SOCCER 2016 2016 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE AND STATS 2016 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
DATE
OPPONENT
TIME
Sat. Aug. 27 Sun. Aug. 28 Sat. Sept. 3 Wed. Sept. 7 Thu. Sept. 8 Sat. Sept. 17 Sun. Sept. 18 Sat. Sept. 24 Sun. Sept. 25 Fri. Sept. 30 Sun. Oct. 2 Thu. Oct. 6 Wed. Oct. 12 Sun. Oct. 16 Sat. Oct. 22 Sun. Oct. 23
at Algoma at Algoma vs. Laurier at McMaster vs. Waterloo vs. McMaster at Guelph at Windsor at Western at Waterloo at Laurier at Brock vs. Guelph vs. Brock vs. Windsor vs. Western
3:15pm 2:15pm 3:15pm 8:00pm 8:15pm 3:15pm 3:15pm 8:15pm 2:15pm 8:15pm 3:15pm 7:15pm 8:15pm 3:15pm 3:15pm 3:15pm
Wed. Oct. 26 Sun. Oct. 30 Nov. 5-6 Nov. 10-13
OUA First Round OUA Quarter-finals OUA Final Four Championships (at highest West seed) CIS Championships (at University of Guelph)
2015 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS DATE
OPPONENT
RESULTS
Sun. Aug. 30 Sat. Sept. 5 Sun. Sept. 6 Thu. Sept. 10 Sun. Sept. 13 Sat. Sept. 19 Sat. Sept. 26 Sun. Sept. 27 Thu. Oct. 1 Sun. Oct. 4 Thu. Oct. 8 Sat. Oct. 10 Fri. Oct. 16 Sun. Oct. 18 Sat. Oct. 24 Sun. Oct. 25
at McMaster vs. Brock vs. Windsor vs. McMaster vs. Guelph at Brock at Windsor at Western at Laurier at Guelph vs. Laurier vs. Waterloo at Waterloo vs. Western vs. Algoma vs. Algoma
W W T W W W L W T W W W W W W W
3-2 2-0 2-2 2-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 3-1 1-1 2-0 5-0 2-1 5-0 4-0 6-0 8-0
2015 PLAYOFF RESULTS
Proud sponsor of the
YORK LIONS
Sun. Oct. 26 Sun. Nov. 1 Sun. Nov. 2 Thu. Nov. 6 Sat. Nov. 7 Sun. Nov. 9
OUA Quarter-finals vs. Guelph OUA Semifinals * vs. Toronto OUA Championship * vs. McMaster CIS Quarter-final ^ vs. Cape Breton CIS Semifinal ^ vs. UBC CIS Championship vs. UNB Match ^
* OUA FINAL FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS AT YORK UNIVERSITY ^ CIS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT YORK UNIVERSITY FINAL REGULAR-SEASON RECORD: 13-1-2 FINAL PLAYOFF RECORD: 6-0
W W W W W W
4-3 OT 1-0 2OT 2-1 4-1 1-0 PK 2-0
SEASON OUTLOOK
YORK LIONS
The last time fans saw the York University Lions men’s soccer team, the players and coaches were celebrating a national championship on home turf. They are no strangers to defending a championship season and they enter 2016 as the team to beat once again. To say that the Lions have dominated their opponents over the last three seasons would be an understatement, and the numbers are astonishing: five banners (three OUA titles and back-to-back CIS championships), 56 victories and only five losses in 66 regular season and playoff contests and a scoring differential of +158. Despite all of that, the Lions are focused only on this season and being at their best when they need to be. “I think everyone knows it’s a new year and the mentality is good,” said head coach Carmine Isacco, who has led the program to four CIS banners in his nine seasons at the helm. “What we’ve done is in the past now and moving forward we need to be learning and growing and understanding who we are. We lost a lot, but we are concentrating on what we have and that is still great. There is an opportunity for other players who have been in the system to step up and we are fully expecting them to.” The style of play will be different this season with the absence of last year’s top three scorers, most notably Michael Cox. He was the CIS scoring leader and is now playing professionally, but the Lions are familiar with a score-by-committee approach and will employ that again. “Last year our focal point was Michael and he was a difference maker as an individual. Without him, we will need to be more of a ball possession team. Our opponents are going to have a different approach to us but we are prepared for it and we will do the things we need to do to be successful,” elaborated Isacco. The always-dangerous Jonathan Lao is now in his fourth season with the Lions and continues to be one of the best players in the country. The former OUA and CIS rookie of the year began his career as a forward and has since moved to a more defensive role in the midfield, but he has earned OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian honours in each of his first three seasons and tallied 18 goals. He demands attention regardless of where he plays.
Fifth-year midfielder Dena Iezady has tallied 10 goals over the last two seasons and will again provide a presence up the middle, while Ryan Telfer played sparingly in 2015 but had a tremendous off-season and is poised for a big year. Added to the mix are rookies Cristian Cavallini and Milan Beader, who are new to the Lions but have extensive experience in the game not just in Canada but abroad. There will also be a new starting goalkeeper this season with the graduation of Colm Vance, leaving an opening for one of Andrew D’Souza and Daniel Gosciniak to step into. D’Souza served as Vance’s back-up for two seasons and started the OUA gold-medal final in 2014, posting a clean sheet en route to the banner, while Gosciniak joined the Lions in the offseason after one year in South Carolina at Francis Marion University. Regardless of who is between the pipes, Isacco and his coaching staff are comfortable relying whomever is called upon. The one unit that hasn’t seen any major changes is the defence, where the four starters – Matt Arnone, Malcolm Loukides, Daniel Gogarty and De Vante Walker – are all returning from last year. The Lions have only surrendered 15 goals in 32 regular season contests over the last two seasons and will need the group to continue its strong play with so many new faces up front and in goal. Thanks to tremendous coaching and a strong culture of winning, the team has proven in recent years that it can succeed regardless of who suits up in any given game. The talent is there again and the Lions have their sights set on being in Guelph, Ont., in mid-November to defend their national titles.
What we’ve done is in the past now and moving forward we need to be learning and growing and understanding who we are. CARMINE ISACCO - MASTER COACH
SOCCER 2016 REGULAR SEASON SCORING LEADERS
2015 STATISTICS REGULAR SEASON GOALKEEPERS
NAME
GP
G
NAME
GP
GA
SO
W-L-T
Michael Cox Jarek Whiteman Joey Cicchillo Dena Iezady Domenic Gullo Matt Stinson Tyrone Downes Jonathan Lao Ben Futoriansky Stefan Popovic Ryan Telfer
16 15 14 10 15 12 15 16 15 5 4
16 8 6 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
Colm Vance Andrew D’Souza
16 1
8 0
9 0
13-1-2 0-0-0
NAME
GP
G
Michael Cox Dena Iezady Tyrone Downes Jarek Whiteman
6 6 6 6
8 3 1 1
PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS
PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS NAME
GP
GA
SO
W-L-T
Colm Vance
6
5
3
6-0-0
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2015 OUA & CIS CHAMPIONS
YORK LIONS
THE COACHES CARMINE ISACCO
HIEU QUACH
MASTER COACH
ASSISTANT COACH
Carmine Isacco was named the head coach of the Lions men’s soccer team in 2007 and has built the program into one of the best in the CIS. He is now the master coach of York’s soccer program, overseeing both the men’s and women’s teams. The Lions men’s team has made six appearances at the CIS championships with him at the helm and have won four national banners (2008, 2010, 2014, 2015). They are also fourtime OUA champions under his guidance (2007, 2013-15) and have won provincial medals in eight of the nine years he has led the program. The Lions have finished first in the OUA West Division in each of his nine seasons and have earned a No. 1 ranking in the weekly CIS pool at least once in each year since he took over. Isacco is a five-time recipient of the OUA men’s coach of the year award, (2007, 2010, 2012-14), a two-time CIS coach of the year (2007, 2014) and a four-time York coach of the year (2010, 2014-16). In 2015 he served as a guest coach with the Canadian senior men’s team for a pair of friendlies in advance of World Cup qualifying, and served as the assistant coach with the U22 team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. Isacco joined the Lions after spending two seasons as the head coach of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, where he led the team to a pair of OUA silver medals and a CIS silver medal in 2005. His coaching career has also seen him claim a national championship with the Hearts-Azzurri S.C. in the under-18 division. As a player, Isacco took to the pitch at the University of Maryland, where he was named a freshman all-American and a three-time all-ACC first team member. In 1993 he participated in the World University Games.
GERALD PENNANT GOALKEEPER COACH
Gerald Pennant joined the Lions coaching staff as the goalkeeper coach in 2010, coming to York from Ryerson where he served in the same role for both the men’s and women’s programs for two years. He has a wealth of experience coaching with the Ontario provincial program and the Jamaican national team. He is a provincial B licensed coach who also holds both an NACAA goalkeeping diploma and the Ontario Soccer Association goalkeeping certificate.
Hieu Quach has been with the Lions men’s soccer program since 2007. He came to York along with head coach Carmine Isacco and previously worked as an assistant under Isacco for two years at the University of Toronto. He has played a big role in the success experienced by the Lions, including the team’s three OUA banners (2007, 201314) and CIS titles (2008, 2010, 2014). Quach was a three-year starter at central midfield for the Varsity Blues, earning a conference all-star selection in 1996 and academic all-Canadian honours in 1998. He graduated from the University of Toronto with an education degree after earning a bachelor of science from Dalhousie University.
LUCA FORNO ASSISTANT COACH
Luca Forno joined the Lions coaching staff in 2010 after four seasons as a player on the team. He was a captain for three seasons (2007-09), earned the team MVP award in the squad’s OUA title-winning campaign in 2007 and also helped the Lions win the 2008 CIS championship. Forno, who played one season at Francis Marion University in South Carolina before coming to York, graduated with a degree in administrative studies. He is also a coach with the Vaughan Soccer Club.
BRANKO MAJSTOROVIC ASSISTANT COACH
Branko Majstorovic joined the Lions coaching staff in 2014, returning to the team where he had a strong five-year playing career. Majstorovic was a solid defender for the team from 2008-12, helping the Lions win CIS championships in 2008 and 2010. He was a team captain in his final two seasons, and capped his career by earning first-team OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian honours in 2012. Majstorovic graduated from York with a degree in geography, as well as his bachelor’s degree in education
SHANE LAMMIE – ASSISTANT COACH ENZO PAEZ – ASSISTANT COACH GEORGE GRAMMENOPOULOS – HEAD STUDENT THERAPIST KATERINA XANDERIS – ASSISTANT STUDENT THERAPIST
SOCCER 2016
PLAYER PROFILE
JONATHAN LAO ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST CONTINUES TO MAKE HIS MARK Jonathan Lao has already experienced a lot in the sport of soccer despite being just 23 years of age, and that has paid major dividends for the York Lions soccer program. In addition to three years playing in the CIS, he has also represented Canada on the international stage and spent time playing professionally in Europe. He first began playing the sport at the age of four when his father signed him up for house league and became his first coach. He took to it instantly and quickly proved his prowess in the game. He rose through the ranks and made his debut with the national team at the age of 15, eventually going on to represent Canada at the 2009 U17 CONCACAF championships in Mexico.
“The winning has obviously been great. It’s always hard to stay on top, we have to keep ourselves humble and work hard and know that every game won’t be easy. That’s the challenge. This year is a new beginning, from day one we have to stay focused and in preseason we’ve been doing that. We know our goal is to get back to nationals and do what we’ve done the last two years and we are going to take everything day by day and work hard.” Lao will continue to build upon everything he has experienced thus far as he looks to extend this gold era of York men’s soccer.
Lao continued to build on his talent and, after finishing high school, moved to Europe to be part of the German Liga 3 club FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. Moving to a new country was a big adjustment for a teenager, but one that taught him plenty about the sport and himself. “It’s very different over there. Playing soccer is what life is about when you are training in Europe. Here, we have the luxury of going to school and doing other things as well. It was a tough journey and the first few months were rough, but I had good roommates and we grew together.” The next step on Lao’s journey after returning home to Unionville, Ont., was to continue his education while also remaining competitive in the sport, and he chose York to pursue both. “I came to York for the programs. I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet and so the undecided program was really eye opening for me. Also the soccer program is the best, both its status and the coaches. It was an easy decision for me.” It was easy for the York faithful to embrace him as well. Lao began his varsity career with a breakout rookie campaign in which he started all 16 games and finished second in conference scoring en route to being named the OUA and CIS rookie of the year as well the OUA West most valuable player and a CIS first-team all-Canadian, remarkable achievements for a first-year player. Since that first season he has moved to a more defensive role for the Lions and the goal totals have gone down, but his level of play hasn’t changed and he has continued to be recognized as one of the top players in the country, earning CIS all-Canadian honours in each of the last two seasons. In 2015, he got another chance to represent Canada on the world stage when he was one of 20 student-athletes selected to compete at the FISU Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea. More important than the individual accolades, Lao has helped the Lions win five banners in his three seasons, including an OUA title each year and back-to-back CIS championships. It’s one of the main reasons he chose to come to York, and instead of being complacent as he embarks on the 2016 season, he is just as focused as before on adding more hardware to his trophy case.
GETTING TO KNOW IF YOU WERE A SUPER HERO, WHAT POWERS WOULD YOU HAVE?
The ability to fly! WHO IS YOUR SOCCER IDOL?
Zinedine Zidane IF YOU COULD ONLY EAT ONE MEAL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Steak and potatoes WHAT WOULD YOU SING AT KARAOKE NIGHT?
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey DO YOU HAVE ANY STRANGE PHOBIAS?
Clowns
YORK LIONS
THE PLAYERS FAISAL AL-HAMDAN
27
SEBASTIAN AMAYA
• A decisive player with good technical abilities and a relentless work rate • Has the ability to make key passes and can also surprise opponents with attacks out of the midfield
• A midfielder with strong defensive abilities who can link up well with his teammates • Has great vision • Has a powerful physique but is also a skillful player
M • 6’0 • 165 • 1st Year
M • 6’2 • 160 • 1st Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Mississauga, Ont. St. Marcellinus S.S.
Economics Mississauga, Ont. St. Aloysius Gonzaga S.S.
9
MILAN BEADER
F • 6’4 • 187 • 1st Year Business & Society Oakville, Ont. Abbey Park H.S.
• A strong goal scorer who is a powerful runner and has an eye for the goal • Has great abilities in holding up the ball and combining with teammates • Spent multiple seasons playing professionally in the U19 Serbian Superliga
8
KYLE CRICHTON
M • 5’10 • 150 • 5th Year Communications Studies Ajax, Ont. Pickering H.S.
D • 6’0 • 140 • 3rd Year Business Economics Scarborough, Ont. Birchmount Park C.I.
• Started 15 games at defence in 2015 during second season with Lions • Named player of the game in CIS championship final • Talented defender with good passing skills • Shows composure with the ball at his feet
Kinesiology & Health Science Woodbridge, Ont. Father Bressani C.H.S.
16
• A versatile midfielder with an eye for goal • Is very technical and reads the game brilliantly • Won the U18 Ontario Cup with club team • Has trained with professional clubs in Uruguay and Italy • Brother, Lucas, is a member of the CaM • 6’1 • 170 • 1st Year nadian national team Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and plays professionWoodbridge, Ont. ally in Uruguay Holy Cross C.A.
ANDREW D’SOUZA
Business & Society Mississauga, Ont. Father Michael Goetz S.S.
2
D • 6’2 • 180 • 5th Year
CRISTIAN CAVALLINI
• Appeared in six regular season games as a reserve midfielder in 2015 and dressed for all six playoff matches • Previously played for Northern Illinois University, appearing in 26 matches over two seasons • Has good instincts in GK • 5’9 • 172 • 3rd Year attack and defence
DANIEL GOGARTY
MATT ARNONE
22
• Will battle for the starting job after appearing in six games and starting three over two seasons as backup goalkeeper • Earned a cleansheet in the 2014 OUA final, the first playoff start of his career • Won bronze medal with Team Ontario at 2013 Canada Summer Games
DANIEL GOSCINIAK
1
JOEY CICCHILLO
S • 5’6 • 140 • 5th Year Kinesiology & Health Science North York, Ont. Chaminade College School
ANDRE DYER
M • 6’0 • 175 • 1st Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Brampton, Ont. St. Marguerite d’Youville S.S.
PIERRE GRENIER
• Will battle for the starting job in first season with the Lions • Spent one year at Francis Marion University as a reserve goalkeeper • Is known for his agility and fast reflexes GK • 5’10 • 170 • 1st Year Health & Society Mississauga, Ont. St. Aloysius Gonzaga S.S.
17 • Appeared in 40 games over three seasons and last year started 15 games on defence after previously playing striker • In 2014, scored the winning goal in the CIS quarter-finals against Montreal in extra time • Has a strong physical presence in the air and on the ground
F • 6’2 • 176 • 2nd Year International Studies Paris, France Lycee Francoise Cabrini
• Will miss the 2016 season with an injury • Three-time OUA West first-team all-star • Appeared in 52 regular-season games over four seasons, scoring 23 goals • In 2014, scored the CIS winning goal and earned a spot on the CIS championship tournament all-star team
12 • Spent one season with the Drake University Bulldogs in the NCAA • Is characterized by his physical strength, ability to anticipate and his prowess in bringing the ball up field • Three-time soccer team MVP in high school
11 • Returns to the Lions this season after missing all of last year • In 2014, appeared in three games as a reserve forward and scored first career goal in a win over Algoma • A tall, agile striker with an excellent work rate
SOCCER 2016 10
DENA IEZADY
M • 6’4 • 188 • 5th Year Kinesiology & Health Science Richmond Hill, Ont. Langstaff S.S.
• Finished fourth in team scoring in 2015 • Scored three goals in six playoff games, as well as the final penalty kicks goal in the CIS semifinal win over UBC, and was named to the CIS championship tournament all-star team • Spent two seasons with the Guelph Gryphons, earning OUA West all-star honours in both years
7
JONATHAN LAO
M • 5’9 • 175 • 4th Year Economics Unionville, Ont. Bill Crothers S.S.
• Three-time CIS all-Canadian and OUA West all-star and twotime CIS tournament all-star • CIS and OUA rookie of the year, and OUA West most valuable player in 2013 • Represented Canada at the 2009 CONCACAF U17 championship in Mexico
ADAM LOFRANCO
M • 6’0 • 170 • 1st Year Anthropology Aurora, Ont. St. Theresa Lisieux C.H.S.
• Very athletic and with great one-on-one attacking skills • His relentless work ethic makes him a handful for opponents • Won OFSAA AAAA championship with high school team • Father, Frank, represented Canada at the 1987 Pan Am Games and earned OUAA allstar honours at York
DANIEL MAXWELL
D • 5’11 • 165 • 2nd Year Business & Society Woodbridge, Ont. Bill Crothers S.S.
24
25
• Spent one season at Robert Wesleyan College, appearing in 19 games and recording nine shots for the Redhawks • A wingback with strength and composure on the field • Is an excellent oneon-one defender with good vision to see up the field in possession
THE PLAYERS 18
JOSH KISELYOV
STEVE KLOUTSOUNIOTIS
• Provides a big, physical presence on the pitch • Has a high soccer IQ and good vision going forward
• A versatile wing player with good vision and tactical awareness • Earned soccer team MVP award in high school
D • 6’1 • 185 • 1st Year
M • 6’4 • 187 • 1st Year
Computer Security Maple, Ont. Bill Crothers S.S.
Civil Engineering Markham, Ont. Brother Andre C.H.S.
14
EDDIE LAY
M • 5’10 • 150 • 2nd Year
• Appeared in 10 games in 2015 as a rookie midfielder • Has good game vision and strong passing ability • Won back-to-back LOSSA titles and the OFSAA bronze medal with high school team
Hispanic Studies Courtice, Ont. Holy Trinity C.H.S.
JOE LEPERA
S • 5’11 • 180 • 2nd Year Sociology Oakville, Ont. St. Ignatius of Loyola H.S.
MALCOLM LOUKIDES
3
• A technical defender who is consistently calm on the pitch • His versatility can have him play central or at fullback • Earned soccer team MVP honours in high school
D • 5’8 • 170 • 4th Year
D • 6’0 • 170 • 1st Year
Kinesiology & Health Science East York, Ont. Leaside H.S.
Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Maple, Ont. St. Joan of Arc C.H.S.
21
• Has the ability to take on and break away from opponents with his explosive speed and strength on the ball • Was a goaltender with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL • Earned soccer team MVP award and male athlete of the year honours in high school
NICK LUCCHETTO
• Appeared in 26 games over three seasons at both midfield and defence • CIS academic all-Canadian • Versatile athlete who provides good link-up play
AUSTIN MCGLASHAN
15
SAMUEL NNORUKA
• A forward with good pace and strong one-on-one attacking abilities • Has a keen eye for the net
• An athletic winger with extreme pace and solid abilities on the ball
F • 6’1 • 175 • 1st Year
F • 5’7 • 145 • 1st Year
Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Mississauga, Ont. St. Marcellinus S.S.
Administrative Studies Lagos, Nigeria TAIE International Institution
YORK LIONS
THE PLAYERS MICHAEL PALANISAMY
D • 5’8 • 150 • 1st Year Information Technology Scarborough, Ont. Jean Vanier C.S.S.
• Spent one season as a redshirt with the West Virginia Mountaineers • Can play at full back or on the left side out wide in attack • Loves to go forward down the wing and get behind his opponent’s defence • Earned athlete of the year and team MVP honours in high school
STEFAN POPOVIC
D • 6’5 • 195 • 2nd Year
20
5
• Played in five games and started one in 2015 as a rookie defender • A physically imposing player with good distribution • Can get the ball out into the open, is tactically aware and strong in the tackle
Finance & Business Economics Richmond Hill, Ont. Langstaff S.S.
JUAN PATARROYO
LUCA PEREZ
• Returns to the Lions this season after previously playing for the team in 2012 • Has strong technique and solid skills on the ball
M • 6’0 • 165 • 3rd Year
M • 5’10 • 150 • 2nd Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Milton, Ont. Bishop Reding C.S.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Etobicoke, Ont. Dante Alighieri Academy
VLAD PREOBRAZHENSKY
M • 5’11 • 140 • 1st Year
MAURIZIO RAGONE
• Has good technical quality and stands out for his skill on the ball, his dribbling and his delivery of penetrating passes • Was high school’s leading scorer four times and helped the team reach the city final in 2013
Schulich School of Business Toronto, Ont. Northview Heights S.S.
HAMZAH RIZVI
DANIEL SIBLEY • Boasts fine technical ability and excellent vision • Reached the LOSSA finals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2015 with high school team
M • 5’5 • 140 • 2nd Year Psychology North York, Ont. Chaminade College School
23 • Played in two regular season games in 2015 at midfield in rookie season • Has good technical skills • Brings a lot of energy to the team
M • 5’9 • 150 • 2nd Year
F • 5’11 • 180 • 2nd Year
Schulich School of Business Pickering, Ont. Pickering H.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Woodbridge, Ont. Holy Cross C.A.
Civil Engineering Mississauga, Ont. St. Joseph S.S.
D • 5’8 • 155 • 2nd Year Business & Society Toronto, Ont. De La Salle College
4
GAUTHAMAN VASANTHAKUMAR
• Spent one season at Robert Wesleyan College, appearing in 15 games for the Redhawks • Covers plenty of ground with his fine pace and excellent crossing ability • Can contribute to attacking plays and is also an excellent deGK • 5’10 • 155 • 1st Year fender with well-timed Kinesiology & Health Science Toronto, Ont. tackles Jarvis C.I.
6 • Played in four games as a reserve striker and scored first goal of career against Waterloo last season • Brings a lot of speed to the wing and uses pace to get past defenders one-on-one • Won team MVP honours in senior year of high school
DE VANTE WALKER
• Brings a strong work ethic to the team • Will push other goalkeepers for playing time
D • 5’9 • 163 • 4th Year Kinesiology & Health Science Brampton, Ont. St. Marguerite d’Youville S.S.
13
• Appeared in three games in 2015 as a rookie midfielder • Won the bronze medal with Team Ontario at the 2013 Canada Summer Games • Spent time with Serie B and Serie C academies in Italy • A skilled, technical midfielder
RYAN TELFER
M • 5’10 • 150 • 1st Year
MATTHEW TRASENTE
• Appeared in four games in 2015 • as a rookie midfielder • Reads the game to perfection and is a constant threat to opposing defences • Won TCDSB championship and reached the OFSAA quarterfinals in 2014
19
• Played in all 16 regular season games last season and started all six playoff games • Started seven games on defence and all six in the playoffs as a rookie in 2014 • Scored the first goal of his career against Waterloo in first year • An extremely athletic player who can play midfield or defence
SOCCER 2016
PLAYER PROFILE
DENA IEZADY
FIFTH-YEAR MIDFIELDER DAZZLES IN BIG MOMENTS AND LOOKING TO DO IT ONE MORE TIME THIS SEASON Dena Iezady has been a key part of a magical run for the York Lions men’s soccer team and the only thing he has experienced is winning. After two seasons with the Guelph Gryphons, he came to York before the 2014 season and has seen each of his two years end with OUA and CIS banners. The tall centre midfielder has proven in his two seasons that he has ice in his veins. At his first CIS tournament with York in 2014, he scored the game winner against host UPEI in the semifinals to send the Lions to the national title game, which they won over McMaster. One year later, he was once again the hero in the semifinals against UBC and was responsible for one of the most memorable moments in York soccer history in the last several years.
and if he has his way, this year will end the same way his first two with the Lions have. “The core group of us have been together for three years and we have experience together at this level. If we just continue to do the same thing and always have the end goal in mind, I am confident we can be successful this year.” Another national title to close his varsity career would be a magical end to a brilliant CIS run, but Iezady hopes it won’t be the final one he wins. He has already found coaching to be a passion and intends to pursue that line of work down the road, and is already dreaming about one day leading a younger group of men to a title as their head coach.
Playing against fierce rivals, the Thunderbirds were ranked No. 1 in the CIS heading into the game and had defeated the Lions in their last meeting, in the national semifinals in 2013. After a scoreless 120 minutes, penalty kicks were needed and Iezady stepped up as the last shooter, needing a goal to win. He got it, but not before coming within inches of sending the ball over the top of the net. “I had to end the game with a bang!” he says of hitting the crossbar on that final goal. “I was actually getting worked on from the trainer because of cramps when they came over and asked me if I would be the fifth shooter and I said yes right away. I remember standing at midfield and then Luca reminding me when it was my turn that if I scored we would win. I blocked everything else out and saw the goalie cheat one way so I went the other direction. I hit it a little hard and I know I gave a lot of people a heart attack! But it worked out and it means a lot to me that they believed in me to put me in that situation. That moment ranks pretty high among my all-time highlights, seeing everyone there and so happy was a night I will never forget.” A massive celebration on home turf followed and the next day the Lions won their second straight national championship. It’s been a great run for someone who has been playing soccer for as long as he can remember thanks to the influence of his father. “My dad played soccer on the youth national team in Iran and he started me playing as soon as I was old enough to touch a ball. I remember I broke my leg when I was one because I was trying to balance on a soccer ball and a balloon and I fell! He hasn’t put unnecessary pressure on me though. He always encourages me to do my best and is there for me regardless of how I do. He still comes to watch me play.” After high school, Iezady had dreams of playing in Europe but when that didn’t work out, he chose instead to head to Guelph and suit up for the Gryphons. He earned plenty of individual accolades while there, including back-to-back OUA West second-team all-star nods, but then took two years off of varsity-level competition before deciding he wanted to finish his degree and came to York. Since day one he has been impressed with the winning mentality and level of competition instilled by head coach Carmine Isacco,
GETTING TO KNOW WHO IS YOUR SOCCER IDOL? Zinedine Zidane WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE TV SHOW GROWING UP? Looney Tunes, I used to watch every Saturday morning! WHAT WOULD YOU SING ON KARAOKE NIGHT? Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli WHAT THREE ITEMS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU ON A DESERTED ISLAND? A knife, a pot and something for shelter WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE? Leonardo DiCaprio
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YORK LIONS
York University’s student-athletes have been competing against rival institutions on the Canadian sports scene for over 40 years. Provincial and national team titles, combined with numerous athletes and coaches who have participated on many of Canada’s national teams, attest to the success of York’s varsity program. Since the inception of organized sports competition in 1965, York has won 173 provincial banners and 36 national titles. Athletics & Recreation offers 19 varsity sport teams that compete in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). The varsity sport teams are guided by a tremendous coaching staff that is composed of NCCP certified professionals, many of whom also hold leadership positions in provincial and national sport organizations. The staff includes more than 100 dedicated full-time and part-time coaches.
ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT At York, we understand that academic and financial support are significant keys to success at the university level and we have a number of programs in place to provide all the support necessary for student-athletes to thrive.
PROVIDING ATHLETES WITH WINNING STRATEGIES (PAWS) Athletics & Recreation has placed the highest priority on supporting its student-athletes in all facets of university life, focusing specifically on helping foster success in the classroom. The PAWS Program provides tutoring across multiple subjects for all students, mentoring from senior student-athletes, academic advising through our academic services coordinator and many of our faculty, and access to our vast network of alumni.
ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS York University is committed to helping students with demonstrated financial need meet the direct education costs associated with university studies (tuition, books and mandatory course fees). Financial assistance can be provided from a variety of sources including OSAP, scholarships, bursaries, private awards and employment. Athletics & Recreation understands the importance of providing Athletic Financial Awards (AFAs) to entering student-athletes and has developed a number of awards, valued at $22,500 each ($4,500 per year up to five years). These awards are given annually to elite student-athletes that have achieved an 80% entering average and maintain a 6.0 grade point average.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING York University is one of only a handful of institutions in Canada that has two dedicated strength and conditioning coaches for its student-athletes. The Lions work closely with strength and conditioning staff, who create programs based on the needs of the athlete and coaches on high-performance lifts and movements. Team and individual workouts are available and education on all aspects of strength and conditioning is provided, including proper warm-ups and cool-downs, plyometrics, power, energy systems development, strength and flexibility.
Programs are created for both in-season and off-season workouts. Every training session is designed for the needs of the athlete and individual sport. The training phase and focus changes throughout the year and are based on the competition schedule and off-season periodization program. The strength and conditioning coaches also work closely with the athletic therapy group on rehabilitating injured players. All Lions have access to the varsity strength and conditioning centre, which is for the exclusive use of our student-athletes. Training here allows you to work in a high-performance environment where all equipment and programming is selected with the needs of the high-performance athlete in mind.
SPORT INJURY CLINIC The Gorman/Shore Sport Injury Clinic features a full staff of athletic therapists and team doctors with significant experience in the medical field, and many of the doctors are recognized as some of the top experts in the country in their specific fields. In addition to sport medicine physicians, York employs a large variety of specialists including an orthopedic surgeon, dentist, neurosurgeon, radiologist, cardiologist, physiotherapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, osteopath, pedorthist and a mental health specialist. The team brings to York experience at multiple Olympic Games and world championships, as well as with professional and amateur athletes in a variety of sports. The sport injury clinic is a teaching clinic, with students from York University’s Athletic Therapy Certificate Program completing their clinical placements under the direct supervision of the clinic manager and supervisor. Because of this, most medical care for student-athletes is free of charge. Each varsity team is assigned at least one student athletic therapist who spends the entire season with the team and attends all practices and games. Lions student-athletes also have access to a fully-equipped clinic for all of their treatment needs.
#LIONPRIDE
ATHLETICS & RECREATION WEAR THE BEST Visit the Pride Shop to purchase your official Lions merchandise in the lobby of the Tait McKenzie Centre! Check out our new & exciting 2016/17 selection.
LION PRIDE UNITE YORK STUDENTS FREE With the presentation of a valid YU-card at the door for all regular-season home games.
Adults $10.50 Alumni/York Staff $7.50 Seniors (over 55) $7.50 Non-York Students $7.50 Youth (under 13) Free Family Pass $40.00 Prices include taxes and $0.50 service fee. Group rates available for 10 or more paying guests. Email yulions@yorku.ca for details.
STAY ACTIVE, BE HEALTHY Diverse programming to meet your interests and needs. Take advantage of opportunities based on your time, skills and personal development goals. • Group drop-in fitness classes in Beat Kik, BOSU ABT, Core Circuit, Shread and more • Instructional classes in aquatics, cycling, dance, fitness, martial arts, pilates, and yoga
• Personal Training • Casual Recreation • Intramurals • Sport Clubs
yorkulions.ca/recreation
yorkulions.ca/tickets
Wear RED at select games and you could win!
Get the coolest ticket in town! This year’s games will feature live entertainment, themed nights, surprise give-a-ways, food trucks and much more.
Bring your bestie and cheer us on! yorkulions.ca/promotions @yorkulions