FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia men's soccer coach P.J. Gondek is carrying nine seniors on his 2016 roster.

"This is my largest senior class in my 17 years here," Gondek said as he was completing preparations for the start of the season this weekend.

The Blue Devils open with two games at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md. – Saturday vs. U.S. Merchant Marine, Sunday vs. Bethany. Kickoff both days is 2 p.m.

This year's senior class includes four four-year Blue Devils: defender Keith Braun (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois), defender Sammy DeFranks (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore West), forward Sam Greco (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport), and midfielder Ryan Keller (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora).

There are also four players with started college elsewhere before transferring to Fredonia: forward Parker Healy (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora), midfielder Brian Theuerkauf (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster), midfielder Bryan Sibble (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), and forward Jimmy Ritchie (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora).

The ninth senior is defender Brandon Butts (Schenevus, N.Y./Charlotte Valley), who played for the Blue Devils in 2010 before transferring out.

Of the nine, all but Healy – who missed a previous season with an injury – are playing their final collegiate season. Braun, in his fifth year at Fredonia, sat out last year due to injury.

Several of the nine have already locked up starting spots. All nine could eventually do so.

"What does this mean?," Gondek asked rhetorically. "I hope it means that these boys want to leave a legacy of how they turned things around after a disappointing 2015."

The Blue Devils were 3-12-3 last season, including a 2-5-2 mark in the SUNYAC. They were outscored 44-26 and had a revolving door in net. Six different players appeared between the pipes, including two field players.
Offensively, Healy led the scoring with five goals and two assists, Keller chipped in with three goals and three assists while Ritchie and Sibble each had two goals and one assist.

The return of Braun – he was Third Team All SUNYAC as a junior – should bolster the defense in front of either Jeremy Bari (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield), a field player who switched to keeper midway through his freshman season, or one of two newcomers: junior transfer Eric Priester (Jamestown, N.Y./Southwestern) or freshman Ty Bentham (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North).

"There are some new faces, especially in the goalkeeper position," Gondek said. "But this is the group (the nine seniors) that will dictate our success. If I can sum up the key to the season in one word, it would be 'leadership.' It could come from one, or a few, or all the seniors, but one way or another, it needs to be there in good times and in bad.

"It's not all on them (though). The coaches need to do a better job in preparation, team building, and fitness. It's on all of us."

The home portion of the schedule kicks off Sept. 9 when the Blue Devils play host to Houghton on the first day of the Blue Devil Classic. That will be followed Sept. 10 vs. Baldwin Wallace. Other home games are Sept. 17 (Geneva College), Sept. 23 (The College at Brockport), Sept. 24 (SUNY Geneseo), Sept. 28 (John Carroll University), Oct. 1 (Buffalo State), Oct. 14 (SUNY Potsdam), and Oct. 15 (Plattsburgh State).

Braun and Keller are the co-captains.