2008 Men's Soccer Outlook

Jeff Bateson enters his third year of restoring Guilford’s soccer team after finishing 2007 with a 5-13-1 overall record, 2-6-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). He returns 15 letter winners from last year’s squad, which made the Quakers’ first conference tournament appearance in three years. Bateson looks forward to the upcoming year after a promising preseason.

"Preseason has been great,” Bateson said. “We have a good group of returners and they are refocused on team goals. There are also 12 new players who have been able to compete right away. Our overall skill level is the best is has been in three years.”

In addition to new talent and experienced leadership, Bateson has seen a change in the team’s outlook since last season.

“The team’s demeanor has changed. The players get along better than they have the past two years,” Bateson said. “There is a higher level of respect for each other.”

The squad also understands that for the six seniors, this is the last time out. According to Bateson, there is a sense of urgency, and the whole team is determined to make the seniors’ last year a success.

Even though the past two seasons have only produced a total of 10 wins, Bateson says his rebuilding process is right on schedule.

“Aside from wins and losses, the team is where I thought it’d be,” Bateson said. “We’re changing the way we do things. Of course I always thought we’d win more because wins and losses are used to gauge the season. I wanted to get a new roster like this one, and I wanted [my players] to respect each other. But we are where I want to be. Now we have to turn that corner and earn respect.”

Bateson sees the changes from last year as “plentiful,” as the team has better talent overall because each of the players brings something positive to the table. Team goals for the season are to compete against every opponent and to finish in the top half of the ODAC. Additionally, Bateson would like to see his team finish at least .500 in a tough non-conference schedule. Non-conference competitors include nationally ranked Emory University (13th) and USA South powerhouses Greensboro College and North Carolina Wesleyan College, who both competed in the NCAA Tournament last season.

Bateson expects to see great things from senior captains Joe Rigert (pictured) and Dan Etter. After leading the team with 10 goals and three assists for 23 points, Rigert was a Second Team All-ODAC selection last year. Etter started every game last season and was named to the Fred Myers Invitational All-Tournament team. Classmate Scott Meguid also returns for his last season after accumulating numerous accolades, including d3kicks.com Third Team All-South Region honors as a junior, NSCAA/adidas Second Team All-South Region laurels in 2006 and All-ODAC recognition in 2006 and 2007.

Bateson is enthusiastic about the talent he has to work with this season. Between the veteran leadership and determination, and the talent and work ethic of the first-year student-athletes, the team is primed to post its best record in three years. The Quakers, picked eighth in the preseason ODAC Coaches’ Poll, open the season with a pair of challenging matchups at Emory University versus Oglethorpe University and Emory Aug. 29 and 30, respectively. Guilford opens its home schedule against preseason conference favorite Virginia Wesleyan Sept. 24 at Haworth Field.