Men's Soccer 8/23/2019 10:39:00 AM

OCU takes promising squad into 2019

Stars made debut on Harvey Field on Saturday

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City men's soccer team will look for a special season this fall for head coach Brian Harvey.
The legendary coach recently announced that 2019 will be his 34th and final season.
"I came in here thinking it was a soccer gig, but college soccer is a lot more than just a soccer gig," Harvey said. "It is dealing with young people, their problems and trying to help them through the four years they are here – making sure they leave better people than when they arrived."
The Stars take the field for the first time this season on Saturday when they host Concordia (Neb.) at the newly-named Brian Harvey Field. After a special ceremony formally dedicating the field, the match will start at 2 p.m. Eddy Hrdlicka will provide the commentary on the video broadcast.
The squad's top three top scorers are gone, and so are 36 of the 54 goals the Stars scored last season.
"It is always difficult putting new people together," Harvey said. "We graduated six boys last year, four or five that were very important members. There were a lot of goals amongst the boys that graduated. We will be looking for the same amount of goals from the newcomers. Like everything else, it is going to take a bit of time."
Over the last three seasons, the Stars have sported a 36-13-4 record, finishing in the top four of the Sooner Athletic Conference each time.
"The last three years we have had very good seasons, but we have had poor playoffs," Harvey said. "We have lost in the first round of the playoffs the last three years, twice on penalty kicks. Last year, we had a very good record going into the playoffs and we lost again in the playoffs. So, we will have to obviously tighten things up a little bit. I feel confident that this team has a chance to make some noise."

HARVEY'S FINAL SEASON

• This fall marks Brian Harvey's 34th and final season as head coach for the Stars. Harvey has directed the OCU soccer programs since 1986, when the men's program began. He has produced a 429-202-41 record serving as the men's soccer head coach
• Harvey's combined collegiate coaching record currently stands at 799-323-68
• The university will formally dedicate "Brian Harvey Field" on Saturday to honor the only soccer coach in OCU history
• "I just look at everything day-to-day," Harvey said. "I do not look beyond next year, this year, last year, etc. Everything is 'What can we do to improve today and how can we get better?'"

TOP RETURNERS

• Andre Salvador posted three shutouts and 87 saves in 15 matches last season as the Stars' goalkeeper. He received first-team all-SAC honors last season while also collecting conference defensive player of the week on two occasions
• Andrija Sreckovic is the top point returner for OCU, accumulating the fourth-most individual points for the Stars last season. The midfielder scored five goals and assisted on three goals in 16 matches. His 15 shots on goal were good enough for a .577 shot on-goal percentage.
• Junior defender Nick Stremel brings back the most experience out of anyone on the backline. The Germany native recorded a game-winning goal at Bethany (Kan.) and dished out an assist last year

ALSO WORTH NOTING

• Sophomore forward Ljubisa Palic comes in from Mount Mercy (Iowa) after sitting out the 2018 season. Palic was the leading scorer for Mount Mercy in 2017, netting 13 goals (three game-winners) and dishing out five assists

PRESEASON BUZZ

• OCU has been selected to finish third in the Sooner Athletic Conference coaches preseason poll. The Stars received 63 points and two first-place votes in the poll

MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR

• OCU begins their season with a home opener versus Concordia (Neb.) on 2 p.m. Saturday at Brian Harvey Field
• The Stars host 2019 SAC Tournament winner Mid-America Christian at 7 p.m. Oct. 22
• OCU will travel to Chickasha, Okla., to face preseason favorite USAO at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 to conclude their regular-season slate

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