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2003 Colonials
Top Row: Coach Andreas Lindberg, John
Pramgard, Matti Lauren,
Kiriakos Michailidis, Andreas
Nilsson, Anton Lundstedt,
Ricky Hedman, Adam
Shearwood, Terence Liu, Robin
Olsson, Patrik Engstrom,
and Coach Chris Sam.
Bottom Row:
Bill Stepp,
Terence Goin,
Mario Azzi,
Dario Brito,
Oskar Havas,
Brian Hilton,
Lee Davelaar,
Martin Guss,
Ebo Ankrah,
and David Fredriksson
Outlook 2003
One of Southampton Graduate Campus’s most elite athletic programs
in recent years has been men’s soccer, which is consistently
rated with the country’s top teams. In 2000, the Colonials
won a second-straight league title and were ranked as high as
No. 2 in the nation, and in 2001, the team received an Eastern
College Athletic Conference tournament berth. And in 2002 the
team advanced to the ECAC finals. During those three seasons,
the Colonials were a combined 40-9-6. Last season the team lost
the ECAC championship in a heartbreaking penalty kickoff.
Several players have gone on to All American honors, including
prolific scorers Johan Kron and Peter Nilsson and four-year-starting
goalie Roger Svensson. Defender and former captain Nick Rotiroti,
who graduated in 2000, played professionally in Europe and now
plays in Canada. A “virtual” Peter Nilsson was featured
in PlayStation’s FIFA 2002 video game as a member of the
Swedish National Team.
Taking over as coach in 2002, former captain Andreas Lindberg
put together a team with players from several countries, promoting
an international style of play that’s sure to lead to more
championships. In his first year at the helm, Lindberg guided
the Colonials to a 11-4-2 record. He replaced Patrick Horne, who
left at the end of the 2001 season. Before that, under longtime
head coach Ed Goodhines, the team won the Northeast Regional title
in the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and in 2000 took their second-straight
New York Collegiate Athletic Conference title.
The team is led by its captains, sophomore defenseman Patrik Engstrom
of Stockholm, Sweden, senior forward Kiriakos Michalidis of Stockholm,
Sweden, and sophomore midfielder Markus Persson of Malmo, Sweden.
All three have assumed their leadership roles and are expected
to be standouts.
In goal there are two strong candidates for the starting position,
senior Brian Hilton of Holtsville, N.Y., and sophomore Oskar Havas
of Lysekil, Sweden. This makes coach Lindberg's job even harder.
"Really both these guys are excellent. I think either one
would start on any team they were on," the coach said. "It's
a luxury to have them both. Right now I have them splitting time.
I haven't been able to decide on a starter."
Coach Lindberg expects similar production from last year's leading
scorer Kiriakos Michalidis, who had 14 goals last season. "He
should give us more of the same, and has a knack for putting the
ball in the net. Also, the new guy, Anton Lundstedt, should score
some goals for us. He already had the game winner against Bloomsburg."
Lundstedt, a junior forward, is from Skelleftea, Sweden. This
year's team has players from six different countries, including
15 Swedes.
Last year's Men's Soccer Page
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Head coach Andreas Lindberg and Assistant Coach Chris Sam
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| Captains: Brian Hilton, Markus Persson, Kiriakos, Michailidis |
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Colonial Generals
Andreas Lindberg is entering his second year as head coach of the Men's Soccer team this season. Besides being the former captain of the Colonials in 2000 and 2001, Lindberg has experience coaching an under-23 elite squad in Sweden. All totaled he has three levels of European coaching certification under his belt. He spent time playing for Malmo FF in Sweden and had six months sejour in Grasshoppers Club Zurich. Andreas feels that with all his international experience he has had the perfect education to assume the role of coach. He is an excellent recruiter both natioanally and internationally.
In the spring of 2002, after using up his soccer eligibility, he fulfilled a longtime dream of his by playing lacrosse here at Southampton Graduate Campus under the guise of respected 10-year coach Ralph Pepe. Lindberg, who has been asked to play on the Swedish National Lacrosse Team, said, "Pepe taught me a lot about relating to players and building team cohesion," which is sure to help him in his coaching duties.
Christopher Sam, former Southampton Graduate Campus defender/midfielder, will be the first year assistant coach behind Lindberg. Sam is a native of St. Vincent in the Caribbean, and after finishing his senior season for the Colonials in 2002 he has stepped up into this highly touted coaching position.
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