ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University men's soccer team comes into the 2012 season looking to build on a solid 2011 campaign and post the first back-to-back winning seasons in the last 13 years. The Royals finished 2011 9-6-3 after starting the season 7-1-2 and a 2012 roster with improved depth has the Royals optimistic. The 2012 season will be the second under Head Coach Jeremy Iwaszkowiec.

“Last year was a great season,” Iwaszkowiec said. “We are still young and inexperienced overall, but our depth has improved at every position, which I am very excited about.”

Coach Iwaskowiec is optimistic that the increased depth will help improve the Royals consistency, which was lacking at times in 2011. After the great start to the season, the Royals hit a mid-season lull where they lost five in a row before finishing strong with victories over Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) co-champions Carleton and St. Olaf and a tie with St. Thomas. Over the course of the season Bethel outshot their opponents in the first period, but was significantly outshot in the second period.

“We beat some good teams last year but we also lost to some teams we felt we should have beaten,” Iwaszkowiec said. “We started high, hit some bumps and finished strong. I really liked how we responded to those losses. This season we are looking for consistency through 90 minutes and improved mental fitness.”    

While the Royals will be replacing their leading scorer from 2011 in David Kim (Nine goals, 18 Pts.), they return a solid nucleus in juniors Martin Manocchio (Austin, Minn.), Kolten Fischer (Shoreview, Minn.) and captain Cody Walkup (Des Moines, Iowa) along with sophomores Jeremy Tan (Little Canada, Minn.) and Matthew Pisarski (West Des Moines, Iowa). That group combined for eight goals and 23 points in 2011. Seniors Brian Holm (Champlin, Minn.) and captain Brent Neihart (Prairie Village, Kan.) each scored a goal in 2011 and will provide a strong veteran presence as the Royals welcome a large group of freshman that will vie for playing time. Sophomore defender Tim Ness (Apple Valley, Minn.) was a solid player as a freshman in 2011 and will help anchor the Royals defense.

“We have a great group of guys who are passionate about one another,” said Iwaszkowiec. “They have a strong desire to get better and challenge for a MIAC playoff spot and want to learn what it takes.”

Chris Scott (Jr., Cedar, Minn.) and AJ Syler (So., Andover, Minn.) will be replacing All-MIAC Honorable Mention Goalkeeper Leif Sundberg in the net. Sundberg broke current Assistant Coach Eric Berg's ten-year old record with seven shutouts in 2011. Scott recorded two shutouts of his own as the nine total shutouts were a new team record.

“While Chris enters the season as the starter, I feel really comfortable with either Chris or AJ,” Iwaszkowiec said. “I'm excited about both of them.”

The Royals were picked to finish eighth in the MIAC preseason coaches poll after a seventh place finish in 2011. They open the MIAC season on September 13 at Augsburg before hosting Hamline on the 15th.  They open the regular season with a trip to Dubuque, Iowa on August 31 to face Loras College followed by a match against Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa two days later.