Men's Soccer to Seek Goals in Barbados

December 11, 2003

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — With final exams finished, the Illinois Wesleyan men’s soccer team looks to test the waters (and playing fields) of Barbados and some international competition next week.

Thirteen members of the IWU soccer team will be combining a cultural and athletic experience as they play three games in the Caribbean island country, traveling from Dec. 15-22. The Titans will play Barbados Combined Clubs U-19 on Dec. 17, the Combined Juniors U-17 on Dec. 18 and the Barbados Under 19’s on Dec. 20. All games are at 4 p.m. Central time.

“We are looking forward to this trip for a couple of reasons,” said IWU head coach Dave Barrett, whose team finished 9-10 overall this fall. “First, Illinois Wesleyan soccer has never taken a foreign trip so we are excited to be the first Titan team to play international soccer competition.

“Secondly, this is going to be a great soccer experience for our players. We are playing very good youth teams and it will hopefully allow us to continue to evolve as a program. This will be a trip these guys will always remember when they look back on their college experience.”

In previous international trips sanctioned by the NCAA, IWU football teams played in Germany (1996) and Italy (2001).

The players making the Barbados trip are:

SENIOR – David Munz (Mt. Prospect, Prospect HS).

JUNIORS - David Beckett (Bolingbrook HS), Scott Hernandez (Oswego HS), Nick Hogren (Metamora HS), Matt Robertson (Arlington Heights, Hersey HS), Jeremy Witt (Waukegan, Warren Township HS).

SOPHOMORES – Drew Brady (Glenview, Glenbrook South HS), Ryan Smith (Decatur, Eisenhower HS), Jonathan Sykora (Bolingbrook HS).

FRESHMEN – Aaron Bailey (Peoria, Richwoods HS), Andrew Kloepper (Naperville, Benet Academy), Chris Miller (Normal, University High), Mark Opal (Wheaton, Benet Academy).

---

• For electronic transmittal of photos of any IWU soccer player, contact: salowitz@iwu.edu

• For quotes on any IWU men’s soccer player, contact head coach David Barrett, 309-556-3343