Creighton Bluejays
Overall Rank: #6
Conference Rank: #1 Missouri Valley
Creighton Team Page
At the end of the 2011 men’s soccer season everyone was asking themselves, “why didn’t Creighton take the national title?” After ending the season with 21 wins and allowing only two losses and a tie that ended with penalty kicks that put Creighton out of the College Cup, still no one has the answer. Creighton had more than an impressive season last year. All parts worked perfectly for the squad. The offense scored 40 goals while the defense held their opponents to just five goals. Head Coach Elmar Bolowich did an amazing job at coaching this squad during their record season and it was just his first season at the helm. Everything just worked for this team.
2011 Record: 21-2-1, 5-1-0
2011 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Elmar Bolowich
Strengths:
Creighton will be getting an almost brand new roster for the 2012 season. Coach Bolowich is bringing in 14 new recruits and five transfers to add to his nine returning players. Both the offense and the defense will have all new talent for Coach Bolowich to mold into another winning team. Defenders Brent Kallman, Jake Brown, J.T. Seger, and keeper Alex Bolowich are returning for the Bluejay defense and will be joined by Benito Amaral from San Jacinto College. The offense will get some talent from Carlos McCrary, who helped the 2011 national champs North Carolina to their title last season. Andrew Ribeiro, Jose Gomez, Bruno Castro, and Jose Ribas return to the pitch for the offense. With a loaded incoming class of 14, Coach Bolowich will have more than his share of choices to fill holes with on the field.
Weaknesses:
As always, with players new to the program, it is always a little extra work getting them formed to the way the team plays whether they have collegiate experience or not. For this team, however, they will be working with an almost brand new to the program coach himself. The defensive standards are high coming off a season of 18 shutouts and only allowing five goals on the season. To live up to those standards will be a struggle for this new squad. The offense will have similar issues but have a slightly better advantage over the defense with more returning players and transfers with college level experience. In just his first season, Coach Bolowich has already proven he can turn a program around. So he has set his own bar up towards the top and now he will have to keep the stride with his new team.
Final Projection:
The Bluejays have the talent to have another great team and when a coach like Bolowich takes a team and sets the standards high like he did last season, it only creates a positive reaction with players and the program. Players will want to play hard for their coach and want to produce wins and titles for their school. Creighton has all the parts and the engineer to put them together to make it to the NCAA tournament and possibly the College Cup again. With the preseason and three exhibition matches before the regular season, all the players will be ready to take on anyone in their way of a title. This team and this program will continue to be a powerhouse in NCAA men’s soccer even after this season.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Tournament
Returning Leaders:
Goals: Bruno Castro, Junior, M/F, 6
Assists: Bruno Castro, Junior, M/F, 6; Jose Gomez, Senior, M, 8
Shots: Bruno Castro, Junior, M/F, 20
Saves: None
Madness 2013 MLS Draft Rankings:
#11 Tyler Polak
Madness 2012 Men’s Soccer Recruit Rankings:
#112 McAmos Paye
