User:Lizmv/Sandbox

Abstract
The Elon Phoenix Men’s Soccer team is based out of Elon University, a small private college located in Elon, North Carolina. The team, coached by Darin Powell, currently carries 28 players representing several different states across the nation. The team’s mascot, the Phoenix, signifies rising from the ashes, this refers to the historical fire that burned much of the campus in 1921. The team plays during the fall of each year, competing against a multitude of other university’s teams along the East Coast.

Brief History
The first record of the Elon College Fighting Christians men’s soccer team is dated back to 1972, coached by Charles Harris. Thirty six years later (along with a new mascot in 2001), the Phoenix men’s soccer team was awarded the title of Southern Conference Champions in 2008, which is the highest position of the conference. They were led to the victory of this title by head coach Darren Powell.

Darren Powell came to Elon to coach the men’s soccer team in 2004. Entering the program with an already impressive coaching history, Powell was recogniced as Socon coach of the year in 2005 and then again in 2008. Powell knows the game well reflected by the fact that he has played for the Carolina Dynamo as well as made two NCAA appearances. Assisting Powell for the 2009 season were Jason O’Keefe (Assistant Coach) and Joe Crump (Goalkeeper’s Coach). These three coaches work together each spring to recruit the most talented players across the country to join the Phoenix.

Each summer, the Elon Phoenix soccer program holds a multitude of summer camps for local area use to hone their soccer skills.

Division
The Elon Phoenix is considered to be in the Southern Conference Division 1 level soccer, meaning that they compete at the highest level of college play against teams along the East Coast. Teams that the Phoenix played against during the 2009 season include Wofford, College of Charleston, UNC Greensboro, Radford, Winthrop, West Virginia University, Furman, Appalachian State University, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Eastern Tennessee State University, Marshall, Longwood, UNC Charlotte, Davidson, and High Point University.

Current Players
0 Reed Dillard, Freshman, GK, Texas

0 Chat Ott, RFR, GK, Virginia

1 Clint Irwin, Junior, GK, North Carolina

2 Mark Berlin, Freshman, Defense, North Carolina

3 Nicholas Butterly, Freshman, Defense, North Carolina

4 Ben Lunka, Junior, Defense, Ohio

5 Clint Collins, Senior, Defense, Georgia

6 Stephen Miller, Senior, Midfield, North Carolina

7 Brad Franks, Junior, Midfield, New Jersey

8 James Carroll, Sophmore, Midfield, North Carolina

9 Denzel Ogunyase, Sophmore, Forward, New York

10 Erfan Imeni, Senior, Forward, North Carolina

11 Daniel Street, Senior, Midfield, North Carolina

12 Drew Gardner, Sophomore, Midfield, North Carolina

13 Stephen Dilger, Junior, Forward, NC

14 Jahan Threeths, RFR, Defense, Georgia

15 Justin Wyatt, Senior, Midfield, NC

16 Greg Madar, Junior, Defense, NC

17 Austen King, Sophomore, Defense, NC

18 Steven Kinney, Senior, Defense, Georgia

19 Chris Thomas, Freshman, Forward, Georgia

20 Hunter Miller, Junior, Midfield, Virginia

21 Morgan Fleming, RFR, Midfield, NC

22 Gabe Latigue, Freshman, Midfield, NC

23 Orry Powers, Senior, Defense, NC

24 Tony Pusateri, Sophomore, Midfield, Maryland

25 Archie Karpeh, Freshman, Forward, Minnesota

26 Jordan Neuhauser, RFR, GK, New Jersey

Stats
In the 2009 Season, the Men’s Phoenix won 11 out of 20 games, tied one, and lost 8 (11-1-8). Of the 20 games, the Phoenix played 8 at home and traveled for 12. Four of these home games were victories.

Player Advancement
Steven Kinney, a senior player who plans on graduating from Elon University in May of 2010, recently became the first player to sign for a major league team, with plans to continue soccer following college. He signed with the Chicago Fire as part of third round selection process of the MLS SuperDraft. His outstanding record and leadership on the team was reflected in how he was a starter in all 78 games since he began at Elon as a freshman. According to the Elon University newspaper, Kinney, “A native of Norcross, Ga., Kinney was the first Elon men’s soccer player to earn Academic All-America status, being named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America third team in November.” Elon has prepared Kinney to continue his excelling talent beyond the campus grounds.