Completed Event: Men's Soccer at #14 Akron on November 30, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 2
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Final
Men's Soccer
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at #14 Akron
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2001 Men's Soccer Outlook
7/26/2001 1:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
July 26, 2001
2001 Outlook
As head coach John Rennie enters his 24th year at Duke, he has one of his toughest tasks ahead of him in 2001. The Blue Devils lost one of the most talented senior classes in the history of the program with the loss of Robert Russell, Ali Curtis, Nii-Amar Amamoo, Dwayne Harris, Stephen Pate, Jeff Haywood, and Ryan Furgurson, but will feature a stellar group of young talent on the roster.
"We lost a goalkeeper, three defenders, one of the best midfielders we've ever had in Russell and our all-time leading scorer [Curtis]," said Rennie. "We lost quality and quantity, which makes it difficult to predict exactly what our team is going to be like this season."
The Blue Devil attack will feature several new faces, but a recruiting class that is high on quality and quantity much like the out going class could offset the defections. A major determinant of the team's success will be how good the new players really are and how quickly they adjust to the college game.
"There are going to be a lot of new faces out there. The biggest problem could be how quickly we come together as a team," stated Rennie. "How quickly the new players and returning players are able to learn each other's strengths and weaknesses and play together as a team is going to determine how good of a team we will become."
This year's group looks to build on a string of three consecutive NCAA appearances and 23 straight winning seasons. Although several key members are gone from last year's squad, the Blue Devils have enough talented returning players to carry on the tradition of excellence that Rennie has established during his tenure.
GOALKEEPER
The graduation of second team All-ACC performer Jeff Haywood leaves senior Scott Maslin as the veteran goalie on this year's team. As a junior, he saw action in four contests, making two starts. He allowed seven goals in 186 minutes of work. "Maslin had a very good spring for us. We hope he will step in and do a great job, he has prepared and been waiting for this opportunity," said Rennie.
A pair of talented freshmen recruits, Justin Trowbridge and Mark Valdez will back up Maslin while also pushing him for playing time. Sophomore Michael Kovach can also work his way into the keeper mix with a strong preseason.
DEFENSE
The defense is a reworked unit, but still features three or four returners who can help carry the load. Duke loses three players, including two starters from its stellar 2000 defense that recorded eight shutouts while allowing just 1.37 goals per game. The defense will be the most reorganized part of the team, but will again be led by senior captain Kevin Sakuda.
Sakuda, a native of Fremont, Calif., has been a staple in the Blue Devil defense starting all 63 contests during his career, registering one goal and nine assists during that stretch.
Juniors Andy Borman and Robert Antoniou, have gained valuable experience despite not being full-time starters and will again help anchor the defensive unit.
A large group of incoming defensive players is also expected to contribute right away. Matt Ahumada, a transfer from Indiana University, along with freshmen Matt White and Joe Kelly are expected to see significant playing time.
Junior Cedric Burke and sophomore Mark Mattern may also work their way into the defensive rotation.
MIDFIELD
Filling the void left by the loss of possibly the best midfielder in school history is never a pretty picture, but the Blue Devils are faced with that challenge with the loss of Robert Russell.
Despite the absence of Russell, the midfield will again be strength for the team. "We have some very good returning midfielders in Trevor Perea, Scott Noble, Adam Guren and Donald McIntosh, who have started a lot of games," said Rennie. "Hopefully those guys will find a way to compensate for Robert."
Noble, a senior, registered 17 points last season on five goals and seven assists, while the junior trio of Perea, Guren and McIntosh combined for six goals and 10 assists.
Freshman Victor Victorsson, a member of the Iceland youth national team, is a talented newcomer who will also help compensate for the loss of Russell.
Also competing for playing time in the midfield will be senior Noah Lewkowitz, juniors Byron Rausenberger and Jamal McClendon, sophomore Justin Bodiya and freshmen Jeff Miller and Evan Harrell.
Forward
Much like in the midfield, the Blue Devils will be without one of its top players in recent history. All-time goal scoring leader Ali Curtis is gone, but a skilled group led by sophomore Jordan Cila returns.
Cila, a second team All-ACC selection, was one of the best freshmen in the country last season. His 13 goals were the second highest total by a freshman in Duke history while his 35 points ranked third all-time among first year players.
Demetrio Sanchez, a senior, came on strong at the end of last year and backed that up with a tremendous spring. He contributed five goals and one assist in 18 contests last season.
Port of Spain, Trinidad native Owoicho Adogwa solidifies the forward position with speed and striking abilities similar to those possessed by Curtis.
Sophomore Paul Dungel and Danny Wymer provide depth and versatility to the offensive attack.
Schedule
Duke again will face an extremely difficult schedule both in and out of conference play. The Blue Devils play in three competitive tournaments, the Adidas/Wolfpack Classic, the Rutgers/Adidas Classic and the Big Four Tournament, as well as hosting the Duke/Adidas Classic. This year's Duke/Adidas Classic features N.C. State, South Florida and Richmond.
Road contests outside of ACC play include trips to Radford and Campbell while Mercer, Appalachian State and UNC-Wilmington invade Koskinen Stadium. Rennie expects conference play to be challenging for the young Blue Devils with several of the league foes maintaining a strong, returning nucleus of players.
John Rennie
Head Coach
24th Year
Entering his 24th year at Duke University, head coach John Rennie has emerged as one of the top men's soccer coaches in his profession. He has built the Duke program into one of the elite programs in the country, while taking home the 1986 NCAA National Championship. He has maintained consistent excellence during his 23 years guiding the Blue Devils to two final fours in the 1980s and two in the 1990s, including the 1986 Championship.
Rennie has emerged as the not only the winningest soccer coach in the school's history, but also one of the winningest coaches in collegiate men's soccer.
The veteran mentor ranks fourth among active coaches with 368 career wins, 324 of which have come at Duke. Rennie's win total places him seventh all-time in the NCAA record books.
He has directed his Duke teams to a record of 324-110-26 during his first 22 years, including a 72-45-14 mark in ACC play. Throughout his illustrious 29-season career, Rennie's teams have compiled a 368-156-40 ledger.
During his reign, Duke has won the national championship in men's soccer, while five players have earned the Hermann Trophy and three the Missouri Athletic Club Award, both given to the national collegiate player of the year. The national championship in 1986 was the first in any sport at Duke. Rennie has made his presence felt in the Atlantic Coast Conference as well.
The Blue Devils have won the league title four times, including the ACC Tournament title in 1999. The Duke head coach has been an instrumental figure in the inception and continued success of the ACC Tournament. Duke hosted the first league tournament in 1987, and again in 1989 and 1990, marking the third time in the first four ACC Tournaments that the event had been in Durham. The Blue Devils once again served as host for the ACC Tournament in 1995.
Throughout Rennie's tenure Duke's defense has been a solid trademark with 195 shutouts, including eighteen shutouts in the last two seasons. Rennie's troops have rattled off 22 consecutive winning seasons, reaching the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three years.
All together, Duke has been to the NCAA Tournament 14 times under Rennie, earning the 1986 national title. Prior to his arrival, Duke had played in just one NCAA tournament contest. Rennie and the Blue Devils stopped Akron, 1-0, to win the 1986 NCAA Championship, the first national title won by any Blue Devil athletic squad. The Blue Devils reached the Final Four on four occasions, going undefeated and advancing to the 1982 championship match, again reaching the Final Four in 1992, and making their fourth trip in 1995. The Blue Devils played eight overtimes before losing to Indiana in the 1982 championship contest, in what was the longest match in NCAA history up to that point, while Virginia knocked Duke out of the semifinals six years ago.
In 1995, Duke defeated four-time defending national champion Virginia in the semifinals only to suffer a 2-0 loss to Wisconsin in the championship match. Under Rennie's tutelage, Duke sits among the most successful programs in the country with a winning percentage of .732 (324-110-26). In 29 years as a college mentor, Rennie has compiled a .688 (368-156-40) winning percentage, ranking in the top-20 among active coaches.
Included in the team's success has been a wealth of individual honors. Flooding the trophy cases at Duke are numerous coach of the year awards and plenty of player accolades. Rennie was voted National Coach of the Year in 1982, ACC Coach of the Year in 1980, 1983, 1987, 1997, and 1999, and South Region Coach of the Year in 1982, 1983, and 1997.
Duke has had 26 All-America selections during Rennie's tenure. Last season, Ali Curtis earned his third All-America honor in four years, while senior Robbie Russell also earned national recognition.
Jason Kreis, a 1995 graduate, garnered All-American status after the 1992, 1993, and 1994 seasons. Jay Heaps, a 1998 Blue Devil graduate, was a two-time All-America, gaining recognition as a junior and senior.
Along with success on the field, Rennie has developed the Duke program into one of the finest in terms of facilities and attendance. Koskinen Stadium is a lighted, natural grass surface with a capacity of 7,000. Annually ranked among the top collegiate teams in attendance, Duke hosts the South's premier regular season tournament, the Duke adidas Soccer Classic, each fall. The Blue Devils' home turf played host to the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1987, with Rennie serving as coordinator.
Always concerned about the growth of soccer, Rennie organized and was the first chairman of the NCAA Division I Soccer Coaches Committee, formed for the nationwide development of Division I soccer. He recently was brought back for a second term.
Rennie remains active in local and national amateur soccer. He is a former USSF national coaching staff member and has been the head coach of the South Region Olympic Development Program. He is involved with youth soccer in Durham and has served as the director of coaching for the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association. With his help, Durham youth soccer has grown 10-fold during his time from 400 participants to over 4,000 players.
Rennie founded and directs the Duke Soccer Camp, one of the most highly regarded soccer camps in the nation. He is also a co-founder and President of the Triangle Futbol Club, a new program in North Carolina aimed at developing the skills of the area's most talented young players.
A 1967 graduate of Temple, Rennie has been successful along the coaching trail. He spent a year at Southeastern Massachusetts and six at Columbia University, building the latter to a national power. In fact, Columbia won the Ivy League in his final campaign in 1978, with Rennie earning New York Region Coach of the Year honors. He also led the Lions to the NCAA Tournament in his final season.
In addition to his excellence as a coach, Rennie was also a quite accomplished athlete. As a senior at Chatham (NJ) High School, he set a school record with 30 goals in 15 games. Rennie continued his athletic prowess at Temple where he lettered in three sports (baseball, tennis and soccer). In his first collegiate soccer contest, Rennie registered six goals for the Owls. Unfortunately, his playing career came to an end when he suffered a knee injury prior to his senior year.
The 56-year-old Chatham, N.J., native is married to the former Kathy Redden. They have two children, Theodore John, age 17, and 13-year-old Grace.
THE RENNIE FILE
Season Record ACC Postseason 1979 10-7-1 1-4-0 1980 15-4-3 4-0-2 NCAA, Second Round 1981 16-4-0 4-2-0 NCAA, First Round 1982 22-1-2 4-0-2 NCAA, Finalist 1983 18-2-2 4-1-1 NCAA, Second Round 1984 12-5-3 2-3-1 1985 16-5-0 4-2-0 NCAA, First Round 1986 18-5-1 3-3-0 NCAA, Champion 1987 13-5-1 4-1-1 NCAA, First Round 1988 15-6-0 2-4-0 1989 10-5-4 2-2-2 NCAA, First Round 1990 12-6-1 3-2-1 1991 10-9-0 2-4-0 1992 15-4-3 3-2-1 NCAA, Semifinalist 1993 15-5-0 4-2-0 NCAA, First Round 1994 15-7-1 3-3-0 NCAA, Second Round 1995 16-7-1 3-2-1 NCAA, Finalist 1996 12-7-0 3-3-0 1997 15-5-0 4-2-0 1998 18-4-0 4-2-0 NCAA, First Round 1999 16-1-3 4-0-2 NCAA, Second Round 2000 15-6-0 5-1-0 NCAA, Second Round Duke Record: 324-110-26 Career Record: 368-156-40 NCAA Championships: 1986 ACC Championships: 1980, 1982, 1999
John Barrett
Assistant Coach
Third Year
John Barrett enters his third season as assistant coach with the Duke soccer program. A 1969 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Barrett owns a vast amount of coaching experience on the collegiate level. He came to Duke after serving as the head coach of the DePaul men's soccer team for nine seasons. That stint included a 1994 campaign that featured DePaul's winningest season in school history, a 12-5-1 record leading to Barrett being named Great Midwest Conference Coach of the Year.
Prior to taking over the DePaul program, Barrett already had 14 years of head coaching experience. His first collegiate head coaching job came in 1972 at Nasson College in Maine. After one season, Barrett left Nasson to take over the helm at Southeastern Massachusetts. From 1973-77, he compiled a 49-7-6 record and led SMU to four conference titles and three appearances in the national playoffs.
Barrett then moved from the sidelines to an administrative office as he served as the first full-time men's athletic director at Western Connecticut State University.
After leaving Western Connecticut, Barrett joined on as a member of the coaching staff of the under-19 men's state select soccer team in Connecticut. He held that position from 1984-87.
In 1985, Barrett became the head coach at the University of New York at New Paltz, a position he held for one year. He then moved on to Fairfield University where he coached during the 1986 and 1987 seasons. Along with his coach of the year honor at DePaul in 1994, Barrett was inducted into the Southeastern Massachusetts Hall of Fame in 1989. Barrett and his wife, Becky, are the parents of five children.
Al Pastore
Assistant Coach
First Year
The 2001 campaign marks the first for Al Pastore with the Duke men's soccer program.
Pastore is one of the most accomplished soccer coaches in the country at any level. As a youth, collegiate, and professional coach, he has demonstrated time and again the ability, energy and love for the game that will fit in perfectly at Duke.
He arrives from New Hanover High School where he was assistant soccer coach. From 1996-98, Pastore was the head coach of the Wilmington Hammerheads, a professional soccer team, and prior to his stint with Wilmington he was an assistant men's coach with UNC Charlotte from 1992-96.
Pastore has been involved with youth soccer coaching since 1980 and is recognized as one of the top coaches in the profession. In 1994, he was named the New York State Coach of the Year, in 1993 he was selected United States Senate Proclamation Coach of the Year and the New York State Legislative Proclamation Coach of the Year, and in 1992 he was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Coach of the Year.
He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the State University of New York in 1969. Pastore also received a Master's Degree in Health Education at Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y. in 1975 and a Master's Degree in Counseling from the State University of New York in 1973.
Pete Sadin
Assistant Coach
Third Year
Pete Sadin enters his third season as assistant coach with the Blue Devils. He is originally from Springfield, N.J. and played his college soccer at Virginia Wesleyan College in Virginia Beach, Va. While at Virginia Wesleyan he garnered numerous awards including Virginia Intercollegiate Player of the Year honors along with being named All-South region and All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference two different times. He graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.
After college he played professionally in the A-League with the Hampton Roads Mariners and Raleigh Express from 1994-99. He has also previously coached at Frostburg St. University (MD) and Virginia Wesleyan before coming to Duke.
Sadin is currently the Team Sales Account Manager for TSI Soccer and Director of F1 Soccer, fitness training programs. He is married to Cara Sadin and they have one child, Carter, who is one year old.
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