University of Nebraska-Omaha – Men’s Soccer College Spotlight

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college. 

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs. 

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, we intend to see it thrive. 

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

University of Nebraska-Omaha Men’s Soccer

Head Coach – Bob Warming

Warming has a great coaching history in the Big Ten. He is a big-time coach, and UNO is fortunate to have him. Warming took over in 2018, and we can see if his previous success eventually applies to UNO. As of right now, the roster has been overturned with many transfers in the last year, and the honeymoon period is coming to an end. UNO is one of two D1 men’s programs in the state, which automatically makes it a flagship. In order for soccer to grow in Nebraska, the state has to have success at the highest of levels.

Assistant Coaches – Grant Warming, Ugo Tritz

The assistant coaches are relatively inexperienced at this level and are assisted by a close relationship with the head man. Both were successful college players, hopefully it translates into the coaching sphere. Kudos to Warming for giving young coaches a chance – time to prove him right.

Mascot – Mavericks

Year Regular Season Record Summit Conference Record
2019 4-9-4 2-2-1
2018 7-8-1 4-1-0
2017 10-6-3 2-1-2
2016 10-5-4 5-0-1

 

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

  • #2 Stevie Siy – Omaha Central – Sr – D
  • #6 Ed Gordon – Creighton Prep – Sr – Mid
  • #15 Zion Osorio – Lincoln East – So – D
  • #16 Mauricio Felix-Alvarado – Omaha South – Fr. – D
  • #19 Michael Monico – Gross Catholic – So – Mid
  • #24 Gonzalo Ledesma – South Sioux City – R-Sr – D
  • #26 Youde (Junior) Noutoua – Creighton Prep – Jr – Mid
  • #29 Jonathan Lopez – Millard South – Sr. – Mid

8/24 = 33%

NEST Analysis – There are ten transfers now on the roster – eight of those are from a JuCo or lower level squad. That is a major shake up in a short amount of time for Warming’s squad. Hopefully they are correct in their evaluation process. This is a team that made the NCAA tournament in 2017 which is right where this program should be. That is the expectation, but we will see if year three is when everything clicks.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Creighton University – Men’s Soccer College Spotlight

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college. 

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive. 

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Creighton University Men’s Soccer

Head Coach – Johnny Torres

A well-known face on the sideline for the Bluejays, Torres was in charge for the first time in 2019. While the team didn’t have much success during his first year as head coach, he will be given a fair amount of time to make this program his own. He previously spent twelve seasons as an assistant coach during one of the most successful runs in Creighton program history. In addition to coaching, he was also a two-time National Player of the Year while wearing the Creighton jersey. There are clear reasons why Torres is a beloved individual in this athletic department. He has a history of being a winner; because of that, a quick turnaround is expected.

Assistant Coaches – Ian Sarchan, Michael Gabb

For soccer fans, Coach Ian Sarchan will be a familiar name as his father guided the United States Men’s National Team during its transition two years ago. The younger Sarchan has followed in his father’s footsteps, and that path has led to the sidelines of Creighton University. Sarchan was brought onto the staff in 2019. As a result, there is still a lot to be determined. At this point, he seems to be a young coach with a bright future. 

Overseeing the keeper position, Coach Michael Gabb is going to be a proven commodity for the Bluejays. Gabb has a diverse soccer background as both a player and coach, reaching the highest levels of the sport. 

Mascot – Bluejays

 

Year Regular Season Record Big East Conference Record
2019 8-7-3 4-4-1
2018 11-4-3 7-1-1
2017 9-7-2 3-4-2
2016 13-7-3 5-3-1

 

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster

  • #11 Diego Gutierrez – Ralston/UNO – Sr – F (Drafted by Portland Timbers)
  • #13 Duncan Mcguire – Creighton Prep – RFr – F
  • #28 Luke Waters – Creighton Prep – RFr – D

3/25 = 12%

NEST Analysis – Creighton is the state’s premier soccer brand at this point in time. It is well-known for its history of high tempo style of play and passionate crowds. The competitive Big East conference consistently provides intriguing match-ups on a regular basis. Simply put, if you can compete in this conference, you have a real shot at a title run.

Creighton University is also home to Nebraska soccer’s most revered facilities: Morrison Stadium. Its role as host for the high school state tournament, as well as Nebraska State Cup, means every young soccer player dreams of competing on this field. Creighton will likely benefit from that advantage by pursuing more of the top talent in the area.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Class A Boys – Players To Watch

Previewing an upcoming season is never an easy task. To do so properly takes countless hours of emails, observations, statistical research, conversation, and reflection. Adding onto that difficulty are challenges, such as a cancelled 2020 season and lingering COVID restrictions, making our preview preparation feel almost impossible. 

Despite these obstacles, the approaching 2021 season and its participants – whether that be players, coaches, fans, or families – deserve some semblance of normalcy. Soccer in Nebraska and all those who participate deserve to be promoted. Over the course of four articles, NEST will recognize many outstanding athletes that everyone should look forward to seeing on the pitch. 

This list was put together using several resources such as coach recommendations, past all-state lists, statistical analysis from previous seasons, and observational research. The inclusions vary greatly in terms of location, age, and future plans. The listed athletes live in every corner of the state from Omaha to Scottsbluff. Many have signed or are committed to play soccer at the Division I level, while others are pursuing other interests in the future.

 Even so, there are two traits that all inclusions of the inaugural NEST Players to Watch preview have in common. 

  1. Show stopping and jaw dropping ability on the field. 
  2. An admirable love for the sport of soccer. With their ability, passion, and outreach, this game will grow; that is the ultimate goal of Nebraska Soccer Talk. 

Without any further delay, part one of this series spotlights Class A Boys. 

A special congratulations to all of the athletes. Your hard work, skill, and dedication deserve to be recognized. Nebraska Soccer Talk will be observing closely as your season and career progress.

Class A Boys

Players are not ranked, instead listed alphabetically by first name.

  1. Brayden McPhail
    • High School: Lincoln East
    • Class of 2022
  2. Cole Hoppe
    • High School: Bellevue West
    • Class of 2021
  3. Cole Lammel
    • High School: Millard South
    • Class of 2021
  4. Ian Becerra
    • High School: Lincoln High
    • Class of 2021
  5. Ismail Hassan
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2021
  6. Jack Redd
    • High School: Papillion-La Vista South
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer signee
  7. Javier Baide
    • High School: Grand Island
    • Class of 2022
  8. Luis Garci
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2021
  9. Nolan Fuelberth
    • High School: Lincoln Southwest
    • Class of 2021
  10. Ryan Brakke
    • High School: Creighton Prep
    • Class of 2021
    • Future Plans: Creighton University soccer signee
  11. Schyler Smeby
    • High School: Bellevue East
    • Class of 2022
  12. Sebastian Fierro
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2022
  13. Wawa Palga
    • High School: Omaha South
    • Class of 2021

Once again, congratulations to the above athletes for all of their accomplishments. Your future in the game of soccer is incredibly bright. 

Additionally, it must be mentioned that this is not intended to be an all encompassing or complete list. There are a great number of talented soccer players in Nebraska that we have simply not discovered yet. As the 2021 season gets underway, those athletes will be seen and recognized. That is truly the whole point of Nebraska Soccer Talk. 

If you are a soccer player or know of a soccer player that should be on our radar, feel free to contact us. NEST is always looking to cover more soccer and add to our lists.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated.

In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Kick Starting a New Journey

Nebraska Soccer Talk is a newly established outlet that has the sole purpose of covering and promoting soccer within the state of Nebraska.

The NEST is a three-person operation that will be doing their best to cover all teams from the Metro to Scottsbluff and everywhere in-between. The authors/volunteers love this sport and have a genuine desire to grow the game throughout the state.

Follow along with our journey on Twitter or give our podcast a listen on Spotify.

This is a true community effort, so please feel free to contribute! Tips and observations are welcome! Let us know who or where NEST should be looking. Leave a comment below or email at nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com