Defending national champs on 2009 schedule
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Men's soccer
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Six 2008 NCAA participants, including the Division III defending national champion Messiah Falcons, are on the 2009 Fredonia State men's soccer schedule.
The Blue Devils open the regular season Sept. 1 at Medaille, the team that Messiah defeated 2-1 in overtime in the first round of the 2008 national tournament. Then comes a weekend trip to Pennsylvania to face Gettysburg (Sept. 4) and the Falcons (Sept. 5).
The Falcons, who have a new head coach, have won six of the last nine NCAA Division III titles. Their home games at Shoemaker Field are a big draw - the biggest in D-3 last season with an average of 1,679 spectators for 12 home dates.
Brad McCarty takes over the Messiah coaching from Dave Brandt, who left to become head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy. Brandt posted a 246-25-14 record over 12 seasons at Messiah. His .888 winning percentage is the best in NCAA Division III history.
"Playing the sole powerhouse in Division III on their home field will be no small task," Fredonia State head coach P.J. Gondek said. "We will know very quickly whether or not we have grown up at all. It should be an exciting experience either way, one that will hopefully pay dividends down the line."
After their Pennsylvania trip, the Blue Devils return home for the Clarion Hotel Soccer Classic Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 at University Stadium. They will meet St. Joseph's College of Patchogue, N.Y., another NCAA tournament team in 2008, and traditional early season opponent Penn State Behrend on successive days.
Other Blue Devil home opponents are Nazareth, Oneonta, New Paltz, Westminster, Cortland, and Oswego. In addition to the three road games to open the season, the Blue Devils will travel to Buffalo State, Hobart, Potsdam, Plattsburgh, Brockport, Geneseo, and Grove City.
Of the 18 opponents on the men's schedule, 14 had winning records in 2008. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, are coming off an uncharacteristic .500 season (9-9-0 overall, including just 3-7-0 in the SUNYAC).
"Just because we had a down year," Gondek said, "doesn't mean we will lighten up the schedule in any way. The SUNYAC schedule is always tough and so will be the non-conference portion, but that's how we have always wanted it."