LAREDO, TX - The Texas A&M International University men’s soccer team finished the 2011 season 12-3-2 and a perfect 8-0 in conference play, capturing their second straight Heartland Conference Championship. The Dustdevils narrowly missed out on qualifying for the NCAA National Tournament, falling one game shy of Midwestern State University. The team returns the majority of its starters for the 2012 campaign with their sights set on a third straight conference title.
Four starters, including the Heartland Conference Player of the Year Emmanuel Frias and first team All-Conference midfielder Luís Salas, graduated from last year’s team, but with the addition of nine newcomers to this year’s squad, the Dustdevils have added plenty of depth to an already capable roster.
FORWARDS
The TAMIU front line will be all about speed. Headlining the returning forwards for the Dustdevils is junior Diego Manzano-Cano. Cano was named the Heartland Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season, scoring a team high nine goals with 20 total points. He will be joined by conference freshman of the Year Jovany Macias, ranked third on last year’s team with four goals and four assists. Returning lettermen Damir Turko, Luis Ponte, and Edgar Flores will battle newcomers Cristobal Larrain (Fr. - Santiago, Chile) and Robert Domínguez (Fr. - El Paso, TX) for a starting position.
Midfielders
Despite losing starter and second-team All-Conference selection Guilherme Andrade, the Dustdevils added plenty of depth to the middle of the field providing Coach Arias with a multitude of options for starting lineups. Two-time All-Conference selection Adan Villavicencio will spearhead the TAMIU midfielders after starting all 17 games for the Dustdevils last season. Villavicencio will be joined by second-team All-Conference selection sophomore Arturo Gutíerrez, who finished the 2011 season with seven points, recording three goals on 17 shots with one assist. Theo Brown (Sr. - Saint Johns, Antigua) returns to the pitch for the Dustdevils after a two year break from the sport and will take on Jaime Cano and newcomers Angel Robles (Fr. – El Paso, TX), Walter Onoruo (Jr. – Houston, TX), and Eduardo González (So. – Laredo, TX) for minutes.
Defenders
Three starters return from last year’s defense including Joan Vallejo, Yamin Olavarrieta and Elkin Marin-Tovar. The trio of defenders anchored the Dustdevils back line last season holding their opponents to just 13 total goals. Sophomore Oscar Pompa brings a great deal of height into the mix and will take on fresh faces Juan Ramirez (Fr. – Bogota, Columbia), Camilo Botero (Fr. – Bogota, Columbia), and Christian Hesselaa (Fr. – Silkeborg, Denmark) for a starting role.
Goalkeepers
Perhaps one of the biggest losses for the Dustdevils was the departure of keeper Emmanuel Frias. Frias was named the 2011 Heartland Conference Player of the Year after allowing 10 goals in 13 games with 5.5 shutouts, 30 saves, and a 0.82 goals against average. Jesús Cisneros will likely step into the starting role after gaining valuable experience last season. Cisneros played in seven games last year, recording 1.5 shutouts, 20 saves, and a 0.55 goals against average. Sophomore Rodrigo Avila (Laredo, TX) does not trail Cisneros by much in skill level and should see significant playing time.
Schedule
The Dustdevils will be tested right out of the gate with another tough schedule filled with nationally-ranked teams, including two matches versus Midwestern State University, Metropolitan State College of Denver, and Colorado School of Mines. After playing its first two games of the year at home, TAMIU hits the road for three of the next four matches between August 31 and September 9.
