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Rockhurst University Athletics

Division II Practice

Men's Soccer

NCAA National Semifinals Preview

#5 Rockhurst (18-1-3) vs. #17 Cal Poly Pomona (16-2-3)
NCAA Division II Championship Semifinals
Thursday, Dec. 3, 8:00 p.m. (CST)
Ashton Brosnaham Complex, Pensacola, Florida

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS: The fifth-ranked Rockhurst Hawks, 18-1-3, are playing in their second NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships semifinal game in the last three years. Rockhurst will meet 17th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona, 16-2-3, on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. in a national semifinal game at Pensacola's Ashton Brosnaham Complex. This is the first meeting between the two schools. The winner will advance to the Division II national championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday in Pensacola to play the winner between No. 1-ranked Pfeiffer and sixth-ranked Charleston.
 
PENALTY KICK VICTORS: Rockhurst earned its second ticket to the national semifinals with a 4-1 victory in penalty kicks over Fort Hays State on Nov. 22 at Rockhurst. The Hawks and Fort Hays State battled to a 1-1 tie after 110 minutes. Rockhurst edged Northwood, 2-1, to capture the NCAA Midwest Region title at Rockhurst on Nov. 20. Adam Michel and Kaleb Jackson scored goals for the Hawks. Sophomore goalkeeper Logan Feldmann posted his sixth consecutive shutout to lead Rockhurst to a 3-0 victory over Cedarville in a second-round NCAA Midwest Regional game Nov. 14 at Rockhurst. Jackson, Paul Dean and Michel scored for the Hawks.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Rockhurst is tied for second in Division II national in shutout percentage with 14 shutouts in 22 games. Logan Feldmann ranks sixth nationally in goals against average (0.573). Feldman has posted 13 shutouts in 21 games while sporting an 18-0-2 record.
 
GLVC TOURNEY CHAMPS: The Hawks captured their fifth Great Lakes Valley Tournament Championship on Nov. 8 at Rockhurst. The Hawks defeated Quincy, 1-0, in the finals of the GLVC Tournament. Rockhurst also got past Southern Indiana and Missouri S&T to advance to the GLVC championship game. The Hawks also won GLVC tourney titles in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2013.
 
POSTSEASON HONORS: Rockhurst junior defender Paul Dean and Rockhurst head coach Tony Tocco garnered major postseason honors from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Dean was picked as the GLVC Defensive Player of the Year and Tocco earned GLVC Coach of the Year accolades. Dean anchored a Rockhurst defense that allowed just eight goals in 15 conference matches. Tocco is now a four-time GLVC Coach of the Year, having previously been recognized by GLVC coaches in 2008, 2011 and 2012. Senior defender Nick Caruso and sophomore forward Kaleb Jackson joined Dean on the All-GLVC First Team. Junior midfielder Gianluca Bottoni, sophomore forward Adam Michel, junior forward Mitch Moncada and junior defender Evan Craig were named to the All-GLVC Second Team.
 
COACH TONY TOCCO: Coach Tocco ranks second on the all-time list among intercollegiate men's soccer coaches with 662 victories. Since joining the NCAA in 1998, the Hawks have advanced to the national tournament eight times. The Hawks rose to fourth in the nation in Division II in 2008, 2011 and 2012. Rockhurst has been the No. 1 seeded team in the NCAA Midwest Regional four times. The Hawks won NCAA Midwest Regional titles in 2011 and 2013, and reached the national semifinals in 2013.
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS: Cal Poly Pomona brings a seven-game winning streak into the national semifinals. The Broncos defeated eighth-ranked Colorado School of Mines, 3-2, in overtime to earn a trip to Pensacola. Senior Aaron Macedo scored the game-winning goal midway through the first overtime period. Senior forward Christian Gonzalez Diaz leads the Broncos with 11 goals and 27 points.
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Players Mentioned

Nick Caruso

#3 Nick Caruso

D
6' 0"
Senior
Evan Craig

#2 Evan Craig

D
5' 7"
Junior
Paul Dean

#5 Paul Dean

D
5' 10"
Junior
Logan Feldmann

#1 Logan Feldmann

GK
6' 0"
Sophomore
Kaleb Jackson

#11 Kaleb Jackson

F
5' 10"
Sophomore
Adam Michel

#10 Adam Michel

M
6' 3"
Sophomore
Mitch Moncada

#13 Mitch Moncada

F
5' 11"
Junior
Gianluca Bottoni

#20 Gianluca Bottoni

M
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Nick Caruso

#3 Nick Caruso

6' 0"
Senior
D
Evan Craig

#2 Evan Craig

5' 7"
Junior
D
Paul Dean

#5 Paul Dean

5' 10"
Junior
D
Logan Feldmann

#1 Logan Feldmann

6' 0"
Sophomore
GK
Kaleb Jackson

#11 Kaleb Jackson

5' 10"
Sophomore
F
Adam Michel

#10 Adam Michel

6' 3"
Sophomore
M
Mitch Moncada

#13 Mitch Moncada

5' 11"
Junior
F
Gianluca Bottoni

#20 Gianluca Bottoni

6' 1"
Junior
M