Jordan Iblings is one of two returning defenders
Bobby Kroog battles with a defender for the ball
Jon Astry works his way through the midfield
J.T. Johnson led the Gusties in goals last season
The Gustavus Adolphus College men’s soccer team enters the 2005 season coming off a very successful and decorated 2004 campaign. The Gusties finished last season with the most wins in school history, recording an 18-2-3 mark. Gustavus claimed a share of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, won their second MIAC Tournament title and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. 2004 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas West Region Coach of the Year Larry Zelenz returns six starters from a squad that went 8-1-1 last year in the MIAC. Gustavus, which has earned berths to the NCAA Tournament in three of the last five years, will open the season at home against UW-Whitewater on Saturday, September 3rd. The Gusties will open the MIAC season on Wednesday, September 14th at Carleton.
Key returnees include two-time All-America, all-region and all-conference selection Bobby Kroog (Senior, Bloomington, Minn.) and 2004 Third Team NSCAA/adidas Division III All-West Region selection Jon Astry (Senior, Eden Prairie, Minn.). “A key for us this year is going to be how those two play. They have the midfield solidified and we need them to perform well,” Coach Zelenz commented. Kroog recorded four goals and three assists last season for the Gusties while also earning his second All-America selection. Astry is a three-year letter winner and played an integral part on a Gustie offense that scored 46 goals while allowing only four in 23 games. He earned his first all-conference selection last year. The Gusties also return two of three defenders from last year’s squad. Seniors Jordan Iblings (Plymouth, Minn.) and Grant Morlock (Moorhead, Minn.) will anchor a defense that will be without All-American and 2004-05 Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year Joe Hartwell. Hartwell, the conference and team MVP from a year ago, graduated in the spring and is now the assistant coach. Iblings appears to be the one to slide to the middle and fill Hartwell’s spot, with Sam Barthell (Sophomore, Bloomington, Minn.) and incoming first-year player Todd Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) looking to step into the starting line-up.
Others returning for Gustavus include midfielders Jeffrey Johnson (Sophomore, Tonka Bay, Minn.) and Alex Groth (Junior, Waupaca, Wisc.) who recorded six and four goals, respectively, in the 2004 season. Johnson, who suffered a broken leg near the end of last season, was the team’s leading goal scorer in 2004 with six. Chris Pinahs (Senior, Delafield, Wisc.), Ben Heupel (Sophomore, Maple Grove, Minn.), Matt Broin (Junior, Minnetonka, Minn.) and Neil Nelson (Junior, Edina, Minn.) all return for another season, giving the Gusties experience and flexibility at the midfield position. Zelenz said he’s looking forward to seeing how Heupel fits into the plan, because he has the ability to play at a high level for the Gusties this season. Senior forward Caleb Bousu (Burnsville, Minn.) will be back at full strength after suffering an injury last season. Bousu earned all-conference honorable mention honors as a sophomore. Others expected to contribute at forward are Jeff Aasness (Senior, Moorhead, Minn.), Mike Butterworth (Sophomore, Anchorage, Alaska) and Matt Strom (Sophomore, Plymouth, Minn.).
One position that will be under close watch is goalkeeper. With Andy Moulton and Nate Hitch lost to graduation, this year’s goalkeeper will have big shoes to fill. Last year, Moulton and Hitch combined for a school-record 19 shutouts and allowed only four goals. Junior Tyler Garry (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and sophomore Trevor Brown (Madison, Wisc.) look to be battling for the position, but it remains unknown who will step in and mind the net.
Gustavus features a very tough schedule in 2005, one that includes four non-conference opponents that made NCAA Tournament appearances last season. Zelenz commented about the schedule, saying “This is the toughest schedule that Gustavus has ever had. These seniors deserve a challenge. And it will help us in the end to have faced NCAA Tournament caliber teams during the regular season.”
The Gusties will look to their experienced veterans and wealth of young talent in 2005 to battle an extremely tough schedule and continue a winning tradition of Gustavus soccer. Zelenz stated, “The unique thing about this team is the amount of quality seniors we have. We’re talking seven starting seniors out of 11 guys on the field, that’s pretty good.”
2005 MIAC Men’s Soccer Preview
2005 Schedule
General Information
Name: Gustavus Adolphus College
Location: St. Peter, Minn.
Founded: 1862
Enrollment: 2,600
Nickname: Golden Gusties
School Colors: Black and Gold
Home Facilities: Gustavus Soccer Field
Affiliation: NCAA Div. III
President: Jim Peterson
Athletic Director: Al Molde
Athletic Phone: (507) 933-7617
History
First year of soccer: 1967
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 3
Last NCAA Tournament / Result: 2004 / Tied UW-Whitewater 1-1 advanced on penalty kicks (5-4), defeated Trinity (1-0), lost to UC-Santa Cruz (0-1)
Sports Information
Sports Info Director: Tim Kennedy
Work Phone: (507) 933-7647
E-mail: timgasid@gustavus.edu
Sports Info Asst/Men’s Soccer Contact: Joshua Schroeder
Work Phone: (507) 933-8411
Email: jschroed@gustavus.edu
SID Fax: (507) 933-8412
Web site: http://www.gustavus.edu/oncampus/athletics/msc/
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Larry Zelenz (246-141-41)
Alma Mater / Year: DePauw/1978
Year at Gustavus: 20th
Head Coach’s office phone: (507) 933-7699
Assistant Coach: Joe Hartwell
Gustavus vs. the MIAC
Series vs. Augsburg 28-15-15
Series vs. Bethel 21-11-8
Series vs. Carleton 18-4-5
Series vs. Concordia 13-3-2
Series vs. Hamline 43-2-4
Series vs. Macalester 32-12-5
Series vs. St. John’s 21-18-10
Series vs. St. Mary’s 28-3-9
Series vs. St. Olaf 16-15-8
Series vs. St. Thomas 18-21-9
Player Information
Key Returnees
Bobby Kroog (SR, MF, 5-11, 170) — 3rd Team All-America (2004), 1st Team All-Region, All-Conference
Jon Astry (SR, MF, 6-0, 160) — 3rd Team All-Region, All-Conference
Jordan Iblings (SR, D, 6-3, 180)
Grant Morlock (SR, D, 5-11, 180)
All Returning Letterwinners
Jeff Aasness (SR, F, 6-0, Moorhead, MN)
Jonathan Astry (SR, MF, 6-0, Eden Prairie, MN)
Caleb Bousu (SR, F, 6-0, Burnsville, MN)
Matt Broin (JR, MF, 5-11, Minnetonka, MN)
Mike Butterworth (SO F, 6-1, Anchorage, AK)
Alex Groth (JR, MF, 5-11, Waupaca, WI)
Ben Heupel (SO MF, 5-10, Maple Grove, MN)
Jordan Iblings (SR, B, 6-2, Plymouth, MN)
Jeffrey Johnson (SO, MF, 5-8, Tonka Bay, MN)
Bobby Kroog (SR, MF, 5-11, Bloomington, MN)
Grant Morlock (SR, B, 5-11, Moorhead, MN)
Neil Nelson (JR, F, 5-11, Edina, MN)
Christopher Pinahs (SR, MF, 5-10, Delafield, WI)
Matt Strom (SO, B, 5-11, Plymouth, MN)
Letterwinners Lost
Joe Hartwell
Nate Hitch
Andy Moulton
Chad Ransom
Taylor Stein
Key Newcomers
Tyler Garry (JR, GK, Sioux Falls, SD)
Trevor Brown (SO, GK, Madison, WI)
Sam Barthell (SO, B, Bloomington, MN)
Todd Johnson (FY, B, Bloomington, MN)
Letterwinnters returning: 14
Letterwinners lost: 5
Starters returning: 7
Starters lost: 4
2004 Game-by-Game Results
Date Opponent Result
Sept. 1 Viterbo (A) W 5-0
Sept. 4 Pacific Lutheran (A) W 3-0
Sept. 5 Puget Sound (A) T 1-1 (2OT)
Sept. 11 Loras (H) W 4-0
Sept. 12 Nebraska Wesleyan (H) W 4-0
Sept. 15 St. Olaf* (A) T 0-0 (2OT)
Sept. 18 Concordia* (A) W 2-0
Sept. 22 Northwestern (H) W 4-0
Sept. 25 St. John’s* (H) W 2-0
Sept. 28 St. Mary’s* (H) W 3-0
Oct. 2 Carleton* (H) W 1-0
Oct. 3 Luther (A) W 2-0
Oct. 9 Augsburg* (A) W 2-0
Oct. 13 Bethel* (H) L 0-1
Oct. 16 Hamline* (A) W 3-0
Oct. 22 Macalester* (A) W 1-0 (2OT)
Oct. 26 St. Thomas* (H) W 1-0
Oct. 30 Colorado College (H) W 2-0
Nov. 2 Bethel (H) W 1-0
Nov. 6 Macalester (H) W 3-0
Nov. 13 UW-Whitewater (H) T 1-1 (Adv. 5-4 on pk’s)
Nov. 19 Trinity (A) W 1-0
Nov. 20 UC-Santa Cruz (A) L 0-1
*Indicates MIAC opponent