September 8, 2011

Hartford, Conn. – After a season that saw the Trinity College men's soccer team lose six times by a single goal and win just one of five overtime games, the Bantams are excited about their prospects of getting back to the program's winning ways of the previous three years.  Coached by Mike Pilger (8th Season), Trinity fields a deep and young but experienced roster in front of senior goalkeeper and 2010 All-NESCAC honoree Grant Schonberg (Mendham, N.J.).  Trinity will open 2011 at home against New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) rival Hamilton on Saturday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Schonberg, a strong and vocal leader both on and off the pitch, was stellar last fall with 80 saves for an .860 save percentage, a 0.90 GAA, and five shutouts.  Sophomore James Ciano (Syosset, N.Y.) and freshman Jason Katz (Middleton, Mass.) give Trinity the luxury of two capable backups in goal.  Fellow seniors Joe Buckley (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Connor Reilly (Trumbull, Conn.) each return for a third fall as a starter, as Buckley moves up to holding midfielder after two seasons in the backfield and Reilly is a physical presence on the back line who can also move forward and contribute offensively.  Junior Iver Hulleberg (Norwich, Vt.) is steady as a starter on one side of the Trinity defense, while a host of sophomores that includes 2010 Rookie of the Year Shaun McGann (West Hartford, Conn.), Zac Packer (North Attleboro, Mass.), and Andrew Mcnair (Westport, Conn.) are competing for the remaining starting roles on defense early in the season. 

At forward, senior Dan Mayernick (Gladwyne, Pa.) is a proven scorer with 15 goals, including three game-winners, and eight assists  in his first three seasons, while sophomore Will Stankiewicz (Townsend, Mass.) looks to build on a promising rookie year, and classmate Travis Merrill (Yarmouth, Maine) has been impressive in pre-season.  Senior Chris Binnie (Kingstown, Jamaica), sophomore Julian Gocksch (Centerport, N.Y.), and freshman Tim Shea (Somerset, Mass.) will also compete for early playing time up front. 

Junior Anthony El-Hachem (Vernon, Conn.) is skilled with the ball and as a distributor at the center midfielder position, and had two goals and one assist last season.  Seniors Mike Galluzo (Meriden, Conn.) and Wesley Updike (Cambridge, Mass.), who moves up from the backfield, combine with junior transfers Joe Phelan (Goshen, Conn.) and Chris Carrasquillo (Manchester, Conn.), first-year Kody Sun (Broad Brook, Conn.), and others to give Trinity several attractive midfield combinations.