Meeting Their Goals: Men’s Soccer Returns to the NCAA Tournament

Mason’s men’s soccer team had a season of firsts this past fall.

For the first time in 10 years, the Patriots appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament. Although they lost 1-0 to Bucknell at home in the opening round, Mason finished the season with a record of 12-6-3, the most wins for the program since 1998. In addition, for the first time in more than four years, the team was nationally ranked: as high as 22nd in the nation at one point.

The team has made huge strides under second-year head coach Greg Andrulis, a Major League Soccer (MLS) coach of the year when he was with the Columbus Crew.

“Obviously we are happy with the direction the program is headed in,” says Andrulis. “We had significant contributions from seniors down to the new freshmen. It was a great group to work with.” Andrulis was honored by being chosen to coach one of four teams made up of some of the top college seniors from the 2006 season at the 2007 Adidas MLS Player Combine in January at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Individual athletes also garnered accolades this season. Freshman goalie Sean Kelley was named the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Year and to the All-CAA second team. Freshman midfielder Richard Edgar was named to the All-CAA Rookie Team, and senior defender Fabien Lewis was a second-team all-CAA performer.