Rochester Yellowjackets:
Expectations run high as the University of Rochester Men's Soccer Team embarks on the 2011 season. The Yellowjackets return 23 varsity letterman from a squad that spent 12 straight weeks ranked in the top 25 in the nation and earned a 6th straight berth to the NCAA tournament in 2010. Despite the loss of five key contributors to graduation in the spring, optimism abounds for UR Men's Soccer.

Goalkeepers: Junior net-minder Scott Garfing returns this fall having gained valuable match experience last year. Scott worked hard in the weight room during the off-season and added size and strength to his already formidable 6'3” frame. “Garf” has always been a talented shot blocker and he made significant improvements in his kicking game this spring. Also returning in goal for the 'Jackets are sophomores Alex Sandler and Mike Moranz. Mike performed well down the stretch last fall and earned several starts as a freshman. He is a well-rounded keeper with solid hands and a good kicking game. Alex had a great spring season showcasing his quickness and ability to make the big save. Sandler demonstrated an improved consistency last semester and earned quality minutes on the team's Germany tour.

Defenders: The loss of 2010 All-Region defender Misha Carrel-Thomas will certainly be felt on the backline and yet Rochester returns four outstanding defenders who all started at one point or another last fall. Senior wing back Jake Cargill offers speed, tenacity and the ability to attack down the left side. Fellow senior Tommy Sorrentino bookends the opposite flank with focus, determination and outstanding service during the flow of play and on set pieces.Two juniors feature in the center of defense. Jake Seidlitz is composed, clean and a great passer of the ball, while Andrew Roberts provides the needed ball-winning presence in the air and on the ground. Senior Doug Clift is versatile, committed and a great ball-winner in his own right. Doug has played all four back-line positions and his well-timed tackles proved crucial on several occasions in Deutschland. Rochester has plenty of depth at the back as junior John Ward, sophomore Ben Monge and new-comers Seth Davis-Brown, Andrew Sheridan and Keith Grafmeyer round out the defensive corps.

Midfielders: Rochester returns an experienced midfield this fall. Senior Scott Zorn provides stability, passing and work rate in the defensive midfield role. Fellow senior Josh Richards roams the right flank and uses his pace and 1v1 ability to get behind defenses and his accurate service to create chances for his teammates. All-UAA performer Max Eberhardt can operate as a true center midfielder or a withdrawn forward. His skill and athleticism make him a dangerous attacking threat. Junior Sean Coyne and sophomore JC Billone both offer composure and decision making, allowing Rochester to possess and change fields while sophomore wingers Max Fan, Braden Adcock and Sean McIntyre can unbalance defenses and create off the dribble. The freshman class offers great potential and depth in the middle third as Griffin Drake, Jarvis D'Souza, Ben Keeton, Mark Lawlor, Brian Levine and Nick Pastore arrive on the River Campus.

Forwards: The Yellowjackets have multiple dangerous attacking options this fall. From big, strong target players like Dan Battelle, Alex Osuch and Mike Young-Ward to tricky, dynamic take-on art¬ists like Jake Findlay and Bryan Knouse - ability and depth abounds. Battelle had a break-out spring scoring several goals including a highlight reel diving header in Germany. Findlay's speed is menacing for defences and Knouse has the deception to take defenders off the dribble. Osuch and Young-Ward both have imposing frames making them dangerous aerial targets. Incoming front runners Shane Dobles and Alex Swanger round out an impressive offensive cadre.

Below are the capsules of the three other participants in the 2011 Flower Men's Soccer Classic:

Calvin (MI) Knights:
The Calvin men's soccer team enters its 2011 campaign with 15 returning letterwinners. In 2010, Calvin finished 16-3-5 overall which included a share of its fourth straight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and a trip to the NCAA III quarterfinals. The Knights are coming off the finest two-year stretch in program history as they reached the 2009 NCAA III Finals before falling to Messiah College in the national title match.

A strength of Calvin's 2011 squad could be its defensive unit as the Knights return three players in seniors Justin Ahearne, Mile Colago and Dan Nederhoed that received either first or second team All-MIAA honors in 2010. In addition, Colago was a first team NSCAA All-Central Region selection in 2010 and later earned All-America recognition from d3soccer.com.

Up front, Calvin will be paced by senior Tyler Vegter who scored a team-leading seven goals last fall including three of the game-winning variety. Vegter is joined on the team this year by younger brother Travis Vegter. They are one of two sets of brothers on the team as Sean and Joe Broekhouse also make up the roster. The Knights are led by 10th-year head coach Chris Hughes who has fashioned a won-loss record of 134-42-20 (.730) as head coach.

Fredonia State Blue Devils:
Fredonia State will be looking for its scoring punch. The Blue Devils graduated 79 percent of their goal scoring from a year ago. All three returning players to earn post-season awards last year did so for their defensive efforts. Senior midfielder David Thoin was Third Team All SUNYAC, while junior midfielder Ryan Smith and senior goalkeeper Bobby McGinnis made the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team.

Head coach P.J. Gondek, in his 12th season, feels his offense will come from players who sat behind last year's now-departed starters. “We have seniors at the most crucial positions,” he said. “We don't have star power up front but we do have players who came to us with that pedigree and are capable finishers." Nonetheless, look for the Blue Devils to mark closely and keep games low scoring.

St. John Fisher Cardinals:
Over the last eight years, the men's soccer program has advanced to the postseason six different times.
With several key contributors back from last year, the Cardinals will look to make it back to the Empire 8 Conference Championship in 2011.

Stefan John (Fatima/Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago), who led Fisher in scoring as a freshman, returns for his sophomore season. Junior Garhett Varin (Wheatland-Chili/Scottsville), who ranked second on the team in scoring last season, and classmate Scott Campbell (Orchard Park/Colden), will join John up top.

Junior Sean Fishel (Niskayuna/Niskayuna) will help control the midfield, as will classmate Austin Buckley (C.W. Baker/Baldwinsville).

Senior Connor Julien (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford) is back for his final year and will lead the Fisher defense. Sophomore goalie Kyle Metcalfe (Fairport/Fairport) will look to step in as Fisher's starting goalie.

Rob Searl, who has been Fisher's head coach for each of the last 15 years, has also recruited several new players that could make an immediate impact. Mike Lynch (Geneseo/Geneseo) and Brendan Hughes (Fairport/Fairport) have great potential on the outside, while Chris Ferrara (Fairport/Fairport) and Matt Silvi (Shenendehowa/Clifton Park) will bolster the team's scoring attack.

Transfer Brendan Kazmierski (Spencerport/Rochester) comes to Fisher after spending last season as a reserve goalie at University of Connecticut.