Press Releases

August 21, 2000
How Swede It Is: Men's Soccer Team Reloads in Hopes of Repeat

Southampton College Boasts 11 Swedes: Returns Stellar Goalie

Contact:
Darren Johnson
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Southampton, NY - With the same European style of soccer that propelled Southampton College to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Div. II Tournament last year, the Colonials return with even better odds at winning it all - and feature the most Swedes in team history.

With 11 Swedes and an Icelander, the Colonials this year could field an all-European team. However, with several proven American transfers and returnees also on the squad, there should be a lot of healthy competition for starting roles. Last year, for the first time in team history, the Colonials made the NCAA Div. II tournament by winning the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference title with an 8-0 record. The Colonials (16-1-2) went undefeated until losing to eventual National Champion Southern Connecticut State (20-0) in quadruple overtime in the national quarterfinals.

Forward Johan Kron (school-records: 22 goals last year and 60 career goals) of Floda, Sweden, was named to the NCAA Division II All-American First Team and Dusan Erceg of Queens, N.Y., to the All-American Third Team. The team's GPA of 3.32 earned the Colonials the honor of All-Academic Team for Division II.

In the Northeast Region, Nick Rotiroti of Anjou, Canada, and Roger Svensson of Solvesborg, Sweden, were named to the First Team. Carl Lindgren and Daniel Olsson, both of Stenhullen, Sweden, were named to the Second Team. Coach Ed Goodhines, of Southampton, N.Y., was named Northeast Coach of the Year.

Svensson, an imposing, stellar senior goalie who only allowed .60 goals per game during the regular season last year, will lead this year's Colonial team. "He may be the best returning goalie in Div. II this year," Goodhines said, "and he's a possible Major League Soccer selection." Lindgren and Olsson also return. Long Island standout Rich Stoia of Shirley also returns. Stoia was tied for second on the team with Andreas Lindberg with 10 goals. Lindberg, a junior from Malmoe, Sweden, returns. Joining the mix will be another Long Islander, Phil Bonelli, a freshman from Commack who has the talent to possibly start on this talent-filled squad.

While replacing stifling defenders Rotiroti and Erceg and designated-scorer Kron will be hard, Goodhines was up to the task during the offseason, recruiting phenomenal players to the small, liberal-arts college. Now Goodhines' goal is to make it to the Final Four of the Tournament. "Once you get there anything can happen, and we could go all the way," he said.

"It's going to be hard replacing the players we lost, but we think we've done a good job and added a lot of depth to the bench."

Replacing Kron will be another Swede, Peter Nillson, a sophomore transfer from Goteborg. "He's lightning fast and a pure goal scorer," the coach said.

At midfield, Goodhines said transferring senior Anders Wahrnberg could become the best player in Southampton College single-season history. From Uddevalla, Sweden, Wahrnberg played in Sweden's national league last year and has the potential to be a Major League Soccer selection in 2001.

Also new at midfield will be two freshmen from Karlstad, Sweden: Oskar Tilly and David Nillson. Two junior-college transfers, Rocky Flores of Bay Shore, NY, and Kirk Mullis of Madison, Wisc., are also expected to see important playing time.

Defense will see the addition of dynamite speedster Ragnar Arnarson of Gardabaer, Iceland. "He may be the fastest player on the team," Goodhines said. Also joining the mix will be two freshmen from Sweden's national Second Division team: Emil Ankarberg of Orebro and Andreas Stark of Stockholm. Junior transfer Marko Albrecht of Chicago was named to the Junior College All-Region Team in 1999.

"Last year we had a special team. They were a close-knit group that played a wide-open, European game," Goodhines said. "This year we've added more firepower, but we still want to keep defense as the priority."

Also returning: junior forward Staffan Linne, of Stockholm, who was first off the bench last year; sophomore defender/midfielder Colin Goin, of Briarcliff, NY, who hopes to be fully recovered from last season's knee injury; rugged junior midfielder Carl Lindgren of Stenhullen, Sweden; sophomore midfielder Jonathan Haulenbeek of Pennsauken, NJ; and sophomore midfielder Matt Vilbas of Whitehall, Pa.

Other newcomers: Freshman defender Victor Vergara of Brentwood, NY; freshman backup goalie Brian Hilton from Holtsville, NY; and freshman midfielder Eddie Torres of Brentwood, NY.

Many analysts agree that the best teams in Div. II soccer are competitive with the top Div. I programs because programs like Southampton College can recruit older, more experienced foreign players while Div. I has an age limit and Div. III can't offer scholarships. Swedes, for example, have to serve two years military service before they can consider going to college.

Southampton College's Swedes have made the European style of soccer work here. The college welcomed its first Swede, John Almroth, in 1986. Almroth was a basketball player, but he told his younger brother Bjorn, a soccer forward, of his positive experience here. Bjorn joined the Colonials soccer squad in 1993 and ended up being the College's all-time leading scorer until Kron broke the record last year. Word of mouth led to more Swedes finding Southampton, a pastoral town that's similar to their homeland. Last year there were eight Swedes, now there are 11.

"Like here, Sweden is a laid-back country," said Goodhines. Last year he had traveled to Sweden to attend Bjorn's wedding. But while the Swedes like Southampton's rustic setting, they also like its proximity to the big city. "They love New York City," added Goodhines, who graduated from Southampton College in 1983. "They've been to New York more times than I have."

Goodhines said his Swedish players aren't as rough as American players because Europe has larger and better-groomed fields, promoting passing and teamwork. "The Swedes play with a lot of finesse, and elevate everyone's level," the coach said.

"Soccer in America is played as hockey is played: Full speed from the start, with hard hits and foul play," said Svensson. "European soccer is more tactical and not so dirty."

But they also like to have a good time. When they aren't traveling, most of them live together in a house in Hampton Bays that's well known among Southampton College students. "The Swedes have adapted well and really fit in here," Goodhines said.

"All the Swedes have been everywhere. We do everything," Svensson added. "We go to the city and party, we go to house parties, we travel all over. Everything."