With only one senior on the roster, the Wabash College soccer team will look to a veteran group of juniors for leadership entering the 2013 season.
 
Bobby Thompson returns to the pitch the Little Giants for the first time since 2010. As the lone senior, he and juniors Matthew Bupp, Carlos De La Cerda, Evan Coudriet, Ethan Dove, Blake Jennings, Steve Magura, Ivaylo Mantchev, George Vinihakis, and Zach Woloshin have welcomed a talented group of freshmen into their ranks.
 
"We do have a young squad, but we decided in the preseason as a team that's not going to be a reason not to succeed this year," second-year head coach Chris Keller said. "We have a lot of guys that have been playing a lot of minutes starting their freshmen year. The older players have really been stepping up into leadership roles whether it's vocally or leadership by example. Off the field they're doing a great job. Half our team is made up of freshman this year so the older guys are mentoring the young players and making them feel welcome, showing them how we do things in this program."
 
Jennings earned Honorable Mention All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors as a sophomore after leading the Wabash team with five goals and 12 total points. After playing with his older brother, Austin '12, for two seasons, Blake will serve as a mentor to his younger brother, Dayton Jennings. Dayton will be one of two freshmen goalkeepers for the Little Giants in 2013. Chase Francoeur, who followed his older brother CJ '12 as a member of the Wabash soccer team, will also battle for playing time in front of the net this year.
 
Magura returns as the team's second-leading scorer, tallying three goals and three assists as a sophomore. Second-year player Adam Antalis will move to the back and join Vinihakis as an anchor on defense. Both combined for 28 starts last season. Dove, Coudriet, and Woloshin each scored a goal last season. Saul Cardiel-Lopez is the only other active sophomore on the roster along with Antalis. Second-year player Ben Sia will be lost for the season after suffering an off-season knee injury.
 
Freshman Riley Pelton has already shown his talents early in the season. He scored the only goal in the Little Giants' first exhibition match, then added two more in the final preseason match. Abel Baker, Riley Bland, Dillon Cron, Geno James, Rodrigo Porras, and Nicholas Wheeler are the other first-year field players for Wabash.
 
"I expect we'll have three or four freshmen starting this year," Keller said. That's good for the future, but we also expect them to step up and play now.
 
"We didn't shy away from a tough schedule right away. We face Centre College, Rose-Hulman, and the University of Chicago at Chicago in non-conference play. It's a good way for these younger guys to see high-level soccer and get used to that level prior to playing in the NCAC. I think it's going to help them see how quick the game is, the speed of play, and how physical it is. Hopefully that prepares us for conference play."
 
The Little Giants are coming off a 4-14 season with a 2-7 mark in NCAC matches. Wabash was picked to finish eighth in this year's conference standings by the NCAC coaches in their annual preseason poll, released Thursday.
 
Despite last year's record and expectations of young players, Keller has solid goals for his 2013 team.
 
"We have goals for this season. We always want to make the conference tournament, which is tough since this is a very good conference as everyone knows. But it's attainable with a group we have. We're working hard. Practices have been as intense as ever. Having a winning season and make the conference post-season are our goals for the year."
 
Wabash opens play Saturday at Mud Hollow Stadium against Centre at 4 p.m.

2013 NCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll (pdf)