WINONA LAKE - After bursting onto the national scene in 2022, Grace College’s men’s soccer team is poised to build on last season’s success and cement themselves among the NAIA elite.
Last year, the Lancers fielded one of the best teams in the program’s 56-year history. Grace set numerous school records, including a 13-game unbeaten streak to start the season.
During the record-breaking campaign, Grace received its highest NAIA ranking in recorded team history (No. 7) and was also chosen as a host site for the NAIA First and Second Rounds for the first time as a program.
Arron Patrick, who will be entering his fifth season as head coach at Grace, will return much of his core from the 2022 team, and will look to those upperclassmen to set the standard for this year’s squad.
“Our returners should be the ones who carry the load early in the season," said Patrick. “They have had the opportunity to play against a lot of top-15 teams, and we will heavily rely on that experience early in the season.”
Among the key returners this season will be forward Martim Sequeira and goalkeeper Matteo Conci.
Sequeira was the offensive catalyst for Grace last season, netting 17 goals and adding two assists across 19 games. He was named Crossroads League Offensive Player of the Year, Third Team NAIA All-American and was chosen as the United Soccer Coaches NCCAA Player of the Year.
“Martim’s role is very important,” Patrick commented. “He always gets a lot of attention from the opposition's defense, but he is very intelligent and is constantly learning what he can do to counter their tactics.”
Conci was a defensive stalwart for Grace a year ago, leading the Lancers to an impressive 10 clean sheet performances. “I thought he was the best goalkeeper in the conference last year,” Patrick said of the senior keeper. “When you play for a team like ours you have to be ready to make that big save when the moment comes, and he has shown the ability to do just that.”
Conci’s play on the field and leadership abilities in the locker room led to Conci being named a captain for the coming season. “He is a calming presence for our team,” Patrick added. “His voice and presence is so respected by the other players.”
Grace returns three other All-Crossroads League performers in Daniel Santos Rosa (First Team), Flavio Cruz (First Team) and Juan Garcia (Honorable Mention). The Lancers will also welcome six newcomers to insulate the top-20 roster.
Patrick raved about the work that the entire team has put in this offseason but warned about complacency. “This group knows how good they’ve been, and there is a danger that they’ll just assume they can reach that same level again. They need to fight that expectation and prove to everyone that they are a team capable of winning a national championship.”
Grace was selected as the No. 16 team in the nation in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, a result of last year’s successful campaign.
“We had a lot of new faces last year, so it will be nice to have so much consistency in terms of experience in our lineup this year,” Patrick said. “We will add a few tactical things but it won’t change our mentality. We will be sound defensively, and when we have the ball we are going to be explosive with our attack.”
Grace will have little time to acclimate themselves to the season. Seven of the Lancers’ first eight opponents appeared in the recently released NAIA preseason poll, highlighted by a rematch from last year’s NAIA Opening Round tournament game with No. 5 Lindsey Wilson.
In total, nine of the Lancers’ opponents were in the poll, including four teams that landed within the top 10.
“As tough as last season's schedule was, it is even tougher this year,” Patrick commented. “If we want to win a national championship, then we need to test ourselves against the best. This is an opportunity for our guys to prove that they are still one of the best teams in the country.”
While the Lancers are armed with a veteran crew to handle the rigorous schedule, Patrick is also banking on the closeness of the team to carry Grace.
“My favorite thing about last year was how close the team was,” Patrick noted. “When a team is close, it translates onto the field because you trust each other to know what your role is. The returners have done a great job of continuing to lead with that mindset.”
Grace’s season kicks off on Thursday night with a NAIA top-20 matchup. The No. 16 ranked Lancers will play host to No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan at 7 p.m.