Men’s Soccer Team Set to Kick Off 2016 Campaign

Posted: Aug 26, 2016

BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer team and Head Coach Reid Ayers look to rebound in 2016 and compete for an Ohio Athletic Conference Title.

Ayers has 20 returners and 13 letterwinners from last year's team that that finished 4-13-3 overall and 1-7-1 in OAC play. Along with the returners, Ayers and his coaching staff brought in 19 freshmen and three transfers to contribute immediately.

"This team is one of the deepest groups we have had in a while with competition at every position," said Ayers. "Our players have been working deliberately all thru the preseason and I expect that to translate to success throughout the fall."

At the midfield position the Yellow Jackets return senior Patrick O'Malley (Sheridan, Ind. / Westfield), junior Jack Shirley (Dublin / Scioto) and junior Justin Herrin (Santee, Calif. / West Hills). Last season, O'Malley scored three goals in 11 games before sustaining a season ending injury, Shirley scored three goals and Herrin tallied up a team-high three assists.

The forwards will feature junior Craig Wallace (Boxford, Mass. / Tilton School) and sophomore Ryan Hassell (Southhampton, Bermuda / Western Reserve Academy) who led the team a year ago with four goals each. The pair will look to build on their success in 2015.

Academic All-OAC selection and captain Adam Grove (Indianapolis, Ind. / North Central) will lead the defense along with sophomore standout JT Taubeneck (Cleveland / Normandy). The duo led a BW defense that held opponents to 1.75 goals per game.

Senior Ryan Asbury (Cincinnati / Turpin) and sophomore Brian Haviland (Grasonville, Md. / Kent Island) will be competing for the starting goalkeeper position. Asbury was the backup goalkeeper a year ago.

The Yellow Jackets open the season on Friday, September 2 when they travel to Erie, Pennsylvania for day-one of the two-day Herb Lauffer Memorial Tournament hosted by Penn State-Behrend. On day-one BW will face Hiram College at 7:30 p.m. BW opens up OAC play on September 30 when they travel to Marietta College.