by Jarom Jordan

PROVO, Utah (Jan. 6, 2010) — Although the regular season doesn’t begin until May, the BYU men’s soccer began formal pre-season preparations for the season this week.

The Cougars will lift, condition, and have free play as a team starting this week through the end of February.  Tryouts are February 25-27.

The Cougars prepare for a 16-game schedule against teams from the Southwest Division of the Premier Development League from May through July.  All eight teams in the division play each other home and away.  The Cougars won the Northwest Division in 2007 and took second in 2006.  The schedule will officially be released in February.

Last season, BYU finished 7-5-4 and in fourth position in the division, just one spot out of the playoffs.  Despite some major injuries the Cougars defeated Southwest Division champion, Hollywood Hitmen, 1-0 and tied eventual PDL champ, Ventura County 2-2.  This season seven starters return including goal keeper, Bryan Black, veteran defenders, KC Whitworth and Drew VanWagenen, and forwards Zach DeFrancis, Brady Marshall, and BJ Pugmire.  The Cougars lose seven players to graduation, including All-PDL Western Conference Honorable Mention, Richie Bindrup.

Several freshman will leave on LDS missions and four have returned.  Toni Niccoli, James Bindrup, Doug Clark, and Conner Bassett all gained experience prior to serving two year missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe.  Nils Lofgren, Jordan Layton, Jake Petersen and Rich Harrison are some of the players who have left or will leave the team to serve missions.

During the 2009 season the Cougars suffered multiple injuries to experienced forwards, namely BJ Pugmire, Brady Marshall, and Zach DeFrancis.  Pugmire has rehabbed his second torn ACL and is playing again.  Marshall is out for a few months with a possible sports hernia and DeFrancis suffered a broken arm and nerve damage that still effects him.  During the fall forward Blake Tillotson made the team and scored two goals in fall exhibition games.  BYU finished 1-1-1 in fall play.

“We’re excited to play home and home with everybody to have an equitable schedule”, said BYU head coach, Chris Watkins. “We feel like, with all the players we have returning from injury, returning from missions, that we’re in great shape for 2010.”

2009 Fall Schedule
9/25   Utah State          2-0 W   (Lofgren, Osborne)
10/2   Real Salt Lake    4-1 L    (Tillotson)
10/16 Weber State       1-1 T    (Tillotson)

Stay tuned to byusoccer.com for updates on the team.