USF men’s soccer begins its third season under head coach Bob Butehorn in College Park against defending national champion Maryland on Thursday at 8 p.m.
The Bulls return 17 players and eight starters from their 2018 squad that went 4-1-2 in The American.
SEASON-OPENING MATCHUP: USF at No. 1 Maryland
DAY/TIME: Thursday/8 p.m.
LOCATION: Ludwig Field, College Park, Md.
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GAME NOTES: USF
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, AUG. 28, 2019 – Fresh off an undefeated exhibition run, USF men’s soccer opens its 2019 season with a monumental opportunity at No. 1 Maryland on Thursday night.
Third-year USF head coach Bob Butehorn’s focused squad that returns eight starters will face the defending national champions at what promises to be a packed Ludwig Field in College Park.
“It’s an extremely difficult place to play, especially when they’re going to have a full house, which is anywhere between 5-7,000 fans,” said Butehorn, who served the Maryland program as a volunteer assistant/assistant coach from 1990-94.
The house will certainly applaud the Terps before Thursday’s action even begins because of what they accomplished last season. The program finished 2018 with a 9-1-1 record in its final 11 games on the way to capturing its fourth national crown and third under head coach Sasho Cirovski (2018, 2008, 2005).
“It’s going to be one of those places where it’s going to be a real test for us,” Butehorn said. “It’s going to help how we feel about our game, how we’re going to measure ourselves against a program that has that kind of pedigree. We’ll see how we do.”
Butehorn has been encouraged by what he’s seen this preseason from a USF roster that returns 17 players from last year’s edition of the Bulls, who went 4-1-2 in The American. Along with seven newcomers, USF posted three straight shutout victories this preseason in exhibition action against Eastern Florida State College, Eckerd College and the University of Tampa.
“We played two different goalkeepers and a number of different guys on the back line, which is good,” Butehorn said. “The midfield has kind of changed positionally a little bit, too. Those are all positives and we’re creating chances.”
Team progress this preseason followed a 2019 spring season that saw the Bulls take their game to the next level in exhibition tests against Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, along with the United Soccer League’s Tampa Bay Rowdies and Louisville City FC (back-to-back USL Cup champion).
“We’re prepared for (Thursday). We’ve been preparing for it,” Butehorn said. “Our springs are probably harder than anybody’s in the country.”
Butehorn Has Strong Maryland Ties
Starting as a volunteer assistant at Maryland in 1990, Coach Butehorn continued with the program as a full-time assistant coach for the Terrapins from 1991-94.
His ties to the Terps go well beyond that.
Butehorn’s father, Bob Sr., was a student-athlete at Maryland in the late 1940s and graduated from the university.
“He played goalkeeper there,” Butehorn said. “He was a big alum and loved it.”
Born in Baltimore, Butehorn Jr. grew up in the Washington, D.C., area as a big Maryland sports fan. His two daughters, Madison and Jessica, both work and attend school in the Washington, D.C., area.
“It’s going to be a little treat of a trip,” said Butehorn of USF’s season-opening road destination.
A Look at Some of the Bulls’ Talent
Among USF’s eight returning starters is senior goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares (Sydney, Australia), who ranked second in The American last season in saves (64) and saves per game (4.0).
“Just having him healthy and keyed in during his final semester, he’s been a great leader,” Butehorn said.
The Bulls also bring back two preseason all-conference selections in juniors Avionne Flanagan and Adrian Billhardt.
Flanagan (Baltimore) earned second team All-AAC honors last season after logging in more than 1,100 minutes and starting 16 of the 17 matches he played in. The Baltimore native is set to move into a wingback role this season.
Billhardt, a forward from Berlin, Germany, has started 26 times the past two seasons and was named AAC Rookie of the Year in 2017.
“I think Adrian is set to have a good year,” Butehorn said.
Butehorn also sees a lot of potential in his young back line that features sophomores Javain Brown (Kingston, Jamaica) and Marcus Murphy (Orange Park, Fla.) along with freshman Salvatore Mazzaferro (Caledon East, Ontario, Canada).
Junior midfielder Emilio Ycaza (St. Petersburg, Fla.) is another impact player to watch for as the team’s top returning offensive producer after posting nine points in 2018 (three goals, three assists).
Overall, Butehorn said USF is “well-balanced team” that returns to Corbett Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6 to host Marquette in the Bulls’ home opener.
“It’s just how they feed off each other, how their chemistry builds and how their trust builds,” Butehorn said. “I think if that happens, a lot of positives will come out of each one of those games.”
Scouting the First Opponent
Reigning national champion Maryland went 16-6-4 last season after heating up down the stretch with a 6-0-1 record in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
The Terps have made 24 trips to the NCAA tournament (nine College Cup appearances) and won it all three times under the guidance of head coach Sasho Cirovski, who has led Maryland since 1993.
“I have the upmost respect for that guy and what he’s done for that program,” said Butehorn, who was on Cirovski’s staff from 1993-94. “For us to go in and have a good game is gong to be really important.”
Standing in the way of the Bulls’ goal will be a new cast of key players for the Terps, who lost three double-digit scorers and five total players to Major League Soccer, including goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Despite those departures, Maryland still brings back four healthy starters – sophomore midfielder William James Herve, College Cup All-Tournament selections Eli Crognale and Ben Di Rosa along with center back Johannes Bergmann. Paul Bin, the team’s second-leading point scorer in 2018, was lost for the season with an ACL injury.
Bulls Bits
- NEW-LOOK COACHING STAFF: Butehorn’s coaching staff includes Jeremy Hurdle, who was promoted to assistant coach in 2019 after serving as the Bulls’ Director of Soccer Operations. Assistant coach Matt Poplawski and volunteer assistant coach Tomas Cerda are making their USF debuts this season. “I always want to keep myself on my toes and they bring really fresh ideas,” said Butehorn of his younger staff by design. “The buy in and I think their contributions are going to be real during the course of the year. I’ve already seen some good things from all of them. I’m excited to have them onboard.”
- USF IN OPENERS: A win a Maryland would improve USF’s all-time record in season openers to 38-14-3. The Bulls are seeking their first season-opening road win since a 2-0 victory at Wake Forest on Aug. 27, 2011.
- OLYMPIC GOLD PASS: Bulls fans can purchase a mobile pass that gives them a ticket to every men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball home contest this season. Purchase the Olympic Gold Pass at USFBullsTix.com, or call/text 1-800-Go-Bulls for more info.
– #GoBulls –
