After Seeing New Heights in 2020-21, Men’s Soccer Looks to Keep Climbing

Photo by: Cody Glenn

After Seeing New Heights in 2020-21, Men’s Soccer Looks to Keep Climbing

8.24.21 | Men's Soccer

PHILADELPHIA – Only five months after the truncated 2020-21 season ended, the Temple men's soccer team will be returning to the field in just two days to kick off the 2021 campaign. Following a strong season for head coach Brian Rowland that featured new heights for the program, the team is ready to push forward to new levels of success as they begin the season on Thursday, Aug. 26 as they travel to face the No. 10 ranked Seton Hall Pirates.

Now in his fourth season leading men's soccer, Rowland has seen consistent year to year improvement in his journey to build the program into a championship contender. After taking the team to its best-ever postseason finish in the American Athletic Conference last season, the team is hungry and ready for more success with the bar set high.

"First and foremost our goal every season is to win a championship. That starts with a regular-season championship in the conference, goes on a conference championship, and goes on to compete for an NCAA championship," Rowland said. "Those goals are pretty fixed year over year. Obviously we've shown growth within the league and each season we've finished a little higher than the season before. So we're ready to take the next step and continue to improve. We have a very confident team and a very difficult schedule so we know it's not gonna be easy for us, but our expectations are high."

In 2020-21, Rowland and his staff had their best season since taking over the program in 2018. The Owls shined with a 5-4-2 record, good for their highest finish in the American since joining the conference in 2014. Temple saw two victories over ranked teams, its most since the athletic department began recording the stat in 2008. One of those victories was a massive win over then-No.2 SMU for the program's highest-ranked win ever, as well as the highest-ranked win Rowland had achieved as a head coach.

As the march to success continues, the Cherry and White saw a 14-man roster infusion of new talent since the spring. The reloaded group features a diverse pool of soccer talent from all over the world and returns many star players from last season.

The offensive firepower this team will bring to the table this season is nothing short of dynamic. Mike Eijgendaal returns after an outstanding first season with Temple. Last year the sophomore tied for the team lead in goals (4) and was named Second-Team All-Conference. The team is also expecting good things from returning freshmen Alex Marin and Nigel Griffith. Both made strong impacts last season and look to grow into larger roles in the Owls' offense.

"We've got Mike Eijgendaal back, and Alex Marin has had a really good preseason," said Rowland. "Those guys are certainly pushing each other and are young players that have had success here. We're looking for a lot out of those guys."

The midfield has a strong mix of returning and new talent. Incoming junior Chaim Roserie brings blazing speed and scoring ability to North Broad. Kyle Hellmann, Tessho Kobayashi, and Kemali Green will be among the newcomers looking to make an impact in the midfield. Amir Cohen and Jalen Campbell both return after tying for the team lead in points last season, alongside 10-game returning starter Paul Frendach. Andres Charles looks to be a difference-maker this season, missing nearly the entire 2020-21 season after starting in 2019.

"Getting Andres Charles back first and foremost is huge. He missed a majority of last season, so it's massive for the group to get him back," said Rowland. "The midfield is really deep, we've got Chaim, a talented player who can play a few different positions. Returners like Paul Frendach who have been fantastic additions to programs over the last couple of years that have helped us win a lot of games. With guys like that plus Amir Cohen and others, we've got a great midfield this year."

The backline is reloaded after a strong 2020-21. Spencer Patton and Marques Antoine are key transfers from powerhouse programs in Virginia and Maryland, respectively. Jimi Leder and Fabian Grant return to hybrid roles between the defense and midfield. Mickael Borger stands out on defense, now entering his third season suiting up in Cherry and White.

"Mickael Borger coming back is enormous. He's a very experienced player who has been with us now for three seasons. We know what he's capable of, he can play a multitude of spots across the backline. Spencer Patton has had a great preseason, he's a guy who will likely come in and make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball. We've gathered a lot of experience and those guys are winners and competitors," said Rowland.

Goalkeeping figures to be an area of potential excellence for the Owls this season. Last season, keeper Eoin Gawronski emerged as one of the top talents in The American. The redshirt freshman was named Second-Team All-Conference and unanimous All-Freshman last season. This season Gawronski was named unanimous Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and has had an outstanding preseason.

"Eoin had a great half of a season last year and really helped our team make a push towards the end of the year and deserves all the accolades he has received so far. He's had a fantastic preseason, but he's still a young player and has room to grow and the appetite to do it as well. Obviously, we're thrilled to have him back there, but he knows the goal for this season, and we expect to keep up the work to help us get there," Rowland stated.

Perhaps the most notable difference between this season and last is the return of fans to venues around the nation, something that the men's soccer team and coach Rowland are particularly excited about for this upcoming year.

"I think over my first two seasons at Temple the TSC has been a challenging place for teams to come in and play," Rowland said. "Having fans back and being able to share in that experience and for them to help push us and make North Broad a difficult place for teams to play is all part of why it's so nice to return to normal. Having that backing and that extra push is something that we look forward to for the nine home games that we have."

Temple will face three teams ranked in the top 15 in the preseason poll in No. 5 Georgetown, No. 10 Seton Hall, and No. 13 UCF, (twice). All three teams qualified for the NCAA College Cup in 2020-21. To begin the 2021 season, the Owls prepare to face No. 10 Seton Hall on the road on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.

The Owls open their home slate on September, 4 at 3 p.m. as they host the Manhattan Jaspers. Attendance is free for Temple students and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.