MITCHELL – For the first time in eight years the Dakota Wesleyan University men's soccer team will have a new head coach at the start of the 2016 season, as Paul Bennett takes over the program from Jeremy Tosaya.
Bennett is the former head coach of the University of Sioux Falls program and brings a wealth of knowledge and Great Plains Athletic Conference coaching experience to the Tigers, who are looking to get back to the top of the conference.
DWU graduated a talented senior class that made a late-season push to make the conference postseason for the sixth straight season. DWU finished 2015 with a record of 6-12-1 overall and 3-6-1 in the GPAC.
Late in 2015, junior Derek Brenner emerged as a scoring threat for the Tigers, scoring all five of his goals in the final four GPAC regular season games. He was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career late in the season and is the leading returning scorer for the Tigers. Senior Peter Wartenberg will be looked to in the middle of the field on offensive as a target to use his height and size around the net. Wartenberg scored two goals last season on 17 shots and added a pair of assists.
Senior Blaine Bacon and sophomore Daniel Clas both return and will be leaders for by a young group of Tigers. In goal, sophomore Gaston Miteff established himself as the top goalkeeper for the Tigers in 2015. He started 11 games, picking up five wins and a shutout. He made 107 saves with a save percentage of .787 in his first season.
The Tigers open the regular season at home against the University of Mary on Pack the Pitch Night at 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex.
