BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's soccer team will open the 2015 season Tuesday, September 1st in a 5 p.m. match at Austin College in Sherman.
The Cru was picked to finish fourth in the American Southwest Conference in the league's Preseason Poll after finishing 8-7-3 a season ago. UMHB went 4-2-3 in ASC action last season and advanced to the semifinals of the championship tournament. Head Coach
Brad Bankhead is confident in his team.
"We are very excited about the new additions to our roster," Bankhead said. "This team is a committed, hard-working group of young men. Their work ethic and our depth at every position will carry us through some tough games this season."
Bankhead returns three all-conference athletes from last season, including First-Team All-ASC selection
Case Carnes. Carnes, a sophomore from Tyler, Texas (Robert E. Lee), led the Cru with five goals last season, including three game-winning goals and three assists. Second-Team All-ASC selection
Ben Hammonds returns for his senior season with the Cru. A native of Flower Mound, Texas (Flower Mound H.S.), Hammonds will serve as captain of the 2015 squad after a 2014 campaign that totaled four goals and one assist.
Julio Mar also returns after a Second-Team All-ASC nod a year ago. Mar, a junior from Lake Jackson, Texas (Brazoswood H.S.), was an offensive threat off the bench for the Cru, scoring four goals with one assist in 2014.
Joining Hammonds in the senior class are defender
Jorge Marquez (Belton, Belton H.S.), midfielder
Colby Case (The Woodlands, Belhaven) and forward
Jordan Freeman (Bryan, Bryan H.S.). UMHB also returns a junior core including defender
Eduardo Guerra (Cypress, Langham Creek), forward
Oliver Ortiz (Conroe, Texas Home School) and forward
McKenna Cook (Denton, John H. Guyer).
The Cru will open the season against Austin College before a three-game road trip to Tacoma, Wash. UMHB will open play at home on Friday, Sept. 25
th in a 7 p.m. match against the University of Texas at Dallas. Continuing coverage of the 2015 season is available at cruathletics.com.
