Live Stats | Game Notes

LAREDO, Texas (August 31, 2017) - After three weeks of preseason training, the Texas A&M International University men's soccer team will open up the 2017 season against the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Friday, Sept. 1, in Wichita Falls. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Stang Park on the campus of Midwestern State.
 
A LOOK AT THE DUSTDEVILS
Claudio Arias enters his 14th season in charge at TAMIU where he has led the program to three Heartland Conference Championships in the past decade. The 2016 just missed out on postseason play with a 6-11-0
 
The Dustdevils return a lot of firepower up front highlighted by junior Rafael Montabes. The Madrid, Spain, native, scored six goals for 12 points in his first season at TAMIU. The 6-4 forward won't have to fill the void left by all-region performer Ryan Hodgson by himself as Elias Perales, Aaron Alvarez, Rodrigo Zuniga and Christopher Cervantes will all be given a chance in the attack.
 
When you look at experience in the dictionary, it is highly likely that you will see a picture of the Dustdevil midfield. Michael Iskander and Aaron Zuniga return for their senior season with a combined 98 appearances between them. Iskander scored a career-high six points including two goals in 2016 while A. Zuniga also contribute two goals. Senior Marcelo Machado will add depth to the midfield after playing in 15 matches as a tranfers in 2016. Some names to look out for will be David Martinez, Ayoub Fouadi, Andres Ogaza and Kevin Hernandez.
 
The defense also brings back plenty of experience but it may be two freshman who play a major role in how successful they will be this fall. Senior Yair Hernandez is back after an impressive junior campaign where he played a team-high 1,484 minutes. Hernandez will be joined by fellow senior Alan Rivera who made 16 appearances during his first season in Laredo last fall. The youth movement on the backline will be led by Keanu Born, Gerardo Garza, Luis Diaz and Billy Sanchez. Born, Diaz and Sanchez will all make their appearances for the Dustdevils this weekend while Garza registered 993 minutes last season.
 
Arias is confident in the choices that he has in goal entering the season as transfer Carlos Herrera and Josh Jones have been impressive throughout the preseason. Herrera comes from Iowa Western Community College where he was a standout between the pipes during his two years with the Reivers. Jones earned NJCAA Division I All-Region V Honorable Mention recognition during his sophomore season at Western Texas College in 2016.
 
A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
UCCS was picked to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Poll released earlier this week. The Mountain Lions are coming off a season where they finished 12-7-1 and reached the semifinals in the conference tournament. Senior standouts David Meyer and Jake McAllister were also named to the All-RMAC Preseason Team.
 
Meyer, a former Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year, made 62 saves over 18 games last season including 10 shutouts. He posted a saves percentage of .805 during his junior season. He has the starting goalkeeping spot on lockdown having played in more than 40 matches accumulating 18 shutouts during his first three years in Colorado Springs.
 
McAllister will lead the forwards after scoring a team-high 16 points (6 goals, 4 assists) in 2016 while starting in all 2016. He has compiled 30 points over his three-years at UCCS in 58 appearances. UCCS No. 10 Alex VonHolle will also be a handful for defenses this season after scoring six goals and two assists as a freshman.
 
Conor Langenbahn will anchor the midfield as the Southlake, Texas, native has played in 55 matches during his career. Langenhang and fellow senior Blake Barnes are two of only three upperclassmen midfielders. Barnes has been just as impressive as his fellow Texan during his 52 appearances scoring four goals while adding four assists. Sam Gomez will look to build on an impressive first year at UCCS in 2016 where he made 18 appearances with two assists.
 
Casey Collins and Aaron Haefner are the most experienced returners on defense for UCCS as they have a combined 70 appearances. Haefner has started in all 37 matches he has played in the Gold and Black. Daniel Brevig, a newcomer from Oslo, Norway, could find his way onto the pitch as a freshman.
 
A LOOK INSIDE OPENING DAY FOR TAMIU
Friday's match will mark the second time in program history and second season in a row that the Dustdevils have opened the season against a school from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. They have found success opening the season at a neutral site boasting a record of 3-1 including a 3-1 victory over Ouachita Baptist to open the 2014 season.
 
TAMIU PICKED SEVENTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The Dustdevils were picked to finish seventh in the Heartland Conference Preseason Poll released on Aug. 21. Midwestern State were picked to defend their regular season title receiving 14 0f the 24 first place votes with St. Edward's and West Texas A&M rounding out the top three.
 
TAMIU finished seventh last year were picked to finish in the same position this year in the poll voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Fellow south division members St. Mary's and Dallas Baptist were picked to finish eighth and 10th respectively.
 
TAMIU SET TO JOIN LONE STAR CONFERECE IN 2019
TAMIU announced its formal acceptance to join the Lone Star Conference. The University will join the conference in the fall of 2019.
 
TAMIU is one of eight schools accepting invitations after the Lone Star Conference Council of Presidents voted unanimously this summer to offer full membership to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Dallas Baptist University, Lubbock Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, Rogers State University, St. Edward's University, St. Mary's University, and TAMIU.
 
A LOOK AHEAD
After the season opener against UCCS, the Dustdevils will turn their attention to Sunday's match against Fort Lewis. It will be the third time that the two schools have played with the Skyhawks holding a 2-0 advantage. Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. at Stang Park.