WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College men's soccer team has been practicing hard to prepare for the 2021 competition season, set to start for the Pride Saturday evening, Sept. 4.
Regis heads to Massachusetts Maritime to face the Buccaneers Saturday, Sept. 4, starting at 6 p.m., before hosting Lesley Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m. With non-conference matches against MIT (Sept. 20) and Emerson (Oct. 18) mixed in, the Pride embark on a 12-match Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schedule with an eye on qualifying for the GNAC Tournament.
"Our goal every year is to try to win every game," Renato Capobianco, entering his 11th year as head coach, said. "I know that may sound unrealistic, but you go out to win every game."
Capobianco welcomes back 10 players with collegiate playing experience, and he has been working to bring those student-athletes together with 12 first- and second-year players who will be competing in a college match for the first time this season.
"We have good talent throughout the team, and it's always interesting to see them in a different environment as they attempt to make the jump to the next level," continued Capobianco.
Senior defender Diego Roman (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) started all 17 matches during the 2019 season, while defender Natale Arini (Plainville, Conn.) started 14 matches and forward Santiago Pedraza Novak (Bogota, Colombia) made 13 starts. The Pride enjoys experience in goal with seniors Freddie Beckmann (Franklin, Mass.) and Ivan Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico).
In the 2021 GNAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, Regis finished eighth with 74 points. Defending conference champion Johnson & Wales earned 10 first place votes and 164 total points to end up atop the poll, followed by Saint Joseph's College with 151 points and Norwich with 150 points, with the Monks and Cadets each receiving one first place vote.
The Pride open conference play against Anna Maria Saturday, Sept. 11, and travel to face Johnson & Wales Friday, Sept. 17. Regis closes out the month at Saint Joseph's College Wednesday, Sept. 29, followed by a home match against Norwich Saturday, Oct. 2. The top eight teams in the final regular season standings qualify for the GNAC Tournament, with the winner receiving the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
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