LMU SOCCER NEWS

 

LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION

Sports Release                                                                                                August 13, 2007

Everyone Will Be Gunning For The Champs


Nelson Pizarro works on ball-handling at practice.

HARROGATE, TN – The Lincoln Memorial University men’s soccer team began practice Monday morning in preparation to defend its 2006 Appalachian Region title.  The Railsplitters lost only three starters from last year’s squad that finished the season with a 15-2-3 record and a trip to the NCAA Final Four.  On hand for the first day of preseason workouts were ball touch skills, and some early season conditioning.

Last week the Railsplitters received five first-place votes and 61 total points to earn the nod as the preseason favorite to win the South Atlantic Conference Championship this year.  Leading the way for Lincoln Memorial will be five preseason All-SAC selections including First Team Preseason All-SAC selection Brent Cole (Knoxville, TN).

Also returning will be the nation’s 5th leading scorer and Second Team All-SAC selection Leandro Pereira (Brasilia, Brazil) who will be the spearhead of the Railsplitter offensive.  Pereira scored 22 goals last season and was a First Team Daktronics All-American.  Solidifying the defense will be sophomore All-Appalachian Region performer Felipe Nogueira (Uberaba Brazil) who helped LMU notch eight shutouts en route to their 15-2-3 finish.

Possibly the most valuable trait the Railsplitters will possess this year will be experience.  The Railsplitters will boast seven seniors, including probable starters Nelson Pizzaro (Pembroke Pines, FL), Guilherme Alves (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Marcelo Galafassi (Jundiai, Brazil) and preseason all-conference midfielder Leonardo Barros (Brasilia, Brazil) and all-region performer and fellow senior Claudio Rico (Jacarei, Brazil).  An added extra depending on how he responds upon his return from off-season surgery could be senior defenseman Vitor Souza (Sorocaba, Brazil).  Souza was considered by many the best defender the Railsplitters had a year ago before sustaining a knee injury in the Railsplitters' twelfth match last season.     

The Railsplitters begin defense of their Appalachian Region and Elite-8 titles August 24 when they play host to the University of Charleston from West Virginia at home on the Les Gibbs Field.  The match will get underway at 4:00 p.m. on the LMU campus.

-LMU-  

For additional comments please contact,
Head Coach:  Helio D'Anna
Phone:  (423) 869-6245