This series, running from June 27 – August 22, 2013, highlights Truman State University's transition from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association to the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Please refer to the schedule below for each installment throughout the summer series.
Previous:
June 28 – Rich History of Bulldog Athletics in MIAA
July 1 - A New Era Begins: Bulldogs Join GLVC
July 5 – GLVC Football Begins Second Year
July 8 – Volleyball Sets High Goals for 2013 Campaign
July 11 – A Closer Look: GLVC Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
July 15 – Women's Soccer Preps for First GLVC Campaign
July 18 – A Closer Look: GLVC Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
GLVC Links:
2012 Standings || 2012 Statistics || 2012 All-GLVC Team
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - After floating for 34 years between MIAA and Independent status, the Truman men's soccer team finally has a place to truly call "home", as the Bulldogs begin play as a Great Lakes Valley Conference member in the 2013 season.
The Bulldog men's soccer program has been in a constant state of conference change since its beginning in 1979, as the team played two seasons as an independent program prior to becoming a founding member of MIAA men's soccer in 1981. For eight years, the Bulldogs thrived – finishing first or second six times – before the league canceled its sponsorship of the sport prior to the 1989 season.
However in 1994, following five seasons as an independent once again, the MIAA revived men's soccer, bringing back more Bulldog dominance with four championships and a runner-up finish in the next five seasons through 1998.
But, once again, the MIAA withdrew its support of men's soccer, abolishing its league sponsorship for a dozen seasons before the 2012 campaign, when the Bulldogs once again competed under a league banner. For the final time in the MIAA, Truman picked up a third-place finish in league play, finishing a tumultuous 14-year conference run with an overall record of 41-14-7 (.718) and six conference championships.
However, throughout that entire time, the Bulldogs have always lightheartedly been referred to as a GLVC-affiliate program due to the amount of matches played against Great Lakes Valley teams. Of Truman's 609 total matches through 34 seasons, 217 (35.6%) have come against current GLVC teams with an additional 39 showdowns against former conference members.
About the GLVC
Similar to the Truman men's soccer program, the Great Lakes Valley Conference began its sponsorship of men's soccer in the 1979 season, marking 2013 as the 35th year of competition for the league. The league has put a total of 35 teams into the NCAA Div. II tournament, with its lone national championship coming via former member Northern Kentucky in the 2010 season. The GLVC has landed at least one team into the national tournament each of the past 16 seasons dating back to 1997 and has sent a team to the national quarterfinals in every year since 1999 excluding 2003 and 2012.
Truman was to blame for the GLVC's failure to reach the quarterfinals in 2003, as the Bulldogs took down Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in the second round with a 5-2 win in Kirksville. Overall, Truman is 4-0-1 against the GLVC in NCAA tournament action, with the last postseason meetings coming in 2005 with a win against Rockhurst and a draw (failing to advance in penalty kicks) against SIU-Edwardsville. That season marked the first for current head coach Duke Cochran, who begins 2013 as the longest-tenured coach in program history.
Of current GLVC programs, Lewis (Ill.) leads with seven NCAA tournament appearances, followed by Rockhurst with four and both Quincy and Wisconsin-Parkside with three each.
The league earned three NCAA tournament berths in 2012, with league champion Rockhurst advancing to the second round and both Quincy and Drury bowing out in the opening round of play. Rockhurst won the league title with a 12-2-1 overall record, followed by a ten-win Drury squad and six other programs with nine league wins.
As is the case on the women's side, the league will undeniably take a giant step forward in top-to-bottom competition with Truman's addition. The Bulldogs replace Kentucky Wesleyan, a program that went 0-18 overall in 2012 and posted a 5-140-3 conference record in the past 12 seasons dating back to 2001.
The league's three NSCAA Div. II all-Americans all return for the 2013 season, led by Rockhurst senior forward Mark Magee and Quincy junior defender Chris Garavaglia. The tandem served as the league's Offensive and Defensive players of the year in 2012, and they were joined on the all-American second team by Rockhurst now-senior goalkeeper Ryan Bass.
Throughout the season, the conference office selects one student-athlete each Monday as its "Player of the Week", while a total of 33 players are selected to one of three GLVC all-league teams at the conclusion of the season.
History with GLVC Opponents
As mentioned previously, the Bulldogs have a substantial history against current GLVC opponents, having compiled a 119-77-21 (.597) record against the other 15 current league programs. Truman has the most history with former MIAA members Missouri S&T (22-9-5) and Missouri-St. Louis (16-14-5), while having also topped the 20-match mark against Rockhurst (12-15-1), Lewis (10-12-1) and Quincy (12-6-4).
McKendree is the only team Truman will meet for the first time in 2013, while the Bulldogs will look to keep a clean sheet against Bellarmine (4-0), Indianapolis (6-0) and Saint Joseph's (7-0) this year. Truman has never posted a victory against Illinois-Springfield (0-2-2) or William Jewell (0-2); however, until recently, both programs competed at the NAIA level before transitioning to NCAA Div. II.
GLVC 2013 Schedule/Conference Tournament
The Bulldogs feature 11 home dates on their 18-game schedule, with eight league matches supplemented by three non-conference home tilts.
After an opening weekend slate at the Truman Soccer Park against Iowa Wesleyan (Sept. 6) and Upper Iowa (Sept. 8), the Bulldogs open GLVC action the following weekend. Truman hosts Maryville (Mo.) in its first GLVC contest on Friday, Sept. 13 before traveling to Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday, Sept. 15.
The Bulldogs get three of their long-time rivals on the home pitch in 2013, with matches against Lewis (Sept. 20) and Rockhurst (Oct. 4) highlighting the early-to-middle portion of the schedule before the regular season finale against Quincy on Oct. 30. Other home dates include UW-Parkside (Sept. 22), William Jewell (Oct. 6), Bellarmine (Oct. 18), McKendree (Oct. 20), and a non-conference match against Lindenwood on Oct. 23.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will hit the road for seven league contests, with trips to Indianapolis (Sept. 27), St. Joseph's (Ind.) (Sept. 29), Missouri S&T (Oct. 11), Drury (Oct. 13), Southern Indiana (Oct. 25) and Illinois-Springfield (Oct. 27) joining the UMSL road affair on the 2013 slate.
All GLVC teams will play 15 league matches in a single round-robin format, with the overall top team by percentage at the end of the season earning champion status. The top eight teams qualify for the conference tournament, with the top four seeds earning a home quarterfinal match on Sunday, November 3. The four advancing teams then travel to the top remaining seed for the conference semifinals and championship the following weekend, with the league's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament handed out on Sunday, November 10.
NCAA Championship Format
The Bulldogs now compete in the Midwest region, with the GLVC, GLIAC and Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) combining to compete for regional bids. No automatic bids for conference champions are awarded in men's soccer, with the Midwest region set to receive five bids in 2013.
The regional format follows previous procedures, with the top two seeds hosting sub-regional play during the first weekend (Nov. 15-17), with the two sub-regional winners advancing to the Round of 16/Regional Championship the following weekend (Nov. 22-24).
The national semifinals and championship will be contested for the second straight season at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Georgia. The semifinals will take place at 7:00 pm on December 5, with the national championship set for 2:00 pm on December 7.
Upcoming
Thursday – GLVC Men's & Women's Swimming Preview
July 29 – GLVC Women's Basketball Preview
August 1 – GLVC Men's Basketball Preview
August 5 – GLVC Men's & Women's Tennis Preview
August 8 – GLVC Women's Golf Preview
August 12 – GLVC Baseball Preview
August 15 – GLVC Softball Preview
August 19 – GLVC Award Season Preview
