The Cougars finished the 2008 campaign with an 18-4-2 overall record that included a school-record 10-match winning streak at one point. The team was also ranked No. 7 in the final NAIA poll, earned a spot in the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history, and advanced all the way to the NAIA National Tournament Final Four in Fresno, California- the best finish of any sports team in school history.

However, despite the success which includes a No. 4 ranking in this year’s NAIA preseason poll, head coach Paul Furey and his team knows that they cannot rest on last year’s laurels and hope that they will translate into success on the field this season. "Sure, it has been fun coming off the season we had last year and the rankings and all that, but our focus this year really is pretty simple,” said Furey, who was named the National Christian College Athletic Association National Coach of the Year and improved to 223-151-28 as he enters his 20th season at MVNU. "We have to work hard every match, strive to win with dignity and class, and to ultimately honor Christ in the way that we play.”

One of the strengths for the Cougars last year was the team’s defense which allowed just 16 goals in 24 matches with 14 shutouts - both new school records. Senior goalkeeper Alex Stout returns after posting eye-popping statistics in 2008 with 14 shutouts and a microscopic 0.62 goals against average on his way to being named to the NAIA All-National Tournament Team and the NCCAA All-American Second Team. He will be backed up in goal by sophomore transfer Trevor Stewart.

"We will need Alex to be at his best this year, which is a tough assignment given his already prestigious career,” said Furey of the four-year starter who already holds the program’s career shutout record with 26 and has a career goals against average of 0.95. "Trevor has also turned into a solid backup.”

Defensively, MVNU’s back line returns two experienced players in senior Brady Swanson (6 goals, 3 assists) and junior Kemar Jackson (1 goal, 2 assists) from last year’s record-setting unit. Sophomore Steve Wilging has worked his way back from injuries, and junior Steve Armstrong will drop back from the midfield. Freshman Damon Yoder will factor into the playing equation as well, while sophomore Felipe Correa and freshman Jacob Doup will add depth in the back.

"Brady is athletic and tough to beat and a real force in the air,” said Furey. "We will need his leadership to direct things on the back line. Kemar is as good as they come in tackling and winning walls. Not many players get in behind him, and he certainly adds to our attack when he moves forward. Steve (Wilging) is a solid strong center back who we knew would be a vital part of our defense a year ago. Injuries slowed him down last year, but he has returned this year healthy and has been a force for us. Steve (Armstrong) has made a fantastic adjustment to the back line. He has caught on quickly and brings great technical ability to the back four. We also hope to see Damon earn some important minutes this year.”

The Cougars return all of their midfielders from a year ago. Senior Scott Spangler (6 assists) was named to the NCCAA All-American Team for the second straight year, while juniors Chris Mast (1 goal, 7 assists), Cody Snouffer (4 goals, 4 assists), and Jake Reber (1 goal, 1 assist) all worked together as an outstanding unit. Sophomore Kyle Maxam (2 goals) and junior Nick Bryan return with another year of experience under their belts, and sophomore transfer Eric Appiah and freshman Brian Petak will be counted on to contribute. Freshman Jon Peck will also add depth in the midfield.

"Our midfielders were really the unsung heroes last year,” said Furey. "We return all of them which should give us experience, but it is their work rate that has made them the heartbeat of our team. Scott and Chris are the engine in the middle and bring leadership and creativity. While they have different playing styles, they compliment each other well. We look to them to produce goals as well as set them up this year.”

"Cody can score and create chances for us from a wide position and will be a vital part of things for us this year,” Furey continued. "Jake is a tenacious non-stop ball-winner and an important holding midfielder for us. Kyle has really stepped it up and does a nice job distributing and breaking up the attack. Nick has come along nicely and we hope he can settle into an effective wide player. Eric and Brian are two newcomers who bring different abilities, but are both critical to our team’s success. They are versatile and while Eric’s size and technique could help us, Brian’s work rate and ball-winning will add to our depth. Jon has a strong shot and we hope he can add to the mix.”

Up front, the Cougars will look to replace forward Adam Worrall, who scored 23 of the team’s 58 goals in his senior season last year on his way to earning NAIA All-American Third Team honors. Sophomore Chris Allen (6 goals, 3 assists) appears ready to lead the attack, while senior Scott Forster (1 goal) and junior Wade Foley (1 goal, 1 assist) will also look to find the back of the net with regularity.

"Chris has been a bright spot in the preseason and brings many natural gifts that make him a dangerous player up front,” said Furey. "Scott is a tall target man who is good in the air and has a strike with both feet. Wade is hard-working and we hope he can score some important goals for us.”

"Our strength this year probably goes back to what it has been for some time and that is the intangibles,” said Furey. "We have to work hard every day and earn every goal and every victory. Our unity and belief in each other helps us overcome some pretty challenging tasks even as we did a year ago. While we have some experience this year to help us be a bit more mature, we also have the experience of last year that took us to the NAIA National Tournament. That in itself creates a drive for our players to work hard and somehow return to Fresno.”

"Injuries can be devastating to a team as the season rolls along,” Furey added. "Unfortunately for us, we have been bitten hard by injuries before we even started training camp with some tough setbacks over the summer to key personnel.”

The Cougars will open the season with three matches on the west coast beginning on August 26 at The Master’s (Calif.) College, who received votes in the NAIA preseason poll. The team will face San Diego Christian (Calif.) College at The Master’s on August 27 and then wrap up the trip with a match at Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University on August 29.

"It is great to be opening our season in California,” said Furey. "But we will be playing three teams from, in my mind, the toughest conference in the NAIA - the Golden State Athletic Conference. The Master’s is always good and well-coached, and we really have never had a tougher match to start our season since we opened against them in 1999. Playing our sister-school Point Loma Nazarene will be another big challenge and despite their record being a bit down last year, I anticipate them being very strong this campaign.”

MVNU will also have non-conference matches against Urbana University, Ohio Dominican University, NCAA Division II No. 24 Ashland University, and NAIA No. 2 University of Rio Grande in addition to hosting Bluefield (Va.) College, Spring Arbor (Mich.) University, and Campbellsville (Ky.) University in the annual First-Knox Cougar Invitational.

"We play at Rio Grande this year, which may be the toughest assignment in the NAIA,” said Furey of the match against the former American Mideast Conference foe who the Cougars went 1-1-1 against last year. "We also have Ohio Dominican and nationally-ranked Ashland on our non-conference ledger and both of them are very good.”

After finishing second in the highly-competitive AMC last year with an 8-1-2 conference mark, MVNU will look to vie for the conference title this year. With Rio Grande moving to the Mid-South Conference and Ohio Dominican playing as an independent, the AMC now has just one automatic berth into the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round and that will go to the winner of the five-team AMC Tournament. In addition to the Cougars, NAIA No. 7 Notre Dame College (the defending AMC champions), Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) College, Houghton (N.Y.) College, Cedarville University, and Walsh University will all be gunning for the conference title along with Point Park (Pa.) University, Shawnee State University, Malone University, and Daemen (N.Y.) College.

"I have tremendous respect for our conference,” said Furey. "We know that you can never take a match lightly or you will be disappointed. While Notre Dame, Houghton, Walsh, and Cedarville are always good, Roberts Wesleyan might be the team to watch out for this year.”

With the season set to unfold, one thing is sure - the Cougars are intent on giving it their all each and every time out regardless of the opponent, the weather conditions, or the lineup on the field.

"Our goal this year is just to go out and compete hard in every game,” said Furey. "It is not like we are saying we have to outdo last year’s performance. That was just an amazing season for us. And while this team has many of those players returning, it is a different year and a different team. We will work our tails off, do what we can do, conduct ourselves the way we should, and let the rest take care of itself.”

Cougars' 2009 schedule: http://www.mvnu.edu/sports/nazsoc/news/results.asp