The Cavilers return six of its 11 starters from last year's team. Key losses to the team consist of newly appointed Interim Coach Michael Combs. Combs, a four year varsity starter and an integral part of Monteat's recent soccer success, has taken the helm of the Cavaliers while Head Coach Jamath Shoffner completes a year of professional soccer in Germany.
Other key losses include Shermon Gardner, and Delbert Daily. “We lost three very solid players and great leaders from last year's team, but we are expecting Chad Britts (3rd Team All-AAC), Jonathan Viana, Shaka Bangura (2005 “Freshman of the Year”), Abdul Bangura (3rd Team All-AAC), and Howard Fisher (2006 “Freshman of the Year”) to step up and carry the load for us this season,” says Head Coach Jamath Shoffner.
With another top recruiting class already joining the core of a record breaking season, the Cavaliers look to be in the hunt for their first ever AAC Conference Title, and a birth in the NAIA Region XII Tournament.
Key additions to the 2007 Cavaliers include Troy Watson (Jamaica U17 National Team), Sami Bin (Brazil), Kemar Brown (Kingston, Jamaica), Adnan Bangura (Sierra Leonne U17 National Team), and Baduum Maaloo (Lakeland, Florida).
“Even though these players are going to be freshman they will have to come in and learn the system quickly if we're to be successful this season,” says Combs.
The Cavaliers are also embarking on one of the toughest schedules in the program's history. They open up with nationally ranked NCAA Div-II Queens University, then follow that up with another nationally ranked NCAA Div-II opponent in Carson-Newman, both within the same week. The schedule includes a total of six NCAA Div-II opponents and two NCAA Div-IIIs, not to mention one of the deepest AAC line ups.
“We have a really tough conference and I think it will be very deep this season. So we have created a demanding schedule that will challenge ourselves out of conference in order to prepare us for our AAC slate,” says Shoffner.
With the upcoming season around the corner, the Cavaliers are poised to continue the success they have enjoyed the last two years. Without having one senior on this year’s team the future looks increasingly bright and the Cavaliers are hoping records will continue to fall.