University of Illinois Springfield men’s soccer coach Jesse Miech isn’t holding back.
He is confident the Prairie Stars’ on-field product will be noticeably improved. UIS last had a winning record five years ago.
“The talent level has been raised,” Miech said. “The main thing is the speed and athleticism that we bought in. It balances us out and it’s going to allow us to be able to handle a lot of the teams in our conference.”
En route to a 3-14-1 overall record and a 2-12-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference mark last season, the Stars’ offense was stagnant and tallied only 16 goals.
Senior forward Mark Czarny led the way with four goals. Junior midfielder Nikita Fadeev had a team-high six assists. The two are among 11 returning players on a roster that features 10 newcomers.
“Coach has brought in a great group of guys,” UIS senior goalkeeper Jack Turanchik said. “This year could be special for us.”
The story was featured by The State Journal-Register on August 22, 2013.
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