Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer

Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer
Current season
University	University of Virginia
Conference	ACC
Founded	1941 (1941)
Location	Charlottesville, VA
Head Coach	George Gelnovatch (16th year)
Stadium	Klöckner Stadium (Capacity: 8,000)
Nickname	Cavs, Hoos
Colors	Navy Blue and Orange
Home Away
NCAA Tournament Champions
1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009
NCAA Tournament Runner Up
1997
NCAA College Cup Appearances
1983, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2009
NCAA Quarterfinal Appearances
1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1969, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Conference Tournament Champions
1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2009
Conference Regular Season Champions
1979, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2010

The Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team represent the University of Virginia in all NCAA Division I men's soccer competitions. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The team has grown an extensive reputation as having one of the most elite collegiate soccer programs in the United States, producing several future U.S. national team players. Notable examples include Claudio Reyna and John Harkes. Present Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena coached the team and led them to five consecutive College Cup titles in the 1990s.

History

The University of Virginia first fielded a varsity men's soccer team in 1941 as an independent team. In their first season, the team posted a winless record, losing all nine of their matches.

The team made their first appearance in the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 1969, where they played their out-of-state rivals, the Maryland Terrapins. The team was eliminated in the first round of the tournament following a 5–0 defeat. Ten years would pass before the Cavaliers would make their second tournament appearance, this time losing to the American Eagles, 1–0 in the opening round. The team would make two more NCAA tournament appearances, in 1981 and 1982, before eventually progressing past the first round of the tournament. In the 1983 tournament, the Cavaliers defeated stateside opponents William & Mary Tribe by a 2–1 scoreline to advance into the quarterfinals. The tournament would culimnate with a quarterfinal victory over the San Francisco Dons before bowing out in the semifinals to the eventual champions, the Indiana Hoosiers.

During this period though, led under head coach Bruce Arena, the Cavaliers developed a well-renowned reputation as being one of the most elite soccer programs in the country. Following their 1981 tournament appearance, the Cavaliers would qualify for the NCAA Men's Division I tournament every consecutive season to date, one of the longest streaks in NCAA history for any sport. Their apex came in the late 1980s to early 1990s, when the team won five national collegiate championships in the span of six years. Future U.S. men's national team stars such as John Harkes and Claudio Reyna were members of the championship team. The Cavaliers would win the 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 editions of the tournament.

Subsequent to their dynasty run, the United States Soccer Federation, in the promise of hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup instituted the creation of a new top tier professional soccer league, later to be named Major League Soccer. Upon the creation of the league, one of the league's clubs, D.C. United hired Arena as their full-time head coach, where he led them to three MLS Cup titles, two MLS Supporters' Shields and a CONCACAF title.

The departure of Arena saw a new replacement fill managerial duties in 1996. Arena would be replaced by longtime assistant, George Gelnovatch, whom still today coaches the team.

Initially under the helm of Gelnovatch, the Cavaliers were still a fairly successful team in the Atlantic Coast Conference and in the NCAA tournaments, although their success in the latter half of the 1990s and early 2000s (decade) could not replicate the same success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During Gelnovatch's early years, the team's best finish was making the finals of the 1997 NCAA Men's Soccer championship, but to only lose 2–0 to the UCLA Bruins.

After a period of decline in the early 2000s (decade), the team had a successful campaign in 2009, reaching the final for the first time since 1997. Playing against the recently upstart Akron Zips, the Cavaliers were able to defeat the Zips in a penalty kick shootout to claim their sixth NCAA title, and their first national championship since the Arena years.

Since the Cavaliers won the 2009 NCAA Championship, they have been eliminated in the first round of the 2010 and 2011 editions of the tournament, losing to CAA opponents on both occasions; Old Dominion and Delaware, respectively.

Stadium

Main article: Klöckner Stadium

One of the earliest soccer-specific stadiums in college soccer, the Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team plays their home matches at the 8,000-seater Klöckner Stadium. Since its opening in 1997, the Cavaliers have enjoyed some of the highest reported attendance figures in American college soccer.

The stadium has 3,600 grandstand seats along with an addition 3,400 grass seats. It is shared with the women's soccer team, as well as the men's and women's lacrosse teams.

Fans

Rivalries

Maryland

Best known for their college football rivalry many cite the rivaly between the Cavaliers and the Maryland Terrapins as one of the most bitter rivalries in college soccer. The two sides have long been heavyweights in the ACC and are among the colleges with the most NCAA Division I championships in the sport. Throughout the 1970s, the rivalry was heavily dominated by Maryland only for the fortunes to be reversed in the 1990s. Additionally, the two sides have clashed six times against one another in the ACC championship.

Virginia Tech

Main article: Virginia – Virginia Tech rivalry

As interconference members, and having a longstanding rivalry, another one of the top rivals of the Virginia Cavaliers is the Virginia Tech Hokies. The series between the two has been heavily dominated by the Cavaliers, who boast a 35–4–1 record against the Hokies. However, in ACC play, the Cavaliers only better the Hokies by a 4–2–1.

Other rivalries

With the success of Colonial Athletic Association teams in men's collegiate soccer, as well as their geographic proximity, there has been reported rivalries between the Cavaliers and the Old Dominion Monarchs, the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and the William & Mary Tribe. The Cavaliers have met these opponents in numerous out of conference games, and in the NCAA tournament where they have even been defeated by Old Dominion.

Roster

2011–12 squad

As of May, 2013

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 0 GK Matt Miscione 1 GK Spencer LaCivita 2 DF Zach Carroll 3 DF Matt Brown 4 DF Grant Silvester 5 FW Bryan Lima 6 MF Scott Thomsen 7 MF Todd Wharton 8 FW Chris Somerville

No. Position Player 9 FW Darius Madison 10 FW Will Bates 11 MF Eric Bird 13 DF Kyler Sullivan 15 DF Kevin McBride 16 FW Marcus Salandy-Defour 17 DF Brian James 18 GK Will Whorton 20 MF Marcus Douglas

Team management

Coaching Staff

Position	Staff
Head Coach	George Gelnovatch
Associate Head Coach	Matt Chulis
Asst. Coach	Michael Behonick
Operations Assistant	Gabe Bernstein

Last updated: August 14, 2011
Source: Virginia Cavaliers Athletics Website

Head coaching history

Dates	Name	Notes
1941–1950	Lawrence Ludwig
1951–1953	Hugh Moomaw
1954	Wilson Fewster
1955–1957	Robert Sandell
1958–1965	Eugene Corrigan
1966–1970	Gordon Burris
1971–1973	Jim Stephens
1974–1977	Larry Gross
1978–1995	Bruce Arena
1996–present	George Gelnovatch

Seasons

Source: [1]

Season	Conference									Overall							Tournament	College Cup	Additional Honors
	Division	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts.	Pos.	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts.
1941	No conference									9	0	9	0	10	57	0
1942										9	4	2	1	15	9	13
1943
1944
1945
1946										5	1	3	1	4	15	4
1947										11	2	7	2	14	21	8
1948										11	3	7	1	13	22	10
1949										10	5	5	0	19	18	15
1950										10	4	5	1	26	23	13
1951										8	1	5	2	16	21	5
1952										9	5	2	2
1953										9	4	4	1
1954	ACC	4	1	1	2					8	2	4	2
1955	ACC	4	1	2	1					10	3	5	2
1956	ACC
1957	ACC
1958	ACC
1959	ACC
1960	ACC
1961	ACC
1962	ACC
1963	ACC
1964	ACC
1965	ACC
1966	ACC
1967	ACC
1968	ACC
1969	ACC																	R1
1970	ACC
1971	ACC
1972	ACC
1973	ACC
1974	ACC
1975	ACC
1976	ACC
1977	ACC
1978	ACC
1979	ACC																	R2
1980	ACC
1981	ACC
1982	ACC																	R2
1983	ACC																	SF
1984	ACC																	QF
1985	ACC																	R1
1986	ACC																	R1
1987	ACC																	R1
1988	ACC																	QF
1989	ACC																	Champions
1990	ACC																	QF
1991	ACC																	Champions
1992	ACC																	Champions
1993	ACC																	Champions
1994	ACC																	Champions
1995	ACC																	SF
1996	ACC																	R1
1997	ACC																	Runners-up
1998	ACC																	QF
1999	ACC																	QF
2000	ACC																	QF
2001	ACC																	R2
2002	ACC																	R2
2002	ACC																	R2
2003	ACC	6	3	3	0			9		23	11	10	2	29	29	35		R3
2004	ACC																	QF
2005	ACC																	R3
2006	ACC																	SF
2007	ACC																	R2
2008	ACC																	R2
2009	ACC	9	4	3	1			13	4th	25	19	3	3	37	8	60	Champions	Champions
2010	ACC	14	9	4	1					20	11	6	3	36	16	36		R1
2011	ACC	0	4	3	1	0	0	13	3rd	21	12	8	1	0	0	37	SF	R1

Honors

• College Cup
  • Winners (6): 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2009
  • Runners-up (1): 1997

References

General

• NCAA results and statistics sourced to: "NCAA Tournament Results & Awards". University of Virginia. Retrieved August 18, 2011. 
• ACC tournament results and statistics sourced to: "UVa in the ACC Tournament". Atlantic Coast Conference. University of Virginia. Retrieved August 20, 2011. 

Notes