In the Brandeis athletic community, men’s soccer has long been revered for their talent and results. This year, Head Coach Mike Coven expects nothing different as his team enters a new season.
The fall 2015 season saw milestones reached with Coven achieving his 500th coaching win on Sept. 12 in a double-overtime 1-0 win against Babson College, in the middle of what would be a seven-game win streak for the Judges. The team also earned a University Athletic Association title for its second time in men’s soccer history.
During the regular season, the team went 16-2, losing only one home game to Washington University in St. Louis. Overall, the Judges boasted a record of 18-3 with one tie against Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Seeded third in the NCAA tournament, the team had big hopes going into the tournament, but fell in the Sweet Sixteen to Trinity University from San Antonio, TX, a team they failed to beat in the regular season as well.
According to Coven, the team finalized the season within the top 10 in the nation, a feat of which he is proud.
For the past several seasons, Brandeis men’s soccer has been a formidable opponent in the league. The team has competed in the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament every season since 2012, as well as seeing an Elite Eight round in 2014.
Coven attributes the success of the program to the culture of excellence the team has always demonstrated, working 12 months a year, throughout the off-season and into summer. The captains set the tone by establishing a culture of dedication and successfully assimilating younger players into that culture, Coven said.
Coven also works all year long, recruiting new players to the team to replace each graduating class. “We need a good freshmen group every year to sustain the level we’re at,” Coven said. He works to recruit the best possible class of student-athletes.
According to Coven, the new first-year class includes one starter, who will supply support in the back on defense, as well as four or five other players who will contribute considerably during the course of their years on the team.
The team faces one of the most difficult schedules in the country. The UAA hosts a number of highly ranked teams, including Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Chicago.
In the latest NCAA rankings update on Aug. 2, the team enters the season ranked ninth in the nation.
The tough schedule kicks off in the first weekend of the season during the Brandeis Invitational. The Judges begin by playing John Carroll University, a team from Cleveland, OH, on Saturday, Sept. 3.
The second game of the Invitational finds Brandeis facing off against Haverford College at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4. Haverford claimed a ranking of sixth in the nation according to the NCAA rankings update, offering a challenge for the Judges.
“Every game is important,” Coven said as he urged Brandeis students and athletics fans to attend the home games this year. “We have a good home crowd, and we hope they come out and show their support.”
