Medaille Sports

The Medaille College men’s soccer team needed almost every tick of the clock to find the back of the net and register a big season opening, non-conference, (1-0) victory over perennial SUNYAC power Cortland State.  A scoreless back and forth affair was finally settled when sophomore John Taggart (Tonawanda, NY/Tonawanda) buried home a shot that came off a corner kick from senior captain Eric Schnirel (West Amherst, NY/Sweet Home).  (more…)

The 2010-2011 Medaille College Athletic season will kickoff today with a pair of non-conference soccer matches.  The Lady Mavs will take to the road as they will face Fredonia State at 7:00pm.  The Lady Mavs are coming off a 2009 season that saw them finish third in the AMCC standings and they advanced to the championship game of the ECAC Upstate Tournament.  The Blue Devils finished second in the SUNYAC in 2009.  The Medaille College men’s soccer team will begin their season at home this evening as they host SUNYAC power Cortland State at 6:00pm.  The Mavs are coming off a stellar season in which they went (18-3-2) and won their fifth straight undefeated AMCC Regular Season title.  They also recorded their first NCAA Tournament victory, a (3-0) blanking of Denison University.  The Red Dragons fell in the 2009 SUNYAC quarterfinals in penalty kicks against Oneonta State.  Click here for Live Stats of the men’s game.

The Medaille College men’s soccer team had a breakthrough season in 2009 in which they earned their first NCAA Tournament victory and finished in the Top 25 of the National rankings.  That momentum has carried over to 2010, which was proven when the NSCAA Preseason Rankings came out on August 10.  The Mavs were tabbed as the 25th ranked team in America in the preseason poll.  Medaille finished 2009 with a (18-3-2) overall record and earned their fifth straight undefeated AMCC Regular Season title.  They also earned their fourth bid to the NCAA Tournament over that same time span.  The Mavs will open up the 2010 season at All High Stadium on September 1st when they host SUNYAC power Cortland State at 6:00pm.

Former Medaille soccer star Kendell McFayden took another step in his transition from amateur to professional on Saturday, July 31. In stoppage time of his first career professional soccer match with the Austin Aztex, McFayden scored his first career goal to seal a 3-1 victory over Miami FC.  McFayden, in the 90th minute, took a feed from midfielder Yordany Alvarez, while streaking to the near post, and buried the pass just inside the far post to give the Aztex the cushion they needed to secure a season sweep over their rivals from Miami. “We’re obviously thrilled that he was able to score in his first match with us,” said Aztex Head Coach Adrian Heath. Now McFayden finds himself in a similar position, ready to contribute to a team on top of the standings. “[McFayden] recently has had a great week or two of training,” said Heath, “If he keeps playing the way he has, he’ll be a great asset to us down the stretch.”

The Empire State Games came to Buffalo, NY in 2010 and several current and former Maverick athlete’s had strong showings.  A pair of seniors led their respective teams to gold medals as Ryan Maxwell (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home)(pictured) was the starting setter on the Western Region men’s volleyball squad that defended their gold from the 2008 games.  While Gina Pera (Clarence, NY/Clarence) was strong for the Western women’s soccer team that claimed gold as well.  Sophomore transfer Kara Donner (Springville, NY/Springville-Griffith) was a member of that team as well.  Two former Lady Maverick women’s basketball players had critical roles on the silver medal winning Western team as Marisa Clark (Hilton, NY/Hilton)(’08) and Carissa Ferrucci (Hamburg, NY/Immaculata)(’09) provided a strong backcourt during the tournament en route to their runner-up finish.  Sophomore Kevin Au (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) and incoming freshman Gregory Hoffman (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) each played for the Western region in the men’s soccer tournament, with Au registering an assist in their win over New York City.  The Western region continued their dominance of the games as they won the medal count again with (242) including a remarkable (104) golds.

Gary Boughton, 2009 captain of the Medaille College Men’s Soccer Team is one of 102 finalists worldwide to get a chance to make the reality Television show Soccer Aces. Video from his tryout in Houston on April 10th is being sent to Spain and 50 of the 102 finalists are selected to go to Spain to make the 18 man roster for the show. Former French captain and international star Zinedine Zidane is one of 2 judges!

Boughton was selected one of six finalists from the hundreds of players that took part is his trial this past Saturday in Houston, Texas. This Houston trial was the only one offered in the United States and drew outstanding soccer players from all over the country. Boughton was selected by the judges there as one of the six finalists and is waiting to hear if he will be one of the 50 finalists selected to go to Spain.

“Soccer Aces grants players who have always dreamed of playing in the world’s top leagues a once-in-a-lifetime chance to demonstrate their skills on the international stage in front of the world’s best players and coaches,” said Francescoli, founder and CEO of GolTV.

A panel of soccer experts will judge the international tryouts, which will be held across North and South America, as well as in China and Spain. Those selected from the U.S. event will be offered the opportunity to travel to Europe for a final casting.  The final contestants will enter the Soccer Aces training academy in Spain for six weeks of intense training and competition. The show’s winner will be awarded the opportunity to try out for a professional club in Spain’s prestigious La Liga.

While attending the Soccer Aces academy, finalists will live under the public eye with video cameras capturing their every move.  Contestants will be trained by leading soccer coaches and the show will feature special guests each week, including some of the world’s top professional soccer stars.  The series will be telecast exclusively on GolTV beginning on April 27.

For more information or to register for tryouts, please visit www.socceracestv.com or www.goltv.tv.

Daniel J. Krzyzanowicz, head coach for Medaille College’s men’s soccer team, has been selected as one of the Am-Pol Eagle’s Citizens of the Year.  Since 2002, “Coach K” has built Medaille’s men’s soccer program into a powerhouse team. In addition to leading the team to the NCAA Tournament in four of the past five years, he has been named the NEAC Coach of the Year for 2002, and the AMCC Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009. The Mavs have won five consecutive undefeated AMCC Regular Season Titles under Coach K’s tutelage.  He earned his 100th victory early in the 2009 season as well.  The Am-Pol Eagle annually honors members and organizations of the Polish-American community in Western New York, and this year’s honorees will be celebrated at a luncheon at Kloc’s Grove in West Seneca on Sunday, April 18.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) announced its 2009 NSCAA/Performance Subaru Men’s NCAA Division III All-America Teams and senior Kendell McFayden (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville North)(pictured) became the third member of the Medaille College men’s soccer program to receive that distinction in the past five years, as he was named to the third team.  In 2005 Cory Cwiklinski (’06) was Medaille College’s first ever All-American in any sport, then in 2006 Ryan Mangano was named a first team All-American and Cwiklinski garnered second team honors.  Last season Gary Boughton (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster)(’09) was Medaille’s first ever scholar All-American and he awaits to see if he will receive that prestigious award again this season.  Both McFayden and Boughton received 2009 first team Regional All-American honors by the NSCAA as well.  In the last five seasons, Medaille has been honored with 15 Regional All-Americans as Boughton became the College’s first ever four time honoree.

Just a few weeks removed from the end of the 2009 men’s soccer season the Mavericks continued to garner much deserved honors.  In the final NSCAA rankings of the year the Mavs cracked the Top 25 for the first time, finishing in the 25th slot.  They also finished 2009 ranked 23rd in the D3Soccer.com poll.  It’s the first time in program history that the Mavs finished the year in the Top 25 of both National polls.  The Mavs finished the year at (18-3-2) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after dominating Denison University (3-0) in the opening round.  The great season landed four Medaille players on the ECAC South Region 1st Team as Gary Boughton (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster), Kendell McFayden (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville North), Alexander Rouse (Marcellus, NY/Marcellus)(pictured) and Josh Meier (South Wales, NY/Holland) earned that distinction.  No other college placed four players on the 1st team in any other region.

Alexander Rouse (So. – Marcellus, NY)(Soccer)

Alex scored the game winner in the Mavs first ever NCAA Tournament win as he tallied in the fourth minute of a (3-0) win over Denison University. The Mavs finished the 2009 season with an (18-3-2) mark as they captured their fifth straight AMCC Regular Season title and their fourth AMCC Tournament crown.

Mary Smialek (Jr. – Girard, PA)(Soccer)

Mary tallied one goal and one assist in a (1-1-0) week for the Lady Mavs. She netted the game winner on a penalty kick to give Medaille its first ever ECAC Tournament win, (2-0) over Sage College and she assisted on the Lady Mavs lone goal in a tough (3-1) loss in the ECAC Upstate Championship game.