Borchard assists with Red Storm success
Former Fredonia State standout goalkeeper Matt Borchard is having yet another NCAA Tournament experience, this time as goalkeeper coach of the St. John's men' soccer team.
The Red Storm, ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division I, defeated Indiana, coming back from two goals down, in order to advance to a NCAA Men's College Cup semifinal against No. 3 Maryland Friday at Frisco, Texas (ESPNU, 8 p.m.). North Carolina and Wake Forest meet in the other semifinal. The championship game is 1 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2).
Borchard played goal for the Blue Devils during the 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 seasons. As a senior, he was chosen National Soccer Coaches Association of America Northeast All-Region goalkeeper after the Blue Devils went on their NCAA Division III Final Eight run. He then spent two years as the Blue Devil goalkeeper coach and with his successor, Scott Bergen, in goal the Blue Devils won the 2006 ECAC Upstate championship and the 2007 SUNYAC crown. Bergen was chosen MVP of each tournament and has succeeded Borchard on the Blue Devil coaching staff.
Fredonia State's Matt Borchard (0) and Bryon Thoin slide into position while the ball rests behind Gaustavus Adolphus's Alex Groth (24) during their NCAA Division III quarterfinal game Nov. 19, 2005, at Grand Rapids, Mich.
As the St. John's goalkeeper coach, Borchard has coached and trained All-Big East goalkeeper Neal Kitson. Some of Borchard's NCAA tournament experience may be rubbing off. Kitson ranks fourth nationally in goals-against-average (.466) and save percentage (.887) while Red Storm is first in the country in shutout percentage (0.67). In addition, Kitson set a new St. John's single-season record for shutouts (15) and a new school record streak of 745:26 straight minutes without allowing a goal.
Those are all numbers Borchard has some familiarity with. During his senior season in 2005, Borchard set a school record with 16 solo shutouts in 25 contests, tied for fourth all-time in NCAA Division III, and went over 987 straight minutes without conceding a goal, fifth all-time in the division. Also, the Blue Devils' shutout average that season was 0.76, the 19th best mark in the history of D-III men's soccer.
"All in all my experience has been tremendous," Borchard said following the victory over Indiana last weekend. "Since leaving Fredonia, I had missed working with college athletes directly and longed for the family feeling you get being part of a team. When the opportunity arose at St John's I acted quickly and it has been one of the best choices I have made. My education in the game is growing every time I come to field and will no doubt help me further my career as a college coach".
Borchard is the third former assistant coach of Fredonia State men's soccer coach P.J. Gondek to head directly to Division I soccer following their stay at Fredonia State. Jim Hesch (2000), the head coach of Canisius College, and Tim Cupello (2004-2005), assistant coach at Syracuse University, are the other two.