Bluejays Host No. 19 Drake in Men's Soccer Wednesday
10/13/2009 3:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Creighton hosts #19 Drake
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m. • Morrison Stadium • Omaha, Neb.
Creighton at Evansville
Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:00 p.m. • Black Beauty Field • Evansville, Ind.
Following the Jays: Every Creighton home match this season can be followed on the internet via live stats and live video at www.gocreighton.com. Live stats for all home matches can be viewed free with gametracker by clicking on the 'Live Stats' link. Fans can subscribe to watch a live video stream of the Bluejays' home matches via the 'Live Video' link.
This Week: The Bluejays play their final home MVC match this week, playing host to 19th-ranked Drake on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Jays then play at Evansville on Saturday night.
Last Week: Creighton extended its unbeaten streak to four matches, with a scoreless tie at Missouri State last Wednesday and a 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois at home on Sunday. The Jays out-shot MSU 12-6 and had a 12-0 corner kick advantage in the 0-0 draw with the Bears. They then scored a season-high five goals – from five players – and tied the Morrison Stadium record for assists (9) and points (19) in a match, in their win over EIU.
Scouting Creighton (5-2-2, 3-1-1 MVC): The three-time defending MVC champion Bluejays enter the week on a four-match unbeaten streak, going 3-0-1 in that span. The Jays had scored six goals in their first eight matches of the season, before exploding for a season-high five goals on Sunday. They again find themselves in first place in the MVC because of their outstanding defense which has posted five shutouts in nine matches and logged a 0.53 goals against average – both numbers rank in the top-20 in the nation. Sophomore goalkeeper Brian Holt, the 2008 MVC Freshman of the Year, owns 17 shutouts in 28 career starts and his 0.52 career goals against average is both a school and league record. He is aided by the help of a starting back line which includes two of CU's three National Player of the Year candidates. Defenders Chris Schuler (2009 MVC Defensive Player of the Year) and Seth Sinovic are joined by fellow fifth-year senior Byron Dacy on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Sinovic is not only a leader on defense, but he is also tied with newcomer Josh Moran for the team-lead with three assists. Sophomore Ethan Finlay leads the team with four goals and 10 points. Finlay has scored 10 career goals, seven of which have been game-winning scores.
Scouting Drake (7-3-1, 2-0-0 MVC): The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 1 in the Midwest and 19th nationally, also enter Wednesday's match having gone 3-0-1 in their last four matches, including three straight wins. After playing their first three matches of the season at home, DU then went on a seven-match road trip before retuning home to top Evansville 1-0 last Saturday. Garrett Webb and Kevin Shrout were both on the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Webb tops the team with four goals and 11 points and Shrout leads the way with four assists. DU ranks second in the MVC with 21 goals scored, as eight Bulldogs have scored at least two goals. Michael Drozd has posted a 1.15 goals against average and 23 saves in goal for the Bulldogs.
Head Coach: Head coach Bob Warming (Berea, 1975) is in his second stint as the Bluejays' head coach with a 188-59-31 (.733) record in his 14th season at CU. His overall record is 381-178-61 (.664) in his 32nd year of coaching. Warming was honored as FieldTurf Tarkett's National Coach of the Year, NSCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year and led the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year in 2008. The MVC All-Centennial Coach and 2009 Omaha Sports Hall of Fame inductee has guided teams to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, is a six-time finalist for National Coach of the Year and. The all-time winningest soccer coach in school history, he ranked sixth among active Division I coaches in career victories to open this season.
CU-DU Series: The Bluejays are 20-1-6 all-time against Drake, which included a 14-match winning streak from 1992 through 2001. The Jays are 3-1-3 in their last seven meetings with Drake, including a 2-0 win over then No. 24-ranked Drake last year in Omaha. Four of the last eight meetings between the teams have gone into overtime. The Jays are 12-0-2 all-time against the Bulldogs in Omaha.
There's the Offense: Creighton scored a season-high five goals against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11) after having scored just six goals through its first eight matches. Five different players scored and eight different Bluejays recorded an assist in the match, with Josh Moran dishing two helpers in the 5-1 victory. The Jays also unloaded a season-high 26 shots and 15 shots on goal.
Records Set & Tied: In Creighton's 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11), the Bluejays set a Morrison Stadium record and tied a pair marks. The Jays' 15 shots on goal broke the former mark of 13, which had been done three times previously, last against Vanderbilt on Oct. 15, 2004. CU's nine assists and 19 points tied the facility mark set against EIU on Oct. 8, 2005.
Thayer's Record: Omaha native Jeff Thayer now owns a Morrison Stadium record for shots on goal in a career. The senior sent two shots on goal against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11) to move his career total at the venue to 33, surpassing the former mark of Andrei Gotsmanov (32) set from 2007-08.
That's a Handful: Five different Bluejays scored a goal in a 5-1 victory over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11), the first time five different Jays had scored in a match since Oct. 19, 2005 at Georgetown (6-0 win).
Go to the Corner: Creighton once again leads the MVC in corner kicks, having attempted 68 through nine matches. The Jays have a 23-2 corner kick advantage in their last two matches, including a 12-0 edge at Missouri State (Oct. 7). CU has led the league in corner kicks (overall and per game) every season since 2005.
Snow Day: Record-breaking cold temperatures and a surprise 5-inch snowfall on Oct. 10 forced Creighton to postpone its match against Eastern Illinois by a day. The teams moved their match from 7 p.m. on the 10th, to a 1 p.m. kickoff on the 11th (when temperatures were a 'balmy' 38 and the wind chill was 32).
Impressive Numbers: When Creighton moved its match and then played in near freezing temperatures against Eastern Illinois on Oct. 11, it caused an impressive attendance streak to stop. Only 851 fans turned out to the match, snapping a streak of 43 straight home matches played in front of at least 1,000 fans – dating from Oct. 8, 2005 through Oct. 3, 2009.
Putting perspective on the streak is the fact that among the other five current MVC members combined there have been a total of 25 home matches which have surpassed 1,000 fans in that same span. Of those 25, Bradley had 20, Evansville had three, Drake and Missouri State had one each and Eastern Illinois never eclipsed 1,000 at home. In fact of those 25 dates, CU was the opponent in six matches, including the only 1,000 fan home match for DU and MSU.
Pulling Rank: Drake, ranked No. 19 in this week's NSCAA/adidas top 25, will be the second nationally-ranked opponent the Bluejays have hosted this year when the team's meet on Wednesday. CU knocked off No. 23 Cal Poly 1-0 on Sept. 5 to improve to an impressive 13-1-1 (.900) against the NSCAA top 25 at Morrison Stadium and are now 23-8-2 against nationally-ranked opponents at home all-time. The Jays are now 51-38-9 all-time against the coaches top 25.
He's a Winner: Sophomore Ethan Finlay has scored four goals this season, three of which have accounted for game-winners – tying for the MVC lead. Of his 10 career goals, seven have been game-winning tallies. He led the conference with four game-winning scores as a freshman last year and his seven career game-winners is tops among active Bluejays.
The Key is Senske: Senior Trent Senske has appeared in three matches this year and 16 in his career and the Bluejays have never lost when he's seen playing time. In fact before this year, the Jays had won every match Senske appeared in. CU is 2-0-1 (wins over Cal Poly and Eastern Illinois, tie vs. Missouri State) when he plays this year and 15-0-1 in his career.
Take a Break: Through Creighton's first eight matches, goalkeeper Brian Holt and the entire Bluejay backline of Akin Akinrinade, Kyle Deremer, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic had played every minute of every match. All five were able to get a break in CU's ninth match, a 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois. Schuler played all but 13 minutes in the match – giving him one more minute of breathing time than he had all of last year (a 12 minute break against UMKC on Sept. 13). Sinovic had played every minute of CU's last 25 matches and Schuler had played every minute of 24 straight contests.
Acing the Aces: Jeff Thayer scored his fourth career game-winning goal in a win over Evansville (Oct. 3). It was his first game-winner since 2007. His last three game-winning goals have all come against Evansville, topping the Purple Aces in both the 2007 regular-season and MVC Tournament.
Holt is No. 1: Sophomore goalkeeper Brian Holt has logged five shutouts this season and his career goals against average now stands at 0.52. That GAA is currently the best in both school and league history, topping Tom Zawislan's record of 0.66 set between 1996-99. Holt has allowed just 15 goals in 28 matches and 2,576 minutes played. He has logged 17 shutouts in his 28 starts.
Backup's Not Bad: Sophomore backup goalkeeper Nick Goldreich saw his first playing time of the season in Creighton's 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11). The keeper played the final 27:30 and made one save to keep his career goals against average a perfect 0.00 in 138 career minutes played.
Another Kallman: With Brent Kallman making his Creighton debut on Sept. 19, he follows in the footsteps of older brother Brian, who played for the Bluejays in 2005. The younger Kallman, who has played in six matches with three starts, will hope to be a mainstay in the Bluejay lineup for four years, while the older Kallman played his final year of eligibility with the Jays after playing three years at Jacksonville. Older sisters Krystle and Kylie are both part of the Minnesota soccer program, with Krystle serving on the Gopher coaching staff and Kylie as a junior defender.
Scoreless Draws: The Bluejays played to a 0-0 tie at Missouri State (Oct. 7) for their second draw of the year. CU also played to a scoreless draw to open the season against Loyola (Ill.) on Sept. 1. In fact, Creighton's last four ties have all been 0-0 finals and seven of CU's last 13 draws have been scoreless.
50+ Wins at Morrison: Including its 4-1-1 start this year, the Bluejays are 51-10-11 (.785) all-time at Morrison Stadium, including a 10-1-0 mark last year. Creighton has lost just one home match in four of the last five seasons. Since 1990, the Bluejays are 152-26-15 (.826) at home. The Jays have ranked in the top-10 in the nation in attendance all six years that Morrison Stadium has been open.
At Home in The Valley: The Bluejays are 56-5-3 (.898) at home all-time in MVC play, including 21-2-2 (.920) at Morrison Stadium. CU's loss to Missouri State on Sept. 19 was its first regular-season Valley loss at Morrison Stadium since a 1-0 defeat to No. 17 SMU on Oct. 1, 2004. The MSU loss snapped a 15-match (14-0-1) home unbeaten streak in Valley play.
More Than One: With two losses this season, the Jays have already eclipsed their regular-season loss totals from each of the previous two campaigns. In both 2007 and 2008 the Jays lost only one regular-season contest, going 10-1-5 in the 2007 regular-season and 12-1-2 last year. The Jays last lost at least two matches in September in 2003, going 2-3-1 that season, before bouncing back to win the MVC regular-season crown and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Start Me Up: Three Bluejays cracked the starting line up for the first time on the season at the Husky Fever Classic. Senior Thomas Gjoesund, junior Andrew Duran and junior transfer Josh Moran all started both matches, after the trio had all played off the bench in two of CU's first three matches.
Goal Scoring is Goal: Through six matches this year, the Bluejays had scored just four goals for the slowest offensive start by a Creighton team since the 1984 squad had three through six. The three goals in five matches is CU's lowest scoring five-match span since the 2005 team scored three goals in five matches between Sept. 18 and Oct. 5. That team also went five straight matches without scoring more than one goal – but ended up advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Slow Starts, Fine Finishes: While Creighton is a perennial national power, it isn't unusual for the Bluejays to get off to slow starts. At 1-1-1, the Jays had captured just one win in their first three matches for the fourth time in the last seven seasons and at 2-2-1 they had two wins or fewer through five matches for the third time in seven years. The 2003, 2006 and 2007 teams had one win in their first three matches, while the 2003 team was 1-2-2 through five matches and the 2006 squad opened 2-2-1 as well. Both the 2003 and 2006 teams won MVC regular-season crowns and the 2003 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Thank You For Coming: A Missouri Valley Conference record crowd of 5,609 attended Creighton's match with Missouri State on Sept. 19. The crowd was the third largest in CU history and second-best in the regular-season, trailing only the 5,812 that came to the UCLA game on Sept. 8, 2007. The attendance shattered CU's former most-attended MVC home match, which was set last year when 3,192 attended the CU-Evansville match on Oct. 11.
Streaks Stopped: A number of impressive streaks by the Bluejays were stopped on Sept. 19 in their 1-0 loss to Missouri State. The loss was CU's first MVC loss since 2006, snapping an 11-match (8-0-3) unbeaten streak in league play. It was also Creighton's first home MVC loss since 2004, spoiling a 15-match (14-0-1) Valley home unbeaten stretch. The loss also ended an undefeated home streak of nine (8-0-1) matches, dating back to last September. The defeat served as just the second regular-season MVC loss in Morrison Stadium history, dropping the Jays to 18-2-2 in MVC action at their new home.
California Dreaming: With its 1-0 win over No. 23 Cal Poly on Sept. 5, the Bluejays improved to 8-0-3 in their last 11 meetings against California-based schools. In fact, Creighton has not allowed a goal to a Cali school in its last seven meetings, out-scoring Golden State squads 8-0 in that span. CU posted a 4-0-0 record against California teams last year, out-scoring Cali schools 6-0, with shutouts of UC Riverside (2-0), No. 6 California (2-0), Stanford (1-0) and Cal State Northridge (1-0). The Jays hope to improve on this mark when hosting UCLA on Oct. 31.
We'll Meet Again: For this year only, MVC men's soccer is playing a double round-robin schedule, with teams playing each other at home and on the road. CU has the benefit of playing every MVC team at home this year before returning the trip for the rematch. The Jays will play five of their first six MVC matches at home, but then finish league play with four straight road contests. The MVC will return to its normal format next year when Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Central Arkansas join the league as men's soccer affiliates.
That's a Winner: Seth Sinovic scored his sixth career goal in CU's 1-0 victory over No. 23 Cal Poly on Sept. 5. Half of his six goals have now accounted for game-winners. In fact, Sinovic scored three straight game-winning goals dating back to last season, as he was responsible for CU's game-winning goals in NCAA Tournament wins over Tulsa and UConn in 2008.
New Season, Same Results: Creighton posted a school-record 13 shutouts last year, and started the 2009 campaign with two shutouts for the first time since the 1999 season. The Jays have recorded five shutouts in eight matches this fall.
Jordan Out: Starting sophomore midfielder Greg Jordan will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Cal Poly on Sept. 5. The hard-nosed defensive-mid started 18 of the first 20 matches of his career, including both matches he played in this year before injuring his knee.
Sinovic's Second Sr. Season: Opponents are disappointed to find out that Seth Sinovic is back for his fifth season of soccer at Creighton after being listed as a senior on last year's Bluejay roster. It wasn't until after what was thought to be his final year on campus last year, that the Jays appealed to the NCAA for a redshirt. Sinovic was limited to just four minutes of play in one contest during his first year on campus in 2005. The fifth-year captain is now back for what is sure to be his final collegiate soccer campaign.
Battling the Best: Creighton knocked off No. 23 Cal Poly 1-0 on Sept. 5 to improve to 51-38-9 all-time against the coaches top 25. The Jays are an impressive 13-1-1 (.900) against the NSCAA top 25 at Morrison Stadium and are now 23-8-2 against nationally-ranked opponents at home all-time. Last year, CU went 4-1-1 against the top-25.
National Player of the Year Candidates: Creighton and Loyola (Md.) are the only schools in the country with three players on the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List, a preseason list for the award annually given to the top soccer player in Division I. Fifth-year seniors Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic are each on the list. Dacy, a forward, is the first player in the award's history to be named to the list four times. Schuler, a defender, was an NSCAA Second-Team All-American last year and Sinovic, a defender, was an NSCAA All-Region pick. Andrei Gotsmanov was a semifinalist for the award last year. The trio is now on the long list of National Player of the Year candidates from Creighton, including the 1997 winner and current assistant coach, Johnny Torres.
CU National Player of the Year Candidates
Year Player
2009 Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler, Seth Sinovic
2008 Byron Dacy, Andrei Gotsmanov
2007 Byron Dacy, Matt Allen
2006 Byron Dacy
2004 Julian Nash
2003 David Wagenfuhr
2002 Mike Tranchilla
2001 Mike Tranchilla
1997 Johnny Torres (Won)
1996 Ross Paule
1993 Keith DeFini & Brian Kamler
Preseason Favorites: The Missouri Valley Conference coaches have tabbed the Bluejays as preseason favorites for the fifth straight season. CU received four of the six first-place votes to total 34 points. Drake, which received a first-place vote, is picked to finish second with 27 points.
Scoreless Opener: With their 0-0 draw with Loyola (Ill.) to open the year, the Jays have played to ties in five of their last nine season-openers and four of their last eight home openers. The 0-0 scoreless draw was the third to open the season for Creighton in school history, all coming at home since the 2001 season (2001, 2003, 2009).
Fantastic Fans: Creighton ranked fifth in the nation in both overall and average attendance in 2008. The Jays brought in 28,647 fans for an average of 2,604 per game. CU had four crowds of better than 3,000 fans last year, including a season-high 4,071 against Gonzaga in the season-opener. The Bluejays have ranked in the top-10 in the NCAA attendance in each of the first six seasons of Morrison Stadium.
Top Five Creighton Home Crowds
1 – 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 – 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 – 5,609 vs. Missouri State, Sept. 19, 2009
3 – 4,407 vs. Saint Louis, Aug. 31, 1997
4 – 4,345 vs. Virginia (Exh.), Aug. 28, 1993
Top Five Morrison Stadium Crowds
1 – 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 – 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 – 5,609 vs. Missouri State, Sept. 19, 2009
4 – 4,071 vs. Gonzaga, Aug. 29, 2008
5 – 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
Gotsmanov Gone: The Bluejay offense will need to replace 2008 leading scorer Andrei Gotsmanov. Gotsmanov was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy last year, leading the team and MVC with 10 goals. He added four assists to top the Jays with 24 points and earn become CU's first NSCAA First-Team All-American since 2002. Despite playing just two seasons at Creighton, Gotsmanov ended his career with Morrison Stadium career records in points (34), goals (14), shots (83) and shots on goal (32).
Walters Still Around: Tim Walters joins the Bluejay coaching staff as a student assistant as he finishes his undergraduate degree this year. Walters played at Creighton for three years, starting 29 of 53 matches played. One of three Bluejays to start every match last year, all three of his goals scored in 2008 were game-winners.
Senior Citizens: Creighton has seven seniors on the roster this year, including fifth-year guys Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic. Akin Akinrinade, Thomas Gjoesund, Trent Senske and Jeff Thayer round out the largest senior class at CU since 2006. Schuler, Sinovic and Thayer are each on the preseason all-MVC team.
Nine of 11 Starters Back: Creighton returns nine starters from last year's team, including every defensive starter from a team which led the NCAA in shutout percentage (.650), finished second in the nation with a 0.48 goals against average and set a school-record with 13 shutouts. Goalkeeper Brian Holt and key defensive cogs Chris Schuler, Seth Sinovic, Akin Akinrinade, Kyle Deremer and Greg Jordan are all back. Attackers Jeff Thayer and Ethan Finlay tied for second on the team with 16 points last year. Byron Dacy and Sergio Castillo both earned 10 starts last year as well. The Jays lost just Andrei Gotsmanov and Tim Walters from the starting eleven.
Schuler has CLASS: Chris Schuler is one of 30 national men's soccer student-athletes who excel both on and off the pitch who are candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – classroom, character, community and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School™, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Preseason Summary: Creighton finished 2-1-0 in the exhibition season, posting a pair of home shutouts to go along with a 4-2 road loss to the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. The Jays opened with a 7-0 rout of the Red Fury Latin All-Stars on Aug. 22. Seniors Thomas Gjoesund and Jeff Thayer each scored twice in that win. Ethan Finlay scored both goals in CU's loss at Kansas City on Aug. 24. The Jays then notched a 5-0 win over the Nebraska Club Team on Aug. 27, with five different players scoring. Thayer and Finlay, the Jays' returning leading scorers from last year, topped the team with three goals each in the preseason.
Playing in Peru: The Bluejays had an opportunity to play and train during an 11-day trip to Peru in late May. The team traveled to the country's capital of Lima from May 21 through June 1 and stayed at the Regatas Club. The Jays took on professional teams and collegiate squads at different venues in the South American country. As part of the foreign tour, the Jays were allotted 10 days of training prior to the trip, providing valuable time together to prepare for the 2009 season.
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m. • Morrison Stadium • Omaha, Neb.
Creighton at Evansville
Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:00 p.m. • Black Beauty Field • Evansville, Ind.
Following the Jays: Every Creighton home match this season can be followed on the internet via live stats and live video at www.gocreighton.com. Live stats for all home matches can be viewed free with gametracker by clicking on the 'Live Stats' link. Fans can subscribe to watch a live video stream of the Bluejays' home matches via the 'Live Video' link.
This Week: The Bluejays play their final home MVC match this week, playing host to 19th-ranked Drake on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Jays then play at Evansville on Saturday night.
Last Week: Creighton extended its unbeaten streak to four matches, with a scoreless tie at Missouri State last Wednesday and a 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois at home on Sunday. The Jays out-shot MSU 12-6 and had a 12-0 corner kick advantage in the 0-0 draw with the Bears. They then scored a season-high five goals – from five players – and tied the Morrison Stadium record for assists (9) and points (19) in a match, in their win over EIU.
Scouting Creighton (5-2-2, 3-1-1 MVC): The three-time defending MVC champion Bluejays enter the week on a four-match unbeaten streak, going 3-0-1 in that span. The Jays had scored six goals in their first eight matches of the season, before exploding for a season-high five goals on Sunday. They again find themselves in first place in the MVC because of their outstanding defense which has posted five shutouts in nine matches and logged a 0.53 goals against average – both numbers rank in the top-20 in the nation. Sophomore goalkeeper Brian Holt, the 2008 MVC Freshman of the Year, owns 17 shutouts in 28 career starts and his 0.52 career goals against average is both a school and league record. He is aided by the help of a starting back line which includes two of CU's three National Player of the Year candidates. Defenders Chris Schuler (2009 MVC Defensive Player of the Year) and Seth Sinovic are joined by fellow fifth-year senior Byron Dacy on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Sinovic is not only a leader on defense, but he is also tied with newcomer Josh Moran for the team-lead with three assists. Sophomore Ethan Finlay leads the team with four goals and 10 points. Finlay has scored 10 career goals, seven of which have been game-winning scores.
Scouting Drake (7-3-1, 2-0-0 MVC): The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 1 in the Midwest and 19th nationally, also enter Wednesday's match having gone 3-0-1 in their last four matches, including three straight wins. After playing their first three matches of the season at home, DU then went on a seven-match road trip before retuning home to top Evansville 1-0 last Saturday. Garrett Webb and Kevin Shrout were both on the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Webb tops the team with four goals and 11 points and Shrout leads the way with four assists. DU ranks second in the MVC with 21 goals scored, as eight Bulldogs have scored at least two goals. Michael Drozd has posted a 1.15 goals against average and 23 saves in goal for the Bulldogs.
Head Coach: Head coach Bob Warming (Berea, 1975) is in his second stint as the Bluejays' head coach with a 188-59-31 (.733) record in his 14th season at CU. His overall record is 381-178-61 (.664) in his 32nd year of coaching. Warming was honored as FieldTurf Tarkett's National Coach of the Year, NSCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year and led the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year in 2008. The MVC All-Centennial Coach and 2009 Omaha Sports Hall of Fame inductee has guided teams to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, is a six-time finalist for National Coach of the Year and. The all-time winningest soccer coach in school history, he ranked sixth among active Division I coaches in career victories to open this season.
CU-DU Series: The Bluejays are 20-1-6 all-time against Drake, which included a 14-match winning streak from 1992 through 2001. The Jays are 3-1-3 in their last seven meetings with Drake, including a 2-0 win over then No. 24-ranked Drake last year in Omaha. Four of the last eight meetings between the teams have gone into overtime. The Jays are 12-0-2 all-time against the Bulldogs in Omaha.
There's the Offense: Creighton scored a season-high five goals against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11) after having scored just six goals through its first eight matches. Five different players scored and eight different Bluejays recorded an assist in the match, with Josh Moran dishing two helpers in the 5-1 victory. The Jays also unloaded a season-high 26 shots and 15 shots on goal.
Records Set & Tied: In Creighton's 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11), the Bluejays set a Morrison Stadium record and tied a pair marks. The Jays' 15 shots on goal broke the former mark of 13, which had been done three times previously, last against Vanderbilt on Oct. 15, 2004. CU's nine assists and 19 points tied the facility mark set against EIU on Oct. 8, 2005.
Thayer's Record: Omaha native Jeff Thayer now owns a Morrison Stadium record for shots on goal in a career. The senior sent two shots on goal against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11) to move his career total at the venue to 33, surpassing the former mark of Andrei Gotsmanov (32) set from 2007-08.
That's a Handful: Five different Bluejays scored a goal in a 5-1 victory over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11), the first time five different Jays had scored in a match since Oct. 19, 2005 at Georgetown (6-0 win).
Go to the Corner: Creighton once again leads the MVC in corner kicks, having attempted 68 through nine matches. The Jays have a 23-2 corner kick advantage in their last two matches, including a 12-0 edge at Missouri State (Oct. 7). CU has led the league in corner kicks (overall and per game) every season since 2005.
Snow Day: Record-breaking cold temperatures and a surprise 5-inch snowfall on Oct. 10 forced Creighton to postpone its match against Eastern Illinois by a day. The teams moved their match from 7 p.m. on the 10th, to a 1 p.m. kickoff on the 11th (when temperatures were a 'balmy' 38 and the wind chill was 32).
Impressive Numbers: When Creighton moved its match and then played in near freezing temperatures against Eastern Illinois on Oct. 11, it caused an impressive attendance streak to stop. Only 851 fans turned out to the match, snapping a streak of 43 straight home matches played in front of at least 1,000 fans – dating from Oct. 8, 2005 through Oct. 3, 2009.
Putting perspective on the streak is the fact that among the other five current MVC members combined there have been a total of 25 home matches which have surpassed 1,000 fans in that same span. Of those 25, Bradley had 20, Evansville had three, Drake and Missouri State had one each and Eastern Illinois never eclipsed 1,000 at home. In fact of those 25 dates, CU was the opponent in six matches, including the only 1,000 fan home match for DU and MSU.
Pulling Rank: Drake, ranked No. 19 in this week's NSCAA/adidas top 25, will be the second nationally-ranked opponent the Bluejays have hosted this year when the team's meet on Wednesday. CU knocked off No. 23 Cal Poly 1-0 on Sept. 5 to improve to an impressive 13-1-1 (.900) against the NSCAA top 25 at Morrison Stadium and are now 23-8-2 against nationally-ranked opponents at home all-time. The Jays are now 51-38-9 all-time against the coaches top 25.
He's a Winner: Sophomore Ethan Finlay has scored four goals this season, three of which have accounted for game-winners – tying for the MVC lead. Of his 10 career goals, seven have been game-winning tallies. He led the conference with four game-winning scores as a freshman last year and his seven career game-winners is tops among active Bluejays.
The Key is Senske: Senior Trent Senske has appeared in three matches this year and 16 in his career and the Bluejays have never lost when he's seen playing time. In fact before this year, the Jays had won every match Senske appeared in. CU is 2-0-1 (wins over Cal Poly and Eastern Illinois, tie vs. Missouri State) when he plays this year and 15-0-1 in his career.
Take a Break: Through Creighton's first eight matches, goalkeeper Brian Holt and the entire Bluejay backline of Akin Akinrinade, Kyle Deremer, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic had played every minute of every match. All five were able to get a break in CU's ninth match, a 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois. Schuler played all but 13 minutes in the match – giving him one more minute of breathing time than he had all of last year (a 12 minute break against UMKC on Sept. 13). Sinovic had played every minute of CU's last 25 matches and Schuler had played every minute of 24 straight contests.
Acing the Aces: Jeff Thayer scored his fourth career game-winning goal in a win over Evansville (Oct. 3). It was his first game-winner since 2007. His last three game-winning goals have all come against Evansville, topping the Purple Aces in both the 2007 regular-season and MVC Tournament.
Holt is No. 1: Sophomore goalkeeper Brian Holt has logged five shutouts this season and his career goals against average now stands at 0.52. That GAA is currently the best in both school and league history, topping Tom Zawislan's record of 0.66 set between 1996-99. Holt has allowed just 15 goals in 28 matches and 2,576 minutes played. He has logged 17 shutouts in his 28 starts.
Backup's Not Bad: Sophomore backup goalkeeper Nick Goldreich saw his first playing time of the season in Creighton's 5-1 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 11). The keeper played the final 27:30 and made one save to keep his career goals against average a perfect 0.00 in 138 career minutes played.
Another Kallman: With Brent Kallman making his Creighton debut on Sept. 19, he follows in the footsteps of older brother Brian, who played for the Bluejays in 2005. The younger Kallman, who has played in six matches with three starts, will hope to be a mainstay in the Bluejay lineup for four years, while the older Kallman played his final year of eligibility with the Jays after playing three years at Jacksonville. Older sisters Krystle and Kylie are both part of the Minnesota soccer program, with Krystle serving on the Gopher coaching staff and Kylie as a junior defender.
Scoreless Draws: The Bluejays played to a 0-0 tie at Missouri State (Oct. 7) for their second draw of the year. CU also played to a scoreless draw to open the season against Loyola (Ill.) on Sept. 1. In fact, Creighton's last four ties have all been 0-0 finals and seven of CU's last 13 draws have been scoreless.
50+ Wins at Morrison: Including its 4-1-1 start this year, the Bluejays are 51-10-11 (.785) all-time at Morrison Stadium, including a 10-1-0 mark last year. Creighton has lost just one home match in four of the last five seasons. Since 1990, the Bluejays are 152-26-15 (.826) at home. The Jays have ranked in the top-10 in the nation in attendance all six years that Morrison Stadium has been open.
At Home in The Valley: The Bluejays are 56-5-3 (.898) at home all-time in MVC play, including 21-2-2 (.920) at Morrison Stadium. CU's loss to Missouri State on Sept. 19 was its first regular-season Valley loss at Morrison Stadium since a 1-0 defeat to No. 17 SMU on Oct. 1, 2004. The MSU loss snapped a 15-match (14-0-1) home unbeaten streak in Valley play.
More Than One: With two losses this season, the Jays have already eclipsed their regular-season loss totals from each of the previous two campaigns. In both 2007 and 2008 the Jays lost only one regular-season contest, going 10-1-5 in the 2007 regular-season and 12-1-2 last year. The Jays last lost at least two matches in September in 2003, going 2-3-1 that season, before bouncing back to win the MVC regular-season crown and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Start Me Up: Three Bluejays cracked the starting line up for the first time on the season at the Husky Fever Classic. Senior Thomas Gjoesund, junior Andrew Duran and junior transfer Josh Moran all started both matches, after the trio had all played off the bench in two of CU's first three matches.
Goal Scoring is Goal: Through six matches this year, the Bluejays had scored just four goals for the slowest offensive start by a Creighton team since the 1984 squad had three through six. The three goals in five matches is CU's lowest scoring five-match span since the 2005 team scored three goals in five matches between Sept. 18 and Oct. 5. That team also went five straight matches without scoring more than one goal – but ended up advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Slow Starts, Fine Finishes: While Creighton is a perennial national power, it isn't unusual for the Bluejays to get off to slow starts. At 1-1-1, the Jays had captured just one win in their first three matches for the fourth time in the last seven seasons and at 2-2-1 they had two wins or fewer through five matches for the third time in seven years. The 2003, 2006 and 2007 teams had one win in their first three matches, while the 2003 team was 1-2-2 through five matches and the 2006 squad opened 2-2-1 as well. Both the 2003 and 2006 teams won MVC regular-season crowns and the 2003 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Thank You For Coming: A Missouri Valley Conference record crowd of 5,609 attended Creighton's match with Missouri State on Sept. 19. The crowd was the third largest in CU history and second-best in the regular-season, trailing only the 5,812 that came to the UCLA game on Sept. 8, 2007. The attendance shattered CU's former most-attended MVC home match, which was set last year when 3,192 attended the CU-Evansville match on Oct. 11.
Streaks Stopped: A number of impressive streaks by the Bluejays were stopped on Sept. 19 in their 1-0 loss to Missouri State. The loss was CU's first MVC loss since 2006, snapping an 11-match (8-0-3) unbeaten streak in league play. It was also Creighton's first home MVC loss since 2004, spoiling a 15-match (14-0-1) Valley home unbeaten stretch. The loss also ended an undefeated home streak of nine (8-0-1) matches, dating back to last September. The defeat served as just the second regular-season MVC loss in Morrison Stadium history, dropping the Jays to 18-2-2 in MVC action at their new home.
California Dreaming: With its 1-0 win over No. 23 Cal Poly on Sept. 5, the Bluejays improved to 8-0-3 in their last 11 meetings against California-based schools. In fact, Creighton has not allowed a goal to a Cali school in its last seven meetings, out-scoring Golden State squads 8-0 in that span. CU posted a 4-0-0 record against California teams last year, out-scoring Cali schools 6-0, with shutouts of UC Riverside (2-0), No. 6 California (2-0), Stanford (1-0) and Cal State Northridge (1-0). The Jays hope to improve on this mark when hosting UCLA on Oct. 31.
We'll Meet Again: For this year only, MVC men's soccer is playing a double round-robin schedule, with teams playing each other at home and on the road. CU has the benefit of playing every MVC team at home this year before returning the trip for the rematch. The Jays will play five of their first six MVC matches at home, but then finish league play with four straight road contests. The MVC will return to its normal format next year when Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Central Arkansas join the league as men's soccer affiliates.
That's a Winner: Seth Sinovic scored his sixth career goal in CU's 1-0 victory over No. 23 Cal Poly on Sept. 5. Half of his six goals have now accounted for game-winners. In fact, Sinovic scored three straight game-winning goals dating back to last season, as he was responsible for CU's game-winning goals in NCAA Tournament wins over Tulsa and UConn in 2008.
New Season, Same Results: Creighton posted a school-record 13 shutouts last year, and started the 2009 campaign with two shutouts for the first time since the 1999 season. The Jays have recorded five shutouts in eight matches this fall.
Jordan Out: Starting sophomore midfielder Greg Jordan will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Cal Poly on Sept. 5. The hard-nosed defensive-mid started 18 of the first 20 matches of his career, including both matches he played in this year before injuring his knee.
Sinovic's Second Sr. Season: Opponents are disappointed to find out that Seth Sinovic is back for his fifth season of soccer at Creighton after being listed as a senior on last year's Bluejay roster. It wasn't until after what was thought to be his final year on campus last year, that the Jays appealed to the NCAA for a redshirt. Sinovic was limited to just four minutes of play in one contest during his first year on campus in 2005. The fifth-year captain is now back for what is sure to be his final collegiate soccer campaign.
Battling the Best: Creighton knocked off No. 23 Cal Poly 1-0 on Sept. 5 to improve to 51-38-9 all-time against the coaches top 25. The Jays are an impressive 13-1-1 (.900) against the NSCAA top 25 at Morrison Stadium and are now 23-8-2 against nationally-ranked opponents at home all-time. Last year, CU went 4-1-1 against the top-25.
National Player of the Year Candidates: Creighton and Loyola (Md.) are the only schools in the country with three players on the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List, a preseason list for the award annually given to the top soccer player in Division I. Fifth-year seniors Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic are each on the list. Dacy, a forward, is the first player in the award's history to be named to the list four times. Schuler, a defender, was an NSCAA Second-Team All-American last year and Sinovic, a defender, was an NSCAA All-Region pick. Andrei Gotsmanov was a semifinalist for the award last year. The trio is now on the long list of National Player of the Year candidates from Creighton, including the 1997 winner and current assistant coach, Johnny Torres.
CU National Player of the Year Candidates
Year Player
2009 Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler, Seth Sinovic
2008 Byron Dacy, Andrei Gotsmanov
2007 Byron Dacy, Matt Allen
2006 Byron Dacy
2004 Julian Nash
2003 David Wagenfuhr
2002 Mike Tranchilla
2001 Mike Tranchilla
1997 Johnny Torres (Won)
1996 Ross Paule
1993 Keith DeFini & Brian Kamler
Preseason Favorites: The Missouri Valley Conference coaches have tabbed the Bluejays as preseason favorites for the fifth straight season. CU received four of the six first-place votes to total 34 points. Drake, which received a first-place vote, is picked to finish second with 27 points.
Scoreless Opener: With their 0-0 draw with Loyola (Ill.) to open the year, the Jays have played to ties in five of their last nine season-openers and four of their last eight home openers. The 0-0 scoreless draw was the third to open the season for Creighton in school history, all coming at home since the 2001 season (2001, 2003, 2009).
Fantastic Fans: Creighton ranked fifth in the nation in both overall and average attendance in 2008. The Jays brought in 28,647 fans for an average of 2,604 per game. CU had four crowds of better than 3,000 fans last year, including a season-high 4,071 against Gonzaga in the season-opener. The Bluejays have ranked in the top-10 in the NCAA attendance in each of the first six seasons of Morrison Stadium.
Top Five Creighton Home Crowds
1 – 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 – 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 – 5,609 vs. Missouri State, Sept. 19, 2009
3 – 4,407 vs. Saint Louis, Aug. 31, 1997
4 – 4,345 vs. Virginia (Exh.), Aug. 28, 1993
Top Five Morrison Stadium Crowds
1 – 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 – 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 – 5,609 vs. Missouri State, Sept. 19, 2009
4 – 4,071 vs. Gonzaga, Aug. 29, 2008
5 – 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
Gotsmanov Gone: The Bluejay offense will need to replace 2008 leading scorer Andrei Gotsmanov. Gotsmanov was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy last year, leading the team and MVC with 10 goals. He added four assists to top the Jays with 24 points and earn become CU's first NSCAA First-Team All-American since 2002. Despite playing just two seasons at Creighton, Gotsmanov ended his career with Morrison Stadium career records in points (34), goals (14), shots (83) and shots on goal (32).
Walters Still Around: Tim Walters joins the Bluejay coaching staff as a student assistant as he finishes his undergraduate degree this year. Walters played at Creighton for three years, starting 29 of 53 matches played. One of three Bluejays to start every match last year, all three of his goals scored in 2008 were game-winners.
Senior Citizens: Creighton has seven seniors on the roster this year, including fifth-year guys Byron Dacy, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic. Akin Akinrinade, Thomas Gjoesund, Trent Senske and Jeff Thayer round out the largest senior class at CU since 2006. Schuler, Sinovic and Thayer are each on the preseason all-MVC team.
Nine of 11 Starters Back: Creighton returns nine starters from last year's team, including every defensive starter from a team which led the NCAA in shutout percentage (.650), finished second in the nation with a 0.48 goals against average and set a school-record with 13 shutouts. Goalkeeper Brian Holt and key defensive cogs Chris Schuler, Seth Sinovic, Akin Akinrinade, Kyle Deremer and Greg Jordan are all back. Attackers Jeff Thayer and Ethan Finlay tied for second on the team with 16 points last year. Byron Dacy and Sergio Castillo both earned 10 starts last year as well. The Jays lost just Andrei Gotsmanov and Tim Walters from the starting eleven.
Schuler has CLASS: Chris Schuler is one of 30 national men's soccer student-athletes who excel both on and off the pitch who are candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – classroom, character, community and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School™, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Preseason Summary: Creighton finished 2-1-0 in the exhibition season, posting a pair of home shutouts to go along with a 4-2 road loss to the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. The Jays opened with a 7-0 rout of the Red Fury Latin All-Stars on Aug. 22. Seniors Thomas Gjoesund and Jeff Thayer each scored twice in that win. Ethan Finlay scored both goals in CU's loss at Kansas City on Aug. 24. The Jays then notched a 5-0 win over the Nebraska Club Team on Aug. 27, with five different players scoring. Thayer and Finlay, the Jays' returning leading scorers from last year, topped the team with three goals each in the preseason.
Playing in Peru: The Bluejays had an opportunity to play and train during an 11-day trip to Peru in late May. The team traveled to the country's capital of Lima from May 21 through June 1 and stayed at the Regatas Club. The Jays took on professional teams and collegiate squads at different venues in the South American country. As part of the foreign tour, the Jays were allotted 10 days of training prior to the trip, providing valuable time together to prepare for the 2009 season.
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/ Men's SoccerCreighton Men's Soccer Media Availability 9/30/25
Tuesday, September 30
Creighton Men's Soccer Highlights at DePaul - 9-27-25
Saturday, September 27
Creighton Men's Soccer Media Availability 9/24/25
Thursday, September 25
Creighton MSOC Highlights & Postgame vs Marquette 9-19-25
Saturday, September 20
