A return to the postseason and the field of six at the conference tournament is high on the priority list for Kentucky Wesleyan, which dealt with injuries and close margins of defeat in 2015.
The Panthers were tabbed seventh in the league’s preseason coaches poll released last week and endured a tough stretch through the G-MAC schedule a year ago.
Seven of KWC’s defeats were just by one goal, including non-conference regional games against Southern Indiana and Bellarmine.
Kentucky Wesleyan will get its shot at redemption against both Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents (USI – Sept. 1, Bellarmine – Sept. 5) to begin the fall while adding Union and Oakland City to the non-conference list.
The good news is that two all-conference performers return to the pitch with seniors Kurtis Roberts and Blake Cobb. Roberts is a playmaker in the open field while ranking among the conference’s all-time best in assists.
Roberts (10 points) and Cobb (9 points) were the team’s top two point scorers in 2015.
Cobb and junior goalkeeper Grant Allen will fortify the defense with experience and try to pick up an offense that averaged less than a goal per game and struggled to find shots. Head coach John Fusco will be looking to increase the offensive output as he gets ready for his fifth season at the helm.
Allen is making enough saves to establish himself towards the top of the conference record books by the time his career is wrapped up in 2017.
The Panthers also beat a resurgent Ohio Valley program in the conference schedule on the road for an impressive G-MAC win in 2015.
Eleven upperclassmen are featured on the roster while breaking into camp. The senior class headed by Roberts and Cobb is complemented by five incoming freshmen.
Head Coach: John Fusco (5th season)
2015 Record (Overall): 2-13-1
2015 Record (Conference): 1-10-1
2015 All-Conference Performers: Kurtis Roberts, MF (First Team), Blake Cobb, D (Second Team)
Quotable: “If we come out fit, ready to go, and get rid of these nagging injuries that we got into last year, we should be ready to go. I’m excited to have them all in. The boys are ready to go so we can’t wait for the season to start.”
- Kentucky Wesleyan Head Coach John Fusco
Records Watch: Kurtis Roberts enters the fall ranked second all-time in conference history in assists (13)…He trails current Icelandic pro and Davis & Elkins alum James Pucci by just three in that category…Grant Allen is second in saves per game with an average of 5.46 stops in each contest…Allen is also ranked fourth all-time in career saves with 153…Both of Allen’s saves and saves per game totals from 2015 ranked second all-time in single-season history.