Oct. 14, 2009

UP NEXT FOR THE DONS: After posting a split during the second week of West Coast Conference play, USF returns home to host the Pacific Northwest contingent beginning Friday, October 16 against No. 22 Portland. The match against the Pilots (7-2-2) opens a four-match homestand for the Dons, who own a 3-2-1 slate at Negoesco Stadium so far during the 2009 season. San Francisco welcomes Gonzaga (4-5-2) to the Hilltop for a Sunday matinee. Last season the Dons swept the season series against the Pilots and took a 1-0 decision at Gonzaga before falling to the Bulldogs at home in a 3-2 overtime loss later in the season.

USF SOCCER SECURES PROGRAM VICTORY NO. 750 vs. SANTA CLARA: One of the most storied programs in NCAA Division I history, USF reached another rarified milestone when it collected program victory No. 750 in a 2-0 shutout triumph against ancient Bay Area rival Santa Clara (10/9/09). Since soccer's "modern era" began on the Hilltop in 1946, the Dons own a 750-284-94 overall record. UCLA (856) is the only Division I program with more all-time victories.

TWIN SOCCER TWINBILLS: USF soccer will host a pair of twinbills this weekend at Negoesco Stadium featuring both programs in West Coast Conference action. The women's team enters the week riding an eight match unbeaten streak with a 6-1-5 overall record and wrestles perennial national power No. 20 Santa Clara Friday, October 16 at 5:00 PM. The men's team welcomes No. 22 Portland for a 7:30 PM kick off under the lights. Sunday, the women's team hosts No. 25 San Diego at 11:00 AM, while the men tackle Gonzaga at 2:00 PM.

CHINN NAMED TO PRESEASON HERMANN AWARD WATCH LIST: After turning in one of the most prolific offensive seasons in USF history, senior striker Conor Chinn was named to the 2009 Hermann Trophy Watch List presented annually to the top player in collegiate soccer. The reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year and 2009 Preseason All-American enjoyed a record-setting 2008 campaign, scoring 17 goals, including six game-winners, propelling the Dons to the 2008 WCC Championship. A 2008 All-Far West Region selection, Chinn ranked No. 8 among national Division I leaders in goals per game (0.81) and was No.17 in points (1.67). His 17 tallies were the most by a USF player since Tor Sveen recorded 17 in 1982 and tied for second on the single season list with Sveen, Dag Olavsen (1978) and Alex Nwosu (1977). Chinn enters the seventh week of his senior season with 32 goals, 10 game-winners, 10 assists and 74 points in 67 career matches.

HOW SWEDE IT IS: Three Swedish players are making a big impact for USF this season on the Dons' "United Nations" roster. Senior midfielder Jonathan Levi (Varberg) rates second in points with eight (two goals, four assists). A 2008 All-West Coast Conference Second Team selection, Levi has started every match in his USF career and serves as a team co-captain. A two-year starter, sophomore defender Victor Wennberg (Boras) has started all 11 matches for the Dons in 2009. Freshman forward Oscar Englund (Enskede) provided the game-winner for San Francisco in the season-opening 4-1 triumph against UMKC (9/1/09).

NEGOESCO TO BE INDUCTED INTO BASHOF: After winning championships at nearly every level possible, USF soccer legend Steve Negoesco will be inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame along with four other sports icons Monday, March 22, 2010 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. The NSCAA Hall of Fame coach spent 38 years as the head coach at the University of San Francisco, directing the Dons to a then NCAA record 540 career wins and five NCAA Championships. Negoesco will be enshrined with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano, baseball great Bert Campaneris and ex-49er receiver R.C. Owens. Negoesco is the first inducted for the sport of soccer.

USF HEAD COACH Erik Visser: USF head coach Erik Visser took a young, inexperienced team featuring just five seniors and 11 upperclassmen to the 2008 West Coast Conference Championship. The conference crown is the third for the Dons in the last five seasons under Visser and the NCAA Tournament berth is the fourth for the Green and Gold in five campaigns. After guiding San Francisco to consecutive West Coast Conference titles (2004-05), Visser and the Dons secured a runner-up finish in 2006 with a 12-7-1 overall record, while playing a schedule rated in the top-10 nationally. From 2004-06, USF recorded a 37-17-6 record and recorded the most league victories (22) during the span.

VISSER'S CHAMPIONSHIP CREDENTIALS: A three-time WCC Coach of the Year (2004-05, 2008), Visser owns deep ties to the soccer program at the University of San Francisco. A defender on two USF NCAA Championship teams (1978, 1980), Visser spent 19 seasons as an assistant coach under soccer legend Steve Negoesco before taking the reigns as head coach for the 2001 campaign. Along the way, Visser also started the women's soccer program on the Hilltop in 1985 and served as head coach for six years. Visser is active in the USA National Team program and served as the top assistant for the U-20 team that finished 13th in the 2001 Youth World Cup in Argentina. Visser recorded his 50th career victory at Portland (11/10/05) and owns an overall mark of 82-70-12. Former Dons standout Josh McKay is in his seventh season as top assistant coach and fourth as an associate head coach, while Tyler Gottschalk is in his sixth campaign as an assistant. Chris Carniato enters his third season on the coaching staff.

USF ONCE AGAIN FEATURES THE UNITED NATIONS LINEUP: USF men's soccer boasts a long and distinguished history of drawing outstanding players from throughout the world and the 2009 squad is no exception. This year's squad features players from no fewer than seven countries and four continents. The country roll call features 27 players from the United States, three Dons from Sweden, and one each from Canada, Colombia, Holland, Jamaica and Japan.