Men's Soccer: WVU to Open Preseason Camp
August 14, 2009 02:50 PM | General
August 14, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men’s soccer team opens preseason camp on Monday, Aug. 17.
The Mountaineers will have their first practice Monday morning and follow with strength training. The squad’s second practice of the day will come later in the evening. Two-a-day practices will continue through Friday. The team will have a single-practice session on Saturday before doing a walk-through at night to prepare for the Mountaineers’ first exhibition match against Michigan on Aug. 23 at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
"We're looking forward to getting started with the 2009 campaign,” coach Marlon LeBlanc says. “I think we have a fantastic team. It's a young team, but one that we think can challenge for team honors and championships this year."
Players are required to report the morning of Sunday, Aug. 16. Throughout the day, the team will attend various meetings with strength and conditioning, athletic training, sports communications and compliance.
WVU returns 13 letterwinners, including BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and all-league first team selection Zach Johnson and all-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Gift Maworere, and welcomes 10 freshmen to the 2009 squad.
The Mountaineers were picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Blue Division and redshirt junior Johnson earned BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year honors and also was named to the all-BIG EAST preseason team.
WVU officially begins the season on Sept. 4 against 2006 national champion UC-Santa Barbara in the annual WVU/NIKE Classic, presented by Jerseys Subs. The match is slated for an 8 p.m. start.
