MITCHELL, S.D. – Coming off a disappointing 2019 season, expectations and optimism fill the air for the Dakota Wesleyan University men's soccer team as the Tigers enter with a plethora of veterans and newcomers on the pitch this fall. In the midst of an explosion of talent, DWU will turn to first-year head coach Luis Pulido to right the ship and guide the program to new heights.
"If you ask any of the guys on the team they will tell you our goal is to ultimately win a national championship," commented Pulido. "As a team, we feel that having any other mentality would be allowing ourselves to not be all in."
To reach the national stage, the first hurdle for the Tigers will be reaching the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015 when the team finished with a 3-6-1 record. However, the talent will certainly be present as DWU's 36-man roster features to be a captivating group consisting of 15 returners and 21 newcomers who hail from eight countries and 10 states. More importantly, DWU will welcome back eight players from a season ago who started eight or more matches including seven of their 13 total goals from 2019.
Key veterans according to Pulido on this year's team include Isaias Pio (Santa Cruz, Calif.), Tyler Anderson (Monticello, Minn.) and Joel Sanchez (Salinas, Calif.).
Pio enters his senior campaign with the Tigers as a midfielder after starting all but one game in 2019, tallying both a goal and an assist. As stated by Coach Pulido, his senior's leadership as well as touch and ability on the ball has been impressive so far. Similarly, Anderson has also been a player that has really stood out to Pulido based on his leadership and defensive abilities. The junior defender started 13 games for DWU in 2019, notching two assists and four shots on goal. A third name that has been impressive thus far is Sanchez due to his communication and reading of the game. The senior midfielder started in 10 games last fall and captured two goals including one game-winning goal.
"From a player perspective, this year the returners have stepped up and played a big part in ensuring that the new guys coming in know exactly how things work on this team," iterated Pulido on his veterans. "They have been great examples and leaders for our transfers and freshmen."
To remain successful throughout the season, the Tigers will rely on their training and depth on the pitch.
"In terms of the team and its performance, our coaching approach has been quality over quantity when it comes to training," expressed Pulido. "We understand the demands of the game on a college player's body, so we decided to train just once a day making sure that every session is ran with intensity and at game pace. This way our players are giving everything they have without feeling like they have to pace themselves to be ready for a second training on the same day."
Newcomers who should have an immediate impact on the season and the ability to help pace the Tigers include Ndrin Maloku (Prishtine, Albania), Nicolas Morillo (Barranquilla, Columbia), Carson Fox (Watertown, S.D.) and Dante Bryce (Safford, Ariz.).
"Ndrin and Nicolas were both players that joined us in the spring and made a huge impression immediately with their abilities on the attack," commented Pulido on the overseas duo. "We have also had guys like Dante and Carson that have been impressive and really stood out during their first week of training."
Other pivotal returners who look to keep the Tigers up-tempo include Matthew Campbell (Duluth, Minn.), Edgar Meza (Spearfish, S.D.) Jason Jattan (Union City, Calif.), Ronaldo Acosta (Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Sebastian Machado (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Omar Menchaca-Torres (Lindsay, Calif.). Campbell, the junior netminder, recorded three shutouts last year in 14 starts while also notching 79 saves finishing tied for fourth in the GPAC. Meanwhile, Meza enters his senior campaign after notching one goal off four shots on goal through 15 appearances in 2019 from the midfielder position. Jattan, another senior midfielder also notched a goal for the Tigers last fall off 14 shots in eight starts.
Communication and mental preparation will be key for the first-year head coach and his experienced squad as they look to surmount any adversity and challenges during the season. Although, if the Tigers remain accountable and unwavering in their training in the presence of an abundance of talent, then DWU is primed for a breakout season.
"The goal that I have for myself for the season is to create an environment where my players' first reaction to adversity is to look upon themselves and reflect on what they can be doing better," added Pulido. "I plan on doing this by making sure that everything that is in my control is done to the best of my capacity. I firmly believe that when an athlete sees their coach communicating every detail and expectation on the front end there is no room for excuses."
The 2020 slate for the Tigers includes 15 matches comprising of eight home matches at the Pepsi-Cola Sports Complex in Mitchell. DWU will kick-off the season on Sunday at 3 p.m. with a non-conference match versus Briar Cliff University. They will conclude the season on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. versus Morningside College.