game in 2007. Nevertheless, I rank them amongst my "top teams" that I follow, perhaps on par with my dedication to the New York Mets. That's saying much for a college student at a school with (a) the aforementioned lack of a football team and (b) a thick rivalry (and I daresay dislike) for that university in Piscataway.

My following of the 'Canes is just a simple example that college football can matter to anyone who loves the sport. The NFL may have become a 365, 24/7 industry, but the enthusiasm, historic rivalries, and intensity of the college game is calling out to sports fans everywhere. Especially if they do not have a team where they attend classes.

So, whether you support a school so popular that they have merchandise in Jersey sporting good stores, or pick the obscure program that you can boast sole "fanship" over, I implore you to keep in mind: some excellent football is played on Saturdays.


The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator

Men’s Soccer Opens Up 2008 Season with Exhibition Tie

By Steven A. Faulks

Seton Hall University Men’s Soccer got the 2008 season started with a 1-1 tie against Lehigh in an exhibition contest last Tuesday at Owen T. Carroll Field.

For Seton Hall fans this has to be exciting news as, at least, this means that the regular season is about to start. However, at the end of last season, expectations and hopes for a return to the NCAA tournament were very realistic. Seton Hall had an emerging, playmaking freshman in Brayan Martinez, who dominated New Jersey High School Soccer while studying in West Orange, NJ. The Pirates squad also had a goalkeeper who was establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Big East. Seton Hall also had one of the most prolific goal scorers in the nation in the very energetic Eliseo Guisfredi.

Guisfredi, in three years, at Seton Hall had scored 29 goals as a Pirate. His ten scores last season, was 33 percent of the team's overall offense. However, in early February rumors started to circle around the international soccer scene that Guisfredi might be taking his skills overseas to play professionally in Europe.

And then the dreadful news for the Pirates became official. Eliseo Guisfredi, one of the best offensive players in the Big East, had signed a deal to join Spartak Moscow of the Russian Premier League. Suddenly the Pirates were missing a third of their offense. Suddenly, a team that at times struggled to score goals last year was now lacking even more punch.

With Guisfredi departed for whereabouts unknown, head coach Manfred Schellsheidt, entering his 23rd season leading the blue and white, will have to look to two sophomore forwards to make up for Guisfredi’s absence. Andrew Welker, from Cumberland Valley, PA, scored five goals last year as a freshman. Dritan Sela, the other sophomore, comes from Wayne High School. Sela has the ability to put the ball in the back of the net. He had four last year as a first year player at Seton Hall. In high school, Sela scored 17 goals in 17 games, so be tween the two the offense is in young, but the potential for some punch is there.

Also in his second season at Seton Hall is Brayan Martinez, who was a Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year in his senior season at West Orange High School. Last year as a freshman, Martinez had 4 goals and 4 assists. Not bad for a first year starter, who is the best attacking midfielder the Pirates have seen since Olympian Sacha Klejstan left for Major League Soccer after the 2005 season.

Between the three, the Pirates should be able to generate enough opportunities to get shots at the opposition’s target.

A very young defense yielded 2 goals a game last year. Now with each having a season under their belts, the defense should definitely improve. The defense will also get an upgrade when the lone senior on the back line, Yomar Gonzalez, makes his return. Gonzalez only saw action in three games last year, due to season ending injury. He will join sophomore Kurt Cameron as the anchors on Schellsheidt’s back line.

Goalkeeper Paul McHenry is now an upperclassman. McHenry from Ephrata, Pa., went 7-9-1 last year as the main goalie for Seton Hall. He will have to improve on his 1.82 goals against average, if the Pirates want to compete at the top of the Big East Standings.

Highly regarded net minder, Michael Kuzan, from Union High School is waiting in the wings, but this year it is McHenry’s team. Sean Carr, got in 8 games last year for the Pirates, but McHenry is the one who will have to carry the Pirates, if they want to get back to the NCAA tournament, which they haven’t done since the 2005 season.

If Dritan Sela and Andrew Welker can replace the offense left by the departure of Eliseo Guisfredi, then the Pirates can compete. Brayan Martinez will continue his development, and will put on a show for fans during games, displaying the skills that make him one of the best up and coming attacking midfielders in NCAA soccer. If a young defense can continue to grow and improve and McHenry can become even tougher in the net, the Pirates are set up to have a promising season in South Orange.



The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator