Sept. 16, 2009
PURCHASE AN OFFICIAL 'SILICON VALLEY SUPER CLASICO' T-SHIRT!
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Bay Area Classic is up next for the Santa Clara University Broncos men's soccer team. In a pair of series that date back to 1967, SCU welcomes Stanford University to Buck Shaw Stadium Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. for the "Silicon Valley Super Clasico," then travels to play the 7th-ranked University of California Golden Bears Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m in Berkeley.
Santa Clara (2-2-0) is coming off a 1-0 shutout victory over Sacramento State University Sunday night on a rain-soaked field at Buck Shaw Stadium. Freshman Erik Hurtado, the reigning two-time Class 6A "Player of the Year" in the state of Oregon, scored an unassisted goal with 14 minutes remaining which proved to be the difference.
LIVE COVERAGE: Thursday night's match with Stanford can be watched live via ALL-ACCESS on Santa Clara University's official athletics website (www.santaclarabroncos.com). Chetan Chaudhari (play-by-play) will call the action. Additionally, live scoring for both matches will be available via GAMETRACKER on (www.santaclarabroncos.com).
THE SERIES: Santa Clara's series against both teams began in 1967, the first official year of intercollegiate men's soccer at Santa Clara. The Broncos are 20-19-7 all-time against Stanford, including winning a 1-0 decision last year on The Farm. California holds a 25-11-8 series edge over SCU. Cal and Santa Clara have played to a draw in each of the past three seasons. Then-freshman forward Connor Mitchell scored against Cal and Stanford last season, beating the Cardinal with an overtime goal at Stanford en route to being named the WCC "Player of the Week."
STANFORD: The Cardinal (2-1-0) knocked off Rutgers University 2-0 in front of 1,725 fans in Piscataway, New Jersey then returned home to beat Cal Poly SLO 3-2 last Friday night - rebounding from a 2-1 loss in its season-opener at Lehigh University during a two-match East Coast road swing to begin its year. Stanford is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. The Cardinal were 4-11-3 last season and have been picked to finish third in the six-team Pac-10 Conference 2009 preseason poll as voted upon by the league's coaches.
CALIFORNIA: The preseason favorite to win the Pac-10 and the top-ranked team in the NSCAA West Region, the No. 7 Golden Bears (3-1-0) are fresh off a pair of victories in the 13th-Annual Cal Legacy Classic at Edwards Stadium - the site of Sunday's match with Santa Clara - routing the University of George Washington 4-0 and beating Cal Poly 3-1. The Golden Bears lost a road match to then-No. 8 University of Maryland 2-1 in overtime on September 6. Cal's offense ranks as one of the best in the nation (2.5 goals p/g).
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Santa Clara true-freshman goalkeeper Larry Jackson is coming off his first career shutout, a 1-0 victory for the Broncos over Sacramento State Sunday. With SCU leading by a goal in the waning moments Jackson denied a breakaway and the Hornets' last chance at evening the game. "Larry came up big tonight," said Santa Clara Head Coach Cameron Rast. "This is a sign of things to come for him. There was a moment when this game could have gotten away from us but he wouldn't let that happen. "
Stanford junior Bobby Warshaw, First Team All-Pac-10 midfielder and the Cardinal's leading scorer in 2008. Warshaw, a native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania has been named to the Herman Trophy Watch List as selected by the Missouri Athletic Club. The Hermann Trophy is considered the highest individual honor in collegiate soccer.
California junior forward Andrew Wiedeman enters the week leading the Pac-10 Conference in points (11), goals (4), points per game (2.75) and goals per game (1). Wiedeman, a native of San Ramon, was named the Pac-10 "Player of the Week" for September 8 through 14, scoring three goals and distributing three assists in the Golden Bears' victories over George Washington and Cal Poly.
THURSDAY'S MATCH BILLED AS 'SILICON VALLEY SUPER CLASICO': In honor of the storied Santa Clara-Stanford rivalry, fans will be able to purchase official "Silicon Valley Super Clasico" t-shirts, available for sale at the Buck Shaw Stadium merchandise table Thursday and online at (www.santaclarabroncos.com). Fans of both schools are encouraged to celebrate the rivalry of two schools who share a tradition of great soccer and great academics.
"I am very familiar with each school's recent soccer history and the rivalry," said John Schuster, Santa Clara's athletic manager of marketing & promotions. "I have been working for years to create a promotional concept which highlights the soccer competition between the two schools and allows the fans to celebrate this great rivalry. The " Silicon Valley Super Clasico" title is meant to convey that a Santa Clara-Stanford soccer match is an intense, passionate, and fiercely competitive battle between two local institutions known for their soccer excellence."
SCU HEAD COACH CAM RAST: Cameron Rast enters his eighth season at the helm of the Santa Clara men's soccer program. The three-time West Coast Conference "Coach of the Year" (2003, 2006 & 2007) has led the Broncos to five NCAA Tournament appearances and three WCC titles. He has coached 51 players who have earned All-WCC honors, 16 NSCAA All-Far West Region award-winners, developed 13 future professionals, and coached six All-Americans - all in just seven seasons. His overall career record entering the 2009 season stands at 87-38-24 (.664). During an outstanding player career, Rast scored 11 goals as the captain of SCU's 1989 NCAA National Championship team. A two-time collegiate All-American, Rast would go on to captain the U.S. Olympic Team in 1992.
STAYING LOCAL: Santa Clara will remain in the Bay Area for each of its next four non-conference matches, before West Coast Conference play begins Friday, October 2, against the University of Portland. Overall, five of SCU's next seven matches will be played locally.
RECENT RESULTS/UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
L, 2-0 - vs. Long Island (9/7 @ Irvine Classic)
W, 1-0 - SACRAMENTO STATE (9/13)
vs. STANFORD (9/17)
@ #7 California (9/20)
vs. BROWN (9/25)
@ San Jose State (9/27)
vs. PORTLAND (10/2)
vs. GONZAGA (10/4)
@ San Francisco (10/9)
TITLE CONTENDERS: Santa Clara has been projected as the West Coast Conference runners-up according to the 2009 WCC men's soccer preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Broncos are one year removed from winning back-to-back WCC Championships and advancing into the third round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
"The preseason coaches poll shows there is a lot of respect for the quality of players we have in our program and the tradition of success we've had in conference play," said Rast. "Our preseason schedule should have us well-prepared to make a run for the conference crown later this season."
2009 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. San Francisco - 36 (6)
2. Santa Clara - 24
T3. Loyola Marymount - 23 (1)
T3. Gonzaga - 23
5. San Diego - 19
6. Portland - 16
7. Saint Mary's - 6
Points (First place votes)
AROUND THE WCC: The WCC men's soccer programs are off to an impressive start collectively, with no team owning a losing record. Both Loyola Marymount University (#18) and the University of San Francisco (#21) are ranked nationally by Soccer America. LMU (3-1-0), the University of San Diego (3-1-0) and USF (2-1) are each ranked in the NSCAA West Region's Top 10.
ALL-WCC DEFENDER: Bronco center defender Jalil Anibaba has been named to the 2009 WCC Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference team. Anibaba, a junior from Davis, California, is in the midst of a storied collegiate career. He was named the WCC "Freshman of the Year" in 2007. As a sophomore in 2008 Anibaba garnered All-America honors from Soccer America and was named to the All-WCC Second Team.
NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS - 20th ANNIVERSARY: The 1989 Santa Clara Broncos forever put the name `Santa Clara' on the men's collegiate soccer map, claiming a share of the NCAA National Championship. The last undefeated (20-0-3) team in Division I men's soccer, SCU had seven players earn All-West Coast Conference honors, including Jeff Baicher, the NCAA Championship Offensive MVP. 1989 team captain Cameron Rast, and current SCU head coach, was honored as an All-American.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER AT SCU: The San Jose Earthquakes of the MLS have signed a three-year lease with Santa Clara University to use the Broncos' soccer facilities. SCU's Buck Shaw Stadium and its practice facility at Stanton Field have received major renovations and upgrades to the playing surfaces, press box, entrance, locker rooms and drainage systems this offseason.
ELEVEN BRONCOS PLAYING IN MLS: More than 50 Santa Clara players have gone on to play professional soccer, including 11 on MLS rosters entering the 2009 season. Four Broncos were chosen off the 2007 West Coast Conference title team in the 2008 MLS Draft - the most-ever from a single SCU class. Four-time All-WCC honoree Jide Ogunbiyi was selected No. 18 overall by the New York Red Bulls of the MLS in 2008, the second-highest MLS draft pick in program history.
TICKETS: For tickets and more information call 1-408-554-4660.
