Cougars poised and ready to strike

Rick Crossin
Sports Editor

The SIUE men's soccer team will have no problems getting used to each other this season.

The Cougars have 18 returning players from last season, including nine starters.

SIUE went 11-7-1 last season, a record that was a surprise to almost everyone in the conference, considering the Cougars were young team.

"We were very young last year. We struggled early but developed good momentum and had some big victories at the end of the year," head coach Ed Huneke said.

This season, the Cougars have experience and depth on their side as they make another run for the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship and a bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Assocation tournament.

One player who can guide SIUE to the conference title is senior midfielder Justin McMillian.

McMillian led the Cougars in goals (9) and points (21) last season and will have to duplicate that production for SIUE to make some noise in the conference.

Also returning on offense are midfielders Yuzuru Takami, Chris Knopp, Eric Modeer And Brian Douglas.

Douglas, Takami and Knopp all scored six points last year

Two key addtions to this year's team could put SIUE not just at the top of the conference, but at the top of the region.

One of the transfers is senior Brandon Gibbs. Gibbs spent last season at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

At UMKC, Gibbs was third on the team with 15 points, including five goals and five assists.

Cal Thomas from Rochester is another transfer for the Cougars this year.

Thomas was a redshirt freshman for Indiana University last season. Indiana, one of the most highly touted soccer programs in the country, has won the last two NCAA Division I championships.

Returning to the lineup this year for SIUE is hard-nosed defender Cress Maddox.

Maddox was an All-Region selection last year for his tough play.

He played in all 19 games for the Cougars last season, scoring one game-winning goal.

Maddox, along with Ryan Stoddart and Ryan Harken, should keep the opposition from getting close to the goal.

Goalkeeping is yet another area that SIUE has no problems filling.

Senior Donny Sheehan took over the goalkeeping duties last season and helped the Cougars post a 1.11 goals per game average.

Sheehan's backups this season include sophomore Bret Richardson and senior John Niebruegge.

One major loss for SIUE this season is the loss of Justin Bernaix.

Bernaix was one of the leaders of the team last year, scoring five goals and chipping in two assists.

The Cougars will begin their regular season on Saturday, Aug. 26 against Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, Mo., before traveling to Conway, Ark., to take on the University of Central Arkansas.

Family Ties

The Huneke family has made soccer and SIUE its tradition.

Coach Huneke will have the chance to coach his sons, Sean and Justin, this season.

Justin Huneke has played for his father for two years, but Sean is entering his first season under his father.

Both sons are home-grown, graduating from Edwardsville High School and residing in Glen Carbon.

SLU Connection

The soccer team has also added a new assistant coach this season to replace Kristian Still, who left the team to return home to England.

Saint Louis Univerity alumni Kevin Kalish is the new assistant coach for the Cougars for this season.

Kalish graduated form SLU last year and was named the school's most outstanding male athlete.

He was also named an Academic All-American.

Kalish played professionally for the St. Louis Ambush last season, before deciding to coach.

"I felt this was a good place for me to get my foot in the door," Kalish said. "I couldn't think of a better place to start than here."