Aug. 23, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md.-- The start of the first-ever soccer media day at Maryland was slightly delayed. The media was on time, the teams were ready, but the coaches had something very important to take care of first. While women's head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski spoke into her cellphone, her husband, Maryland men's head coach Sasho Cirovski, waited for the outcome. Their three-year-old daughter Karli had become ill the night before, and the Cirovski family was trying to make her doctor's appointment when the clock struck two and media day began. A rare situation for a Division I coaching-duo no doubt, with UNC-Asheville being the only other school to have such a situation in the college soccer ranks. The husband-wife team has gotten used to it, however, and since Higgins-Cirovski's move from George Washington, being just down the hall from each other has actually made it easier.
Once the doctor's appointment was set, media day began. The Maryland soccer family welcomed numerous local and national media to the first annual Maryland Soccer Media Day Monday afternoon on Ludwig Field. Besides the family atmosphere that underscored the day, players from both squads expressed their readiness to begin the 1999 season. The women's team is entering the season with a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament trip on their minds and under the direction of the team's new head coach, Higgins-Cirovski. The No. 3 men's team starts the season in the heat of the battle for the 1999 College Cup behind a young nucleus centered around 1998 National Freshman of the Year and 1999 Soccer America preseason All-American Taylor Twellman (St. Louis, Mo.).
Selected quotes from both men's and women's players,and both team's head coaches follow. The men's team opens action in the University of Maryland/Fila Preseason College Kick-off Tournament against No. 16 Connecticut this Friday at 7:30 p.m. on Ludwig Field. After completing its exhibition schedule against Rutgers on Saturday night, the Terps will then travel to defending NCAA champion and preseason No. 1 Indiana's adidas Classic on Sept. 3. The women's squad opens the season on Sunday at George Washington, where Higgins-Cirovski held the head coaching post for the past seven seasons. Gametime is at 1:00 p.m.
Women's Head Coach Shannon Cirovski
On coming to Maryland:
"I am excited about the process of starting here at Maryland. Obviously, this team has been successful. We've been to the NCAA Tournament four straight years and I want to build on Alan Kirkup's success here."
On the team being so young
"We do have a very young squad. We have eight incoming freshmen and one transfer. I have been very pleased with the incoming freshmen and with the way everyone has performed. We have come in extremely fit and ready to go."
Senior Midfielder Jackie Mynarski- Maryland Women's Team
On the arrival of Shannon Cirovski:
"It's been great having her. We are a lot more fit and I think that will help, just beating teams straight out of fitness. There is a new feeling of team chemistry, that we will work hard together. She is a great motivator and she has instilled a sense a team commitment."
Junior Goalie Ali Wolff- Maryland Women's Team
On the team's prospects this season:
"This season is going to be awesome. We have a lot of new players who are going to definitely impact us. Pride and individual effort is going to be a major key for us. We have a lot of players out here who have been giving it 100 percent. I think it is going to be a heck of a season."
Men's Head Coach Sasho Cirovski
On the upcoming season:
"We are obviously very excited. The team has come in fitter than any of my previous teams, stronger than any of my previous teams, and hungrier than any team I've ever had. We are really looking forward to having a great year"
On how last season ended:
"We felt that last season we had a great run at the end of the season. We made a great statement by getting to the Final Four but once you get there, you really yearn to get back. Even since that devastating loss to Stanford (in the NCAA semifinals) our guys have been really focused and we have worked real hard in recruiting."
On the team being so young
"We are very, very young. It's the youngest team I have ever had. We only have two seniors and five juniors, one of which is a transfer. We are a team capable of doing some great things, but because we are so young, it's going to take some time. We are going to have some difficult moments, particularly in the midfield. We are going to be very new in the midfield this year. Once we do that, I think we will be a very exciting team."
On the team's schedule:
"You want to play against the best competition. I am not in this to get a 99 winning percentage and pad my schedule. I want to play games where we have a chance to lose. When we start playing in November and December, we will have already played against the best competition."
Sophomore Forward Taylor Twellman- Maryland Men's Team
On the expectations facing him after being the National College Freshman of the Year last season:
"I feel the same amount of pressure as last season. My goal on this team is just to be an option up front and to give our midfield and backfield someone up front to look toward to score goals."
On the team's No. 2 ranking:
"Coming in a program like this, you expect to be ranked high. Every team who comes in here is going to give us everything they got. Last year, we lost some games we shouldn't have when we gave away leads. Our goal this year is to win the games we should win."
Sophomore Defender Beckett Hollenbach- Maryland Men's Team
On the key game against No. 1 Indiana Sept. 3:
"Right now, that game seems pretty far away. We still have a couple of weeks of training. We have a tournament this weekend but we'll be excited when it's time to play them."
