University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Sarah Boekholder
Delaware Men’s Soccer Season Preview
8/25/2021 11:21:00 AM | Men's Soccer
The University of Delaware men's soccer team kicks off its highly-anticipated 2021 fall season this week as the Blue Hens head to Big 10 opponent Rutgers Thursday at 7 p.m.
The match is the first of a very challenging slate for Delaware, which also faces Big East competition and another Big 10 program in addition to the CAA schedule.
"We have a very tough schedule, one of the toughest by RPI in the country," said 16th-year head coach Ian Hennessy. "It's obviously a special occasion having the most storied program in recent years, Maryland, coming to Newark. But we also have opposition at the Big 10 and Big East level. Seton Hall reached the NCAA quarterfinals last year, while Monmouth and American were NCAA participants, so this is one of the most ambitious schedules in recent times for our program."
The UD backline will be anchored by goalkeeper Renan Thomazo, who played every minute during the spring campaign, logging a 1.06 goals against average and recording three clean sheets. Aron Adalsteinsson, a CAA Preseason pick, returns in the backfield, along with Pedro Barbolla, a second team All-CAA and CAA Rookie Team selection during the spring.
The midfield unit will be paced by fifth-year senior Ryan Mertz, who appeared in all five games in the spring and tallied one assist. Justin Ruth, who led the Blue Hens with a pair of goals in the spring, returns to the forward line, along with Rex Twum, who scored three goals in 2019 before suffering a leg injury.
With 15 players who saw action during the spring returning for the fall campaign, Hennessy is optimistic about the Blue Hens' prospects.
"I think it's a deeper squad than what we've had," he said. "We're almost 100 percent healthy, so I'm excited about that. I think once we have everybody cleared and up and running, we can be a contender by the time conference play comes around."
The match is the first of a very challenging slate for Delaware, which also faces Big East competition and another Big 10 program in addition to the CAA schedule.
"We have a very tough schedule, one of the toughest by RPI in the country," said 16th-year head coach Ian Hennessy. "It's obviously a special occasion having the most storied program in recent years, Maryland, coming to Newark. But we also have opposition at the Big 10 and Big East level. Seton Hall reached the NCAA quarterfinals last year, while Monmouth and American were NCAA participants, so this is one of the most ambitious schedules in recent times for our program."
The UD backline will be anchored by goalkeeper Renan Thomazo, who played every minute during the spring campaign, logging a 1.06 goals against average and recording three clean sheets. Aron Adalsteinsson, a CAA Preseason pick, returns in the backfield, along with Pedro Barbolla, a second team All-CAA and CAA Rookie Team selection during the spring.
The midfield unit will be paced by fifth-year senior Ryan Mertz, who appeared in all five games in the spring and tallied one assist. Justin Ruth, who led the Blue Hens with a pair of goals in the spring, returns to the forward line, along with Rex Twum, who scored three goals in 2019 before suffering a leg injury.
With 15 players who saw action during the spring returning for the fall campaign, Hennessy is optimistic about the Blue Hens' prospects.
"I think it's a deeper squad than what we've had," he said. "We're almost 100 percent healthy, so I'm excited about that. I think once we have everybody cleared and up and running, we can be a contender by the time conference play comes around."
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/ Men's SoccerMen's Soccer x Summit League
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