Crusader Athletics

MEN'S SOCCER
“It's going to take something extra to get us to Virginia Beach.” So said Incarnate Word men's soccer Coach Dennis Currier prior to the onset of the 2003 season.

What the coach was talking about was the fact that in 2002 the Crusaders met all their goals save one—a national championship in the NCAA Division II.

“We have set our sights higher, like being in the top three in the nation in scoring, and of course the title,” he said. “All of our opponents have targeted us, they want to beat us.”

This came on the heels of the Crusaders going unbeaten (16-1-3) in 2002 and earning their first-ever invitation to the Division II national tournament, (the one loss was in the post-season).

UIW is off to a fast start in 2003. Through the first three weeks of the season they were again unbeaten and had stretched their school record to 29 straight games without a loss. That mark includes five ties and dates to the final five games of the 2001 season.

With that run has come national rankings. Incarnate Word began the season 12th in the nation and has risen to number five in the country. Also, they have been rated number one in the Midwest Region all year.

“We have been excited all along about this team,” Coach Currier said. “They have found ways to win and they haven't beaten themselves. However, we must fine tune every aspect to keep on top. We can't have a comfort zone anymore if we want to get to Virginia for the Final Four in November.”

Ten of eleven starters are back from a year ago, led by All-America midfielder Ricardo Lara and forward Lubomir Bogdanov. Also back are all-conference performers James Dyer on defense, Nick Pertuit in the midfield, Jay Mason in goal and Fernando Jorge up top.

WOMEN'S SOCCER
The women Crusaders' soccer team is on track to continue a string of having never had a losing season. Incarnate Word ran off a three-game winning streak in the season's second week to move to number eight in the Midwest Region.

In their four years of NCAA competition, the Crusaders have been in the national post-season tournament twice, although not in 2002. A return is the goal.

“We are coming off what might have been considered a disappointing season (11-5-1), if you look at the end results,” said Coach Tina Patterson. “But we knew we were rebuilding from the Elite Eight team of 2001.

Yet it was advantageous in the sense that a very young squad got some very important experience in big games.”

She went on to say the early part of the current season was highly intense for her team in terms of preparation and that the desire and will are present for a return to the elite levels.

VOLLEYBALL
The Crusaders have a new coach for the first time since 1995. Jennifer Sanchez Montoya assumed the reins of the squad over the summer. A San Antonio Providence High School product, Ms. Montoya played collegiately at the University of Florida where she was an All-American performer and three times her teams reached the Division I Final Four. She then took her game to Portugal to play professionally.

While she may have brought some different things to the UIW court, the coach says veteran leadership should smooth out the early bumps in the road.

“We have a list of goals for the season,” she said, “all of them challenging. As long as we stay focused, keep a good work ethic and a positive attitude, I believe good things will happen.”

The early season proved her out. The Crusaders for the most part took their game on the road to a pair of difficult tournaments and came home with a better than .500 mark including a mid-September four-match winning streak.