August 13, 2002
GREENVILLE, SC -- The tenth ranked Furman men's soccer team will begin preseason workouts on Wednesday in preparation for its 2002 season.
Furman, which returns seven starters from last year's team, is coming off a 17-5 season, three consecutive undefeated records in Southern Conference regular season and tournament play, and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.
The Paladins will be led by five seniors, including forward Anthony Esquivel, who was named the 2001 Southern Conference Tournament MVP as he scored two late goals in the championship match. Furman will also look to sophomore Ricardo Clark, member of the United States U-20 National team, for on-the-field leadership.
Furman also welcomes an incoming class ranked as the third best in the nation by College Soccer News. Furman's class features eight freshmen, including Gray Griffin, Chefik Simo, and Josh Villalobos, all members of the United States U-17 National team, and Rhett Abraham, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago U-20 National team.
"I believe that this class has the potential to be one of the best-ever at Furman, and I am excited to see what they will be able to accomplish in the future," said head coach Doug Allison.
The Paladins face a challenging non-conference schedule as they take on Creighton, Notre Dame, St. Louis, Clemson, and South Carolina this season, all of which were ranked in College Soccer News' top 30 preseason poll. Furman will also take on three teams who received votes - Bradley, Butler, and Gonzaga.
In addition, Furman enters the 2002 season looking to improve on a 33-match conference unbeaten streak that dates back to the start of the 1999 season. The Paladins will host Southern Conference rivals UNC Greensboro, College of Charleston, and Davidson.
"This has been an exciting time for us," said Allison. "We are looking forward to a very competitive preseason. We have some great players returning, and that, coupled with the freshmen coming in, could prove to make 2002 an exciting season."