Sept. 9, 2003
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This Week: USF/Diadora Classic
Santa Clara's 6th-ranked men's soccer team will play two games as part of the USF/Diadora Classic this weekend in the Bay Area. The Broncos will take on Holy Cross in the first game of the classic Friday night at 5 p.m. at the Negoesco Soccer Stadium on the USF campus. Sunday's game with Bay Area rival California will be played on the Cal campus in Berkeley at 3:30 p.m.
Santa Clara vs. Holy Cross
Friday evening's game will mark the second time that the Broncos and Crusaders have met on the soccer field. Santa Clara took the first ever meeting between the two schools during the 1997 season by a 2-1 score in the Sunday game of the USF Classic. The Crusaders enter the weekend matchup with a 0-2-0 record, having lost to Northeastern by a 1-0 score and to St. Francis (NY) by a 2-1 score. Chris Napolitano has scored the only goal for Holy Cross this season while Kevin Baker has made 10 saves and allowed only one goal in 180 minutes of action.
Santa Clara vs. Cal
The Broncos and Golden Bears continue their storied rivalry as the two teams will meet for the 37th time in a series that dates back to 1967. Cal holds the all-time advantage over Santa Clara with its 22-11-3 mark that includes a 2-1 victory in 2002 and a 1-0 overtime victory in 2001. The SCU loss in 2001 to Cal was the last time the Broncos played at Goldman Field in Berkeley. The Golden Bears enter the weekend with a 1-3-0 record, but all three losses have come to teams currently ranked in the top-20. Carl Acosta leads the Cal offense with three goals scored while Brian Walker has a 1.81 goals-against average between the pipes.
Last Week: Broncos Shutout Creighton, Upset SMU
Santa Clara won the LMU Fall Classic by posting a 1-0-1 record. The Broncos registered a 0-0 draw with then No. 7 Creighton in the tournament opener before posting a 3-1 upset victory over then No. 4 SMU on Sunday. Ryan Cochrane scored the first goal against SMU, tying the score at one apiece in the first half. Audren Cashman got the game winner in the 84th minute, followed by Will Weatherly who added an insurance goal in the 89th minute against SMU.
In the Rankings
The Santa Clara University men's soccer team vaulted into the No. 6 spot on the NSCAA Coaches' Poll following a 1-0-1 record over the weekend against a pair of top-10 squads. The Broncos were previously unranked in the coaches' poll but had a No. 15 ranking in the Soccer America poll. This week they were tabbed as the No. 7 team in the country according to the Soccer America poll.
Ryan Cochrane Named WCC Player of the Week
Santa Clara University men's soccer player Ryan Cochrane was named the West Coast Conference player of the week on Monday following his team's unbeaten weekend in which they won the LMU Fall Classic. In addition to his selection as the league's player of the week, Cochrane was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week for his efforts over the weekend. Cochrane, a junior from Portland, guided the 15th-ranked Broncos to a 0-0 tie with No. 7 Creighton and a 3-1 victory over No. 9 SMU. The two-time All-American not only anchored the SCU defense, he scored the team's first goal against SMU, tying the game in the first half on his first goal of the season.
Scoreless Streak Snapped
Santa Clara's defense had put together a consecutive scoreless streak of 427 minutes dating back to the 2002 season. The streak spanned six games and the Broncos were 5-0-1 during the streak. That streak was snapped in the 23rd minute of the Broncos 3-1 win over No. 4 SMU in the LMU Fall Classic. Santa Clara gave up it first goal of the season 2003 season to SMU but did not allow another goal as the Broncos rallied for the victory.
Igwe off to Fast Start
Sophomore Kelechi Igwe has gotten off to a very fast start through the first four games of the 2003 season. The forward from neaby Belmont, Calif., has scored one goal and assisted on three others for a team-leading five points on the year. As a freshman he recorded four goals and two assists for 10 points.
Weatherly Grabs Team Lead in Goals Scored
Junior Will Weatherly is showing that his sophomore season was no fluke. The midfielder from Bellevue, Wash., has already tallied two of the six goals scored by the Broncos this season. In his second year on the Mission Campus, Weatherly netted five goals and one assist for a total of 11 points, which was the second-highest total on the team in 2002. He scored the first goal of the 2003 season, which proved to be the game-winner against Alabama A&M. He also added the insurance goal in the Broncos' 3-1 win over then No. 4 SMU.
Santa Clara Soccer In Elite Company
Santa Clara University is one of only three schools in the country to have both of its soccer teams ranked in the top-10. The men are currently ranked No. 6 while the women are ranked No. 2. North Carolina and UCLA are the other two schools as UNC is No. 1 in the women and No. 5 in the men's poll. UCLA is ranked No. 3 in the women and No. 4 in the men's poll.
Broncos Picked Second in WCC Coaches Poll
The Santa Clara University men's soccer team was picked to finish second in the West Coast Conference during the 2002 season in a poll of the league's seven head coaches. The Portland Pilots are the slim favorite, edging out both San Diego and Santa Clara by one point. As a sign of parity in the conference, four different teams received first place votes. The WCC finished the 2002 season with a No. 6 RPI ranking. San Diego and Santa Clara tied for the second spot in the poll, each with two first place votes. Following the top three are San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's.
Cochrane Tabbed as a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Award Finalist
Santa Clara University junior defender Ryan Cochrane was tabbed as one of 15 players to watch this season for the M.A.C Hermann Trophy that is presented annually to the top collegiate soccer player in the country. A preseason All-American selection prior to the start of the 2003 season, Cochrane is one of only four defenders on the Hermann Trophy watch list. He is also one of only two players from the West Coast on the list, joining UCLA midfielder Aaron Lopez Jr. A nominating committee consisting of conference representatives from each Division I conference will select a final ballot of the top 15 candidates in early November. The winners of the award are selected through voting by Division I collegiate coaches who are members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The winners will be announced in conjunction with the NCAA Men's College Cup in Columbus, Ohio, in December.
Head Coach Cameron Rast
Cameron Rast took over the helm of his Alma Matter in 2002, becoming only the sixth head coach in the 34-year history of the program. He guided the BroncosAs a player from 1988-91, Rast scored 17 goals and assisted on 20 others. He was the team captain in 1989, leading the Broncos to a 20-0-3 record and the school's only men's NCAA National Championship. A knee injury forced Rast to sit out much of his junior season in 1990, but he returned to form his senior year in 1991. He and the Broncos returned to the national championship game, this time claiming the second-place trophy. Rast earned his second All-America honor, as did his twin brother and fellow Bronco defender Matt. In 1991, Rast was a finalist for both the Hermann Award and the Missouri Athletic Club Award, both given to the nation's top collegiate men's player. During his eight years as an assistant, Rast helped produce 67 All-West Coast Conference selections, seven All-Americans, five WCC Defenders of the Year, one WCC player of the year and numerous players that went on to a career in professional soccer. The Broncos amassed a record of 101-42-14 with five WCC titles and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. The height of Santa Clara soccer came in the late '90's when Rast helped guide the Broncos to back-to-back College Cup appearances in 1998 and '99. In his first year at the helm of the program, Rast guided the Broncos to a 10-6-1 overall record and a 3-3-0 mark in the WCC. He had six players earn All-WCC honors and one honorable mention All-American selection in Ryan Cochrane.
Up Next: Santa Clara adidas Classic
Santa Clara will appear in Buck Shaw Stadium for the first time in the 2003 season with a pair of games in the Santa Clara adidas Classic. The Broncos will take on Cal State Monterey Bay on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude tournament play with a 7:30 p.m. game against George Washington on Saturday evening. San Francisco will take on George Washington in the first game of the Classic at 5 p.m. on Thursday and will play CSUMB at 5 p.m. on Saturday to conclude their paricipation in the classic.