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No. 19 Men's Soccer to Host Mercer in Aug. 22 Season-Opener

by Ryan Ladika

ORLANDO – The No. 19 UCF men’s soccer team made an immediate statement in its inaugural season in the Sun Belt a year ago, and the squad is now set for its encore.

After completing their two preseason tuneups against the Florida Atlantic Owls and Stetson Hatters, the Knights will embark on their second season as members of their new conference with a Thursday, Aug. 22 season-opening contest against the Mercer Bears at the UCF Soccer Complex.

The Black and Gold enjoyed a dominant run through the fall 2023 slate, producing the third 10-plus-win season under head coach Scott Calabrese and, most notably, earning the first No. 1 national ranking in a regular-season poll in UCF Athletics history in weeks nine and 10.

“I take a lot of lessons away from last year. Specifically around the teams we play in the Sun Belt, a conference that I think is in the top two to three conferences in the sport. There are four teams in the preseason top 25, so the standard and quality of the conference is very high, as is the level of players and coaching.”

Scott CalabreseHead Coach

The team earned a second-round NCAA Tournament berth and the No. 12 national seed on the strength of a 10-3-2 mark through Sun Belt Conference Tournament play, representing the first appearance by the program in the dance since the 2020-21 campaign, pushed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Knights, who finished second in the Sun Belt table, were duly recognized for their efforts throughout the campaign in the conference’s post-season awards, with Calabrese earning Sun Belt Coach of the Year, then-sophomore transfer Clarence Awoudor earning Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, and then-freshman Saku Heiskanen garnering Sun Belt Freshman of the Yeah honors.

Forward Lucca Dourado and defender Zane Bubb were both named to the league’s First Team All-Conference list, while Heiskanen, defender Anderson Rosa and midfielder AJ Seals were tabbed as All-Conference second teamers.

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While Bubb, Seals and Heiskanen are among those who have since departed, the Knights, picked to finish third in the Sun Belt’s 2024 preseason coaches poll, bring back Rosa, Dourado and Awoudor on a 27-man roster that includes 19 returners and eight newcomers.

Rosa and Dourado were both recognized in the conference’s preseason awards, with the former earning Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and both being added to the league’s Preseason All-Conference Team.

“It’s amazing what these guys have meant to the program. They’re incredible human beings, and over the years, UCF has meant more and more to them each year. They’ve invested so much for these guys to come back when they have opportunities to move on and take another step. They want to give back to this program, and we want to help elevate them as well. I’m so excited to have those guys this season.”

Scott Calabreseon Dourado and Rosa

On the heels of his standout senior season, Rosa was a second-round pick by the Colorado Rapids in the MLS SuperDraft 2024 before electing to return for his final season, while Dourado notched his third consecutive 21-plus-point season as the team’s leading scorer. Both players were recognized with United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors a year ago as well.

Junior Juanvi Muñoz returns for his third season between the goalposts as well, leading a four-man goalkeeper tandem on the heels of a strong sophomore slate.

Muñoz, the lone netminder on the Knights’ 2024 roster with prior in-game Division I collegiate experience, became the second Knight to earn Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors a season ago, and completed the year with single-season career bests in appearances (15), starts (15), minutes played (1350), fewest goals allowed (17), goals-against average (1.134), save percentage (.734), shutouts (3) and wins (9).

In hosting the Bears to kick off the new campaign, the Knights will open the season at home for the first time since the fall of 2021, and will be in search of a second straight season-opening victory after downing the then-No. 9 Clemson Tigers on the road, 2-1, Aug. 24, 2023. The squad’s early top 10 win last year vaulted UCF into the United Soccer Coaches’ top 25 rankings from week one through the remainder of the season.

The Knights have met Mercer 15 times in the history of both programs, with the last matchup a 2-0 Bears victory in Orlando Sept. 6, 2015. Despite the shutout loss, UCF still owns an 8-5-2 record in the all-time series.

Mercer enters its 11th season as a member of the SoCon on the heels of a 7-6-8 showing in 2023 and its fifth conference tournament championship in the last seven years. The Bears earned an automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament by virtue of its title, but fell to the Florida International Panthers, 1-0, in Miami in the opening round Nov. 16.

Entering the new season, Mercer was picked to finish first in the SoCon preseason coaches poll and led the league with four preseason all-conference selections in sophomore forward Barzee Blama, senior midfielder Carlos Santamaria, senior defender Sekou Agard, and graduate student goalkeeper Trevor McMullen.

Blama’s preseason recognition comes on the heels of his 2023 SoCon Freshman of the Year selection, an honor he earned by scoring a team-best 17 points on the strength of seven goals and one assist. McMullen, meanwhile, served as one of the nation’s steadiest goalkeepers, as he ranked within the country’s top 25 in save percentage (.797, 18th), minutes played (1754:20, 19th) and goals-against average (.821, 22nd).

UP NEXT

The 19th-ranked Knights will commence their 2024 season against the Mercer Bears Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex, with the contest immediately following the UCF women’s soccer team’s home-opener against Utah Valley.

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