< PreviousMEET THE WILDCATS 2021 VILLANOVA FOOTBALL 30 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM TEMI AJIROTUTU JAQUAN ALLEN TRAJAN ANDERSON KOFI APPIAH NOWOOLA AWOPETU TD DEE WIL BARLEE WILLIAM BARTEL BRENDAN BELL CHRISTIAN BENFORD AMIN BLACK ERIK BOKISCH MITCHELL BOTHWELL DEZ BOYKIN COLE BUNCE ETHAN CARR DAN CIRINO MATT COLANTUONO MICHAEL CORBI JUSTIN COVINGTON HUNTER CUSIMANO JOEY D’ANTONIO MJ DUMAS IAN ERICKSONArchitects, Engineers & Business Friends Working for the Future of Villanova M AIN O FFICE : 300 O PPORTUNITY W AY P HOENIXVILLE , PA 19460-1198 (P): 610-768-0400 (F): 610-992-5070 R EADING O FFICE : 3 M ORGAN D RIVE R EADING , PA 19608-1754 (P): 610-603-0810 (F): 610-603-0818 D IVISIONS OF H.B. F RAZER C OMPANY E LECTRICAL C ONTRACTOR E LECTRICAL C ONSTRUCTION T ELE /D ATA & U TILITY L INE C ONSTRUCTION H.B.F RAZER C OMPANY F RAZER T ECHNOLOGY | H ARRY B. M ILLER C O C ENTENNIAL E LECTRIC | N UCERO E LECTRIC Emergency Systems Emergency Systems Service Company Service Company Joseph M. 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We always come to play to win so you can always Mow with an Attitude! www.badboymowers.com • 866-622-3269 102 Industrial Drive • Batesville, AR 72501 CLASSIC AMERICANMEET THE WILDCATS 2021 VILLANOVA FOOTBALL 34 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM JARED NELSON JORDAN NELSON IRENE NGABONZIZA COLTON NIEDZIESKI JAKE NORTHROP OBINNA NWOBODO MATT O’CONNOR RICKY ORTEGA ANDREW PEREZ JAMES PETROVCIK JAKE PICARD DARIUS PICKETT ETHAN POTTER CJ PRESSLEY RAYJOUN PRINGLE JOHN RHODAN FORREST RHYNE JADEN ROLLING MIKE RUANE CHRISTIAN SAPP K SHAWN SCHULTERS ANTHONY SIRAGUSA JOSH SLAY DANIEL SMITHMEET THE WILDCATS 2021 VILLANOVA FOOTBALL WWW.VILLANOVA.CO n 35 JACK STANTON TODD SUMMERS PJ SZYMANSKI OWEN THOMAS NICK TORRES QWAHSIN TOWNSEL ELIJAH TRENT TY TRINH STEPHANE VOLTAIRE JACOB WALTON CONNOR WATKINS ISAS WAXTER JAMES WELDE BEN WHELESS TYLER WILL DENZEL WILLIAMS JARED WOLFE GARRETT ZOBELSPOTLIGHT: MEN’S SOCCER 2021 VILLANOVA FOOTBALL 36 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM S eated behind his desk in Jake Nevin Field House, with traffic on Lancaster Avenue visible in the dis- tance, Villanova Men’s Soccer Head Coach Tom Carlin nods when asked to assess his team’s efforts in a trio of preseason scrimmages (2-1). “It’s nice to have upperclassmen,” he notes with a smile. Indeed, the Wildcats who open the 2021 fall regular season are wiser and more seasoned than they were last spring. The spring campaign – post- poned by COVID-19 from the usual fall slot – was a jumbled, uneven season spent dealing with game cancellations due to viral outbreaks at opponent schools and early struggles after a dis- jointed fall without full team workouts. While seniors make up only a small part of the roster – led by goalkeep- ers Carson Williams and Kent Dickey, along with forward Seidu Shamsudeen and midfielder Dylan Middlebrook – they are backed by a deep class of juniors with ample game experience on its resume. The Wildcats posted a 2-8 over- all record in the abbreviated spring, including 2-6 in the BIG EAST. But Villanova was playing its best soc- cer on the heels of a 4-1 victory over Connecticut on March 31 before seeing its final three league matches can- celled by COVID-19 issues in oppo- nent’s programs. It then performed well in a 1-0 “friendly” loss at No. 4 Wake Forest. In the preseason, the ‚Cats won at George Mason, dropped a 1-0 home decision to Loyola and bounced back with a 1-0 triumph over Bucknell on Sunday on West Campus. “We went through trial-and-error last year, and it’s led to who we are today,” Carlin stated. Williams has been an elite BIG EAST goalkeeper since assuming the start- ing position in 2018 after the departure of Will Steiner. In 2019, the last full fall season, the native of Dallas logged the nation’s highest save percentage (.849) and posted a 0.70 goals against average. His frequent understudy, Dickey, has developed into a quality college keeper in his own right and was strong in the Loyola scrimmage. The center backs in front of goal are familiar faces in new places. Juniors Josh Belluz and Viktor Bendiktsson, who began their college careers pri- marily as defensive midfielders, have been tasked with locking down the middle of the field in front of the keep- ers. Both have logged heavy minutes in their first two seasons but 2021 brings an expansion of their respon- sibilities. The decision to slide Belluz to the center back slot was made last April but wasn’t implemented until after the campaign concluded. Others who figure into the defend- er’s mix are sophomores Jack Bonas, who is seeing more time at outside back than he did last season, and David Ogbonna; freshmen O’Neil Dawes and Tommy Johnson, and junior Anthony Dragisics, who can also operate as a defensive midfielder. “We see a ton of potential and promise in our back line,” Carlin states. “We’ve got guys in new roles so we’re still seeking the continuity. It’s just going to take a little time.” The midfield boasts a group featur- ing diverse skills. Middlebrook, who has seen most of his action as a reserve in his career, has stepped for- ward in a large way thus far. Junior Marcus Brenes, sophomore Dominic Cyriacks, and Dragisics also bring high-level experience to this area. They’re joined by sophomores Gray Ricca, Branden Johns (currently side- lined due to an injury suffered against Loyola), Jorge Garcia along with new- comers Jordan Canica, Connor Hinds, Johnson, and Kyle Dixon. Goals are usually the most elusive commodity in college soccer. Villanova averaged 0.80 goals per game in the spring, with four of those coming in the victory over Connecticut. The good news is that ace forward, junior Lyam MacKinnon, returns along with senior Seidu Shamsudeen. The pair have both been finishers in their careers on the Main Line and each will have a chance to add firepower to the attack this fall. That pair will be spelled by a prom- ising group that includes sophomores Akinjide Awujo and Luke Pompliano along with freshmen Balthi Saunders, Canica, Dixon, and Vincent Petrera. If there is one edge this unit can have over its predecessors in Carlin’s view is its depth. “We can legitimately go 20 guys deep,” Carlin stated. “It’s the first time we’ve had that since I got here in 2006. It’s a testament to the support of the Athletic Department. We’re able to maximize our roster and have a better chance to overcome injuries that would have put us in a tough spot before.” The BIG EAST schedule is stacked as usual. The non-conference slate includes its own share of challenges but does offer the advantage of host- ing the first four matches of the fall at the Higgins Soccer Complex. “It wasn’t really planned that way but that’s how it worked out,” said Carlin. Preseason prognosticators have suggested that the struggles of last spring might carry over into the fall. Inside the Wildcats’ locker room, there is, however, a very different vibe. “The outside noise, wherever they pick you, doesn’t matter,” noted Carlin. “In our minds it just means they hav- en’t noticed what we have growing here. That’s OK. We are confident in our development and know that every game is an opportunity to show where we have improved.” Wildcats Eager to Show How Much They’ve Grown Carson Williams609-265-2400 academybus.com Proud Partner Villanova AthleticsTO OUR FANS 2021 VILLANOVA FOOTBALL 38 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM A s a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Villanova University is responsible for exercising “institutional control” over its intercollegiate athletics program. The NCAA holds the University accountable for the acts of anyone identified as a Villanova University “athletics representative.” By definition, an “athletics representative” is any individual who is: n A season ticket holder. n A member of an institutional athletics booster club. n Involved in providing jobs or internships for enrolled student-athletes. n Involved in promoting the institution’s athletics program. n Has ever been involved with the Villanova University athletics program. n Has made contributions to booster clubs or to the athletics department. Once “athletics representative” status has been reached, fans retain that status for life. Under NCAA legislation, “athletics representatives” are prohibited from any contact (e.g., letters, telephone calls, face-to-face, and social media) with a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians for purposes of recruiting. Such contacts are to be initiated exclusively by authorized athletics department staff members. Athletics representatives are subject to NCAA legislation which requires member institutions to revoke or withhold privi- leges from any individual who has engaged in conduct that is determined by the NCAA, or its member conferences, to be in violation of NCAA legislation, regardless of whether such violation results in the imposition of sanctions. Such benefits or privileges may include, but are not limited to, ticket privileges being withheld by the University to any University-hosted athletics event, for a period of time which the NCAA, and its member conferences, deems appropriate. We request that “athletics representatives” do not make recruiting contact with prospective student-athletes at any time. No matter how well-meaning your intentions, any contact you make with a prospective student-athlete places you, our University, and the Villanova University athletics program at risk of receiving NCAA sanctions. If you have any questions, before taking action, please contact our compliance office at the address below and telephone number for clarification. Should you wish to receive more information on applicable NCAA policies, our compliance office will be happy to provide additional information and clarification to you. To request a free copy of our “Guide to NCAA Rules…for Alumni, Faculty & Friends” or to receive clarification of NCAA rules before taking any actions, please email athletics.compliance@villanova.edu or call 610-519-6607. We are grateful for your wonderful and enthusiastic support, and we appreciate your attention to all NCAA regulations regarding Villanova University prospective and enrolled student-athletes. Thank you, Katie LeGrand, Associate Athletic Director for ComplianceNext >