OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha men's soccer team opens its 2017 season at home Friday, Aug. 25 with a 6 p.m. match against Grand Canyon. On Sunday, the Mavericks will host No. 17 Virginia Tech at 6 p.m.
Media
Links to live stats, audio and video will be listed on OMavs.com. Owen Godberson will handle the play-by-play on both games. Harrison Popp will add color for the opener while Stephanie Zambrano will join Godberson in the booth for the match against the Hokies.
Omaha News and Notes
The Mavericks return seven starters and 18 letterwinners from last season's squad that reached the Summit League Tournament finals. Omaha finished 2016 with a 10-5-4 overall record and a 5-0-1 mark in conference play.
UNO returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago. Leading the way is the Summit League's Newcomer of the Year
Emmanuel Hamzat. Last season, Hamzat tallied 14 points on six goals and two assists.
Elvir Ibisevic had 11 points on four goals and three assists during his freshman campaign, while fellow freshman
Seth Rinderknecht added two goals and two assists.
Rinderknecht and
Jacob Weiler anchored a defense that had six shutouts and 1.01 goals against average last season. Also returning for Omaha are goalkeepers
Joseph Ghitis and
Ugo Tritz. Ghitis (9-4-4) started 18 games last season and led the league with a .762 save percentage. Tritz (1-1) appeared in three matches and had a 0.50 goals-against average.
Cole Nelson, a two-year starter, also returns for the Mavericks. Nelson started 16 games last season, while
Joey McCain and
Joel Kazhila combined for 17 starts.
The Mavericks welcome 10 newcomers in freshmen
Oliver Bihuniak,
Miguel Gomez,
Ed Gordon,
Connor Jokerst,
Tim Kaftan,
Stephen Siy and
Matt Smith and transfers
Brahan Gamarra,
Gonzalo Ledesma and
Billy Hoffmann.
Setting the Scene
- Omaha enters the 2017 season coming off a share of The Summit League regular season title in 2016. UNO also earned the top seed in the conference tournament.
- The Mavericks reached the finals of the league's postseason tournament, falling 2-1 to No. 3 Denver.
- UNO is undefeated in their past two season openers and has posted a record of 4-2 in opening games dating back to 2011. The only losses in that stretch coming against Grand Canyon (2-1) in 2013 and Santa Clara (3-2, 2OT) in 2014.
- This weekend's match marks the sixth straight season at home. The only time UNO had not opened the season in Omaha was during its inaugural season when the Mavericks visited UMKC in 2011.
Who's Back??
- Seven starters, including four players who earned All-Summit League honors last season, and 18 letterwinners.
- Joseph Ghitis: As a junior in 2016, Ghitis earned First Team All-Summit accolades. He started 18 games and finished with a 9-4-4 record with six shutouts and a 1.06 goals-against average. Ghitis set a single-season program-best with nine wins and six shutouts last season. He also became the program's leader in career save percentage (.758), goals-against average (1.02), wins (18) and shutouts (11).
- Emmanuel Hamzat: In his first season with the Mavericks, Hamzat garnered the league's newcomer of the year award and took home first team all-conference honors. He appeared in 18 games with 14 starts while tallying 14 points on six goals and two assists.
- Seth Rinderknecht: As a freshman in 2016, Rinderknecht earned First Team All-Summit accolades and claimed a spot on the league's all-newcomer team. TopDrawerSoccer.com selected him as one of the Top 100 freshmen in the nation, and he garnered Third Team All-Freshman honors from College Soccer News. Rinderknecht started 19 games and led the team in minutes played (1697). He totaled six points on two goals and two assists.
- Jacob Weiler: Weiler, a second team all-league selection in 2016, started 12 games at center back a season ago. He finished last season with five points on two goals and an assist. Weiler scored the Mavericks lone goal in the Summit League finals vs. Denver.
Looking at the Lopes
- 2017 Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0 WAC)
- Grand Canyon was picked fifth in the 2017 WAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- The Lopes are finally eligible for postseason play after a four-year transition period.
- GCU dropped its only exhibition game of the season, 2-0, to No. 20 New Mexico.
- 2016 Record: 7-9-3 (4-3-3 WAC)
- Finished fifth in the WAC standings last season
- Key Returners (seven returning starters and 15 letterwinners)
- Senior Niki Jackson is the reigning WAC Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the MAC Hermann Preseason Watch List. Last season, the forward scored 16 goals in 18 games, a 0.89 goals per game average that ranked third nationally.
- Damian German had 11 points on four goals and three assists last season. He was third on the team in scoring last season.
- Khadim Seye finished the season with five points on two goals and an assist.
History vs. Grand Canyon
Omaha enters Friday's contest 1-1 all-time against Grand Canyon. In the last meeting, the Mavericks topped the Lopers 3-0 in Phoenix in 2014.
Looking at the Hokies
- 2017 Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0 ACC)
- Virginia Tech was picked to finish fourth in the ACC Coastal Division.
- Tech is currently ranked 17th in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
- The Hokies defeated East Tennessee State (1-0) and tied No. 5 Clemson (4-4) in exhibition play.
- 2016 Record: 13-5-4 (3-4-1 ACC)
- VT finished fourth in the ACC Coast Division last season.
- Virginia Tech fell 2-0 to No. 2 Wake Forest in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
- Key Returners (nine returning starters and 17 letterwinners)
- Marcelo Acuna scored 11 goals including five game-winners in 2016 and earned Second Team All-ACC and NSCAA All-America Third Team honors.
History vs. Virginia Tech
Sunday is the first all-time meeting between Omaha and Virginia Tech.
Up Next
Omaha welcomes No. 17 Virginia Tech to Caniglia Field this Sunday at 6 p.m.
