Wednesday, September 11th will see the Niagara College men's soccer program kick off their 2013 season against the Redeemer University College Royals. The Knights will look to improve on last year's rebuilding effort that saw the team finish with a 1-5-2 record.
Men's Soccer Program head coach Frank DeChellis commented, "as a coaching staff we are very excited heading into this season. Our team possesses a lot of speed and talent. With the mix of players on our roster, we should have a much improved season."
This off-season saw DeChellis active on the recruiting scene, most notably adding a pair of skilled players with Canadian Soccer League playing experience in defender Jesse Derwinski and goalkeeper Jordan Provenzano.
The strength of the Knights heading into the 2013 season appears to be on defense, where the addition of Derwinski will bolster a group that includes returning 2012-13 OCAA all-stars Kyle Brooks and Joe D'Eramo.
The Knights will return seven additional players from the 2012 side including reigning team MVP William Janetos, Erik Greiner, Austin MacDonell, Cameron Gallo, Martin Mamic, Jamal Gaskin, and Jon Sexton.
Matthew Davies, Niagara College manager of athletics & recreation added "this will be an exciting season for men's soccer at Niagara College. Frank DeChellis and the rest his coaching staff have done a great job in creating a high performance culture around the program."
Redeemer is coming off a 6-1 opening match loss versus the powerhouse Sheridan Bruins, and Coach DeChellis knows the Royals will be looking to rebound. "The Royals are a solid team that can compete with anyone in the OCAA West. We need a strong outing to secure a favourable decision."
The Knights will play their first home game on Saturday, September 14th at 5:00pm at Youngs Sportsplex. Admission to all Niagara College Soccer matches is free. For a complete schedule or more information please visit www.goknights.ca.