Season Preview - Judson University Athletics

Every season the goals and expectations aren’t any different
for the Judson University men’s soccer team: win the CCAC,
win the CCAC Tournament, and go to the NAIA National Tournament.
After four straight years of these accomplishments,
Judson still has those same goals but those tasks have become
harder. Because of their success, the Eagles have a
huge target on their back that each team they play is setting
to hit.
“We lost our top forward, our top defender
and, our starting goalkeeper
so we will definitely have some
hard work to do,” says head coach
Steve Burke. “With the experience
of the returners, though, I am optimistic.”
Replacing the 2008
Senior Class
Judson has large shoes to fill as they
lost one their best senior classes in
the history of the program. Last season,
Judson went 15-5-3 and was
6-1-2 in the CCAC. They won an
unprecedented fourth straight CCAC
Championship, CCAC Tournament
Championship, and NAIA Region VII
Championship along with advancing
to their fourth straight NAIA National
Tournament.
The senior class won 74 games over
the last four seasons and gained numerous
awards. One of the biggest
shoes to replace will be CCAC Player
of the Year and NCCAA National
Player of the Year Steven Moldenhauer.
Four of the five seniors had been with
Judson all four years in Moldenhauer,
Steve Burke
Looking to become the NAIA’s all-time
career leader in wins. He needs just
seven wins and currently has 431
wins.
Kyle Selph, Tim Balatsoukas, and Andrew Weissman. Mark
Howlett joined Judson in his junior year.
Along with finding a replacement for Moldenhauer, Judson
lost 17 goals and 10 assists in Howlett. Howlett and Moldenhauer
were also named All-CCAC first-team, NAIA Region
VII first-team, and NAIA All-American honorable mention.
Judson also lost top goal keeper and All-CCAC first teamer
Neil Thompson. Thompson finished the season as the top
goalie in the CCAC with a 0.99 goals against average and
collected 84 saves.
As the chapter closes in that part of history, a new chapter
begins for Judson. With all the success that Judson has had
the past 24 years, talented soccer players are brought in
each year to help and replace lost talent.
New Chapter of History
Bringing in 15 new, talented players for the 2008 season,
Burke has brought in some of the top talent in the area and
from around the nation.
Burke says, “Our success from year to year is really a key
to attracting top recruits. Last year’s success has helped us
to bring in our biggest freshman class, ever. Now, we need
to instill confidence in our new players and help them to understand
what it means to play for Judson and to be a part of
such a winning tradition.”
Burke hit the recruiting trail hard after the 2008 season and
gathered a lot of local talent. Eleven of the 15 new players
coming in are from the Elgin area with seven from Elgin.
Topping the class from Elgin Larkin High School is Stephen
Drew. Drew helped to guide Larkin to two Regional Championships
while collecting 30 assists and an All-Area and All-
Conference award in just two years on varsity. Also joining
Drew as a freshman at Judson from Larkin High School is
Jose Barajas.
Transferring into Judson but also from Elgin Larkin High
School are Alex Tyton and Stewart Sogge. Tyton is transferring
in from CCAC opponent Trinity International where he
Judson Men’s Soccer
2008 Season Preview

had a 1.96 goals against average and 23 saves. He also was
named to the All-CCAC honorable mention team. Following
h i s lead is Elgin Community College transfer
Sogge. Sogge was an All-Illinois
Skyway Conference first-team selection
along with being named to
the NJCAA All-Region IV team.
Other players from the Elgin area are
Jeff Lee (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg
HS), Eber Bercerra (East Dundee, IL/
Belvidere North HS), Andrew Harling
(Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS), Austin
Newbury (North Barrington, IL/
Maine West HS), Ryan Reopelle
(Elgin, IL/Burlington Central HS),
Andy Roberts (Cary, IL/Cary-
Grove HS), Javier Rojo, Jr. (Elgin,
IL/B.F. Terry HS), and Keenan
Walsh (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove HS).
Each player is talented and helped
their high school in various ways.
Some players helped their schools
to conference championships. Lee,
from Johnsburg, IL, led Johnsburg HS
to two conference championships while being
named All-Conference all three years he
was on varsity. Leading Maine West HS to
a Regional Championship was All-Conference,
All-Area, and All-Sectional award winner
Newbury. Reopelle helped Burlington Central
to a conference championship while being
named All-Conference. Both Roberts and Walsh
guided Cary-Grove HS to a Fox Division Conference
Championship with a 10-0 record. Roberts
was then named to two All-Area teams while
making six goals in two seasons.
“We have a large freshman class so
we will be looking for somebody to
step up,” says Burke.
Gustavo Oliveira
NAIA All-American
All-CCAC First-Team
Strong Experience Returns
Even though there are big shoes to fill due to graduation,
Judson still has a plethora of experience coming back for the
2008 season.
“We have seven strong starters back so that gives us something
to work around,” says Burke. “All of our returning starters
are going to be the key to our success. A big senior class
will have to step up with the experience that they can offer.”
Two All-Americans return in junior Gustavo Oliveira (Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil) and senior Milos Bajic (Stari Slankameh, Serbia)
along with four other seniors. Oliveira and Bajic combined
for 15 of Judson’s 63 goals and had 25 assists. Oliveira
was second on the team in goals with 10 but led the team in
assists (13) for 33 points.
Bajic, who was a NAIA All-American in the 2006 season, had
five goals and 12 assists for 22 points.
Vitor Bravo (Salvador, Brazil), Leonardo Silva (Sao Paulo,
Brazil), Petar Bajic (Stari Slankameh, Serbia), and Aduato
Oliveira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) will all supply the key leadership
needed by the seniors.
Bravo netted two goals and two assists as a midfielder last
season and was a part of six shutouts. Silva was a two-time
CCAC Player of the Week and was a NAIA All-American at
Missouri Valley in 2005 and 2006 before transferring to Judson
in 2007. Bajic, the twin brother of Milos Bajic, picked up
an All-CCAC second team award in his first year of play at
Judson. Gustavo Oliveira has a defensive presence in the
midfield while scoring four goals with seven assists.
The Schedule and CCAC
Judson will also have to face the rigors of a tough schedule.
They will host two tournaments in the Judson Invitational and
Judson Tournament where they bring in nationally ranked
teams to play in Notre Dame (OH), Grand View (IA), and
McKendree (IL). Last year, in the final national poll, McKendree
was #15, Notre Dame #20, and Grand View #24. Judson
will also travel to Indiana Wesleyan, who finished ranked #11
in the nation, in between the Judson Tournaments.
“Our first three weekends are super tough tournaments,”
says Burke. “We try to play some really good teams early
Judson Men’s Soccer
2008 Season Preview

to test us and to toughen us to prepare for the main stretch of
the conference schedule. This year, we have to win the conference
to advance to the NAIA national tournament.”
Each year, the CCAC gets even tougher as teams improve
to try and knock off Judson. The 2008 season won’t be any
different. Last season, Judson won the CCAC in their final
regular season match with a 2-2 tie against Illinois Tech. Judson’s
6-1-2 record was just ahead of three other teams (Olivet
Nazarene, St. Xavier, Trinity International) that finished with a
6-3 record.
Burke says, “Our conference is always a battlefield. With four
straight CCAC titles, everyone wants to knock us off. We hope
to be in the thick of it again.”
Looking for the NAIA Record
The 2008 season could also mark a special season for Steve
Burke. He is in his 25th year at Judson and needs just seven
wins to become the NAIA’s all-time leader in career wins.
He currently stands at 431-130-32 and needs six wins to tie
Rockhurst’s (MO) Tony Tocco (1973-97) record of 437 wins.
Burke’s father, Doug Burke (Houghton College), is tied for 10th
on the list with 289 wins.
Judson also stands just one win behind Westmont College
(CA) for the most wins for a NAIA men’s soccer program. Judson
currently has 551 career wins while Westmont posts 552
wins. The next team behind Judson is Berry College (GA) with
496 wins.
The Expectations
The expectations never change for Steve Burke and the Judson
University Eagles. Though, every year the scene changes
as each team that Judson plays improves. Judson still has
their expectations high, no matter the battle; win the CCAC
and advance to the NAIA National Tournament.
“I always expect us to compete, to work hard, and to be in
great physical shape,” says Burke. “We count on that to carry
us through some tight games.”
From the looks of the schedule and the large target on their
back, Judson may have quite a few tight games in the 2008
season.
The 2008 season could be a history changing season for Judson.
Let this chapter of history begin!
This year, new qualifications for the NAIA Tournament are in
place as there will no longer be regional tournaments. There
will be first-round playoff games at the top seed and the winners
will then feed into a 32-team tournament at one site. Judson
had won the last for NAIA Region VII Tournaments and is
now will be the last team to win that tournament.
Vitor Bravo
All-CCAC Second Team
Judson Men’s Soccer
2008 Season Preview