2016 Schedule | 2016 Roster

NJAC Preseason Poll

2015 Results

NEWARK, N.J. (August 31, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer team will open its 2016 season at DeSales University Thursday afternoon.
 
The Scarlet Raiders are coming off a 16-win 2015 campaign in which the team won an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) title and reached the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament for a fifth-straight year.
 
Leading the Scarlet Raiders are a trio of captains in senior Hubert Dul, senior Dylan Elias and junior Arek Szoldrowski.
 
Dul is a midfielder that has been a strong contributor for the Scarlet Raiders throughout his career. The veteran has an excellent service game and is a smart player, knowing when to attack down the flanks. Dul made 17 starts and 19 appearances as a junior, finishing second on the team with six assists and finishing the year with eight points.
 
Elias will be a back and midfielder for Coach Kevin East after a very strong 2015. Elias scored three goals and handed out five assists, playing in 24 matches and earning 15 starting nods. He has good vision and is adept at building the Scarlet Raider attack in addition to a nice feel for when to push up.
 
Szoldrowski will be a central figure along the Newark defense after an excellent junior season with the program. He played in 23 games, making 22 starts and helping the defensive unit pitch three shutouts and allow just 1.26 goals against per game. The Lawrenceville, N.J. native had a goal and two assists for four points as well and will certainly be a key in 2016.
 
Goalkeepers:
Headlining the goalkeepers will be senior Elmer Flores and freshman Andres Medina. Flores has been solid during the preseason and is pushing to become the starter after three starts a season ago in which he did not allow a single blemish against in 136 minutes. Medina has impressed as well and will push for early-season action as sophomore Mark Glodava and freshman Matt Cabrera both vie for opportunity.
 
Stat Fact: Rutgers-Newark goalkeepers had 10 shutouts and 97 saves in 2015, helping the team to a plus-18 margin on the scoreboard (49-31).
 
Backs:
In addition to the two captains along the back in Elias and Szoldrowski, junior Isaiah Kuris, junior Zakaria Sodki and sophomore Brandon Goldy all should see a lot of time for Coach East.
 
Kuris has excellent size and started 24-of-24 matches for Newark a year ago. He scored two goals – including a buzzer-beater against The College of New Jersey – and had one assist, finishing the year with five points. Sodki returns to the fold after missing 2015, and will be a key outside back for the Scarlet Raiders. The Jersey City product is good with the ball and played 37 matches combined as a freshman and sophomore. Goldy was a fixture on the field during his freshman season, making 19 starts and 20 appearances. He will be looking to build upon a quality freshman season and continue to be an impact-player.
 
Junior Giuseppe Pollicino and sophomore Justin Thompson are both working hard to earn minutes, with redshirt freshman Kieran Williams, senior transfer Jorge Galvez, freshman Phil Ogalo, freshman Jordan Luthers and freshman Jose Barillas all looking for chances to crack the rotation.
 
Midfielders:
The midfield is a position of depth for Rutgers-Newark, and in addition to the tri-captain Dul, Coach East has a number of experienced performers ready to go for 2016. Juniors Adrian Mayorga and Carlos Castro each played major roles in 2015 and should do so again. Mayorga made 21 starts and 23 appearances in what was his first season at R-N, totaling five points. A player that sees the field well, Mayorga will be an integral part to facilitating the offense. Castro was the MVP of the team's ECAC title run in 2015, earning four starts and 22 appearances as a sophomore. The now-veteran picked up three goals and one assist, and will be an asset in possession, getting others involved and moving the ball.
 
Senior Mark Pazmino also saw significant time a season ago, and will be a central midfielder this go round. Pazmino – who had six starts, 12 appearances, one goal and one assist as a junior – sees the field and moves the ball well. Sophomore Zachary Gillespie improved throughout last year and the offseason and should see an increase in numbers after taking the pitch in eight matches as a rookie. Gillespie is a smart player with a good soccer IQ.
 
A trio of newcomers will also figure into the equation for the Scarlet Raiders in the midfield in sophomore sophomore Jakub Golabek, sophomore Breno Lustosa and sophomore Stefano Muniz. Golabek has demonstrated strong smarts for the game and superb finishing ability, Lustosa is very skilled and talented with the ball and Muniz – a transfer from Rutgers University-Camden – is a physical player that covers a lot of ground and has a knack for winning 50-50 balls.
 
Sophomore Victor Navas Jr. hopes to crack the rotation as well as freshman Romario DePalmer, freshman Achrof Sodki and freshman Benjamin Parris.
 
Forwards:
Leading the Scarlet Raider attack will be senior Sebastian Gostynski, junior Chigozie Atubi, junior Alex Torres, sophomore Timothy Farias and freshman Fabio De Sousa.
 
Gostynski is strong going to the goal and has excellent instincts in making runs. The Garfield, N.J. native saw time in all 24 matches in 2015, leading the team with eight assists and scoring five goals. His 18 points led the squad by a solid margin and two of his markers were of the game-winning variety.
 
Atubi was tied for the first on the team in goals (six), second on the team in points (15) and fourth on the team with three assists. Two times he put home the game-deciding tally, and if he can stay healthy, his speed and raw ability will be a big-time key for the offense.
 
Torres appeared in 10 contests as a rookie, getting credit for one assist. A forward and midfielder, the third-year Raider is good with the ball and plays with great pace. Farias – like Gostynski – has a knack for making quality runs at the goal, and his speed – like Atubi – will be a major asset for the attack. Farias had four goals in 21 appearances as a rookie.
 
De Sousa has been solid throughout the preseason and can be a dangerous scorer for Rutgers-Newark if he performs as he can come the regular-season. Additionally, junior transfer Yannick Ntone will also be hoping for his chance at a rotation spot as well.
 
Stat Fact: Rutgers-Newark had 10 players score more than one goal in 2015 and 18 players score at least one.
 
Stat Fact: Five different players scored two game-winning goals in 2015.
 
After opening the season at DeSales University on Thursday, the Scarlet Raiders travel to Babson College and Wheaton College on Saturday and Sunday. A trip to the United States Merchant Marine Academy will be ahead of a trip to Ewing, N.J. and the TCNJ Adidas Soccer Classic where R-N will battle Whitworth University and Keystone College.
 
The team opens NJAC play at Rutgers-Camden on September 17, two days ahead of the September 19 home-opener against John Jay.
 
"The opening two weeks of our schedule is filled with very strong opponents," said East. "Getting some quality results will go a long way toward building momentum for conference play."
 
R-N was picked to finish fourth in the conference and will play four league games at home and five on the road.
 
"I am looking for improved consistency this year – each and every time out," added East. "If we play aggressive from the opening touch, and come ready to play no matter the matchup I expect us to be a strong group."
 
Stat Fact: Rutgers-Newark made the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014 and won an ECAC title in 2015. The program has made the NJAC Tournament every season since 2011 and boasts an exceptional 76 wins since 2011. The program-record for wins is 17 (2013) and the Raiders have at least 14 wins in each of the last four campaigns.