The Algonquin Men’s Soccer team have landed in Kamloops British Columbia and are ready to challenge for their third Big Kahuna/adidas Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championship title. With 14 returning members from their 2006 National Championship winning team and 16 members from last year’s silver medal winning team, the Thunder will take their first step towards reclaiming their throne when they square off against the host, Thompson Rivers University on Wednesday, November 5. The tournament runs until Saturday, November 8.

After going 14-0-1 in Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) action this season, including playoffs, the Thunder carry a 15 game unbeaten streak into Nationals. The last game the Thunder lost was one year ago in the Championship finals, when it took penalty kicks to dethrone the defending champs. The Thunder have medaled each of the past four years and have won the championship title on two occasions.

In order to reclaim the title, the Thunder will look to a trio of current and former of OCAA Player’s of the Year in Will Beauge, Loui Legakis and Mike Gagliano. Beauge has asserted himself on offence all season, leading his team in scoring with nine goals in ten games played. Legakis, a wily veteran with five provincial championships and four national medals to his credit, will also be leaned on for his offensive touch, as well as for his solid play on defense from the midfielder position. Gagliano, a two time All-Canadian, will assume his standard position at sweeper, anchoring the Thunder’s defense.

With three decorated horses to keep most teams busy, the Thunder have thrown some more standouts on to the already loaded roster. OCAA League All-Star Christian Hoefler will be patrolling the midfield for his fourth season and new to the mix, will be Bruno Moto. The rookie Moto, may have the element of surprise offensively for some teams this year as he matched Beauge’s team leading goal total of nine goals.

Between the pipes will be a familiar face as fifth year Goalkeeper, Tristan Roscoe, will once again guard the Algonquin net. Named the OCAA Championship Goalkeeper of the Tournament, the 6’1 Roscoe is no stranger to the big stage, and also has five consecutive provincial titles and four national medals on his mantle. This will be the swan song for defender Stephan LeMay, as he too will call it a career after five years of wearing the blue and silver.

As deep as the roster is, it is the name on the bottom of the page that is the newest of them all… sort of. Mike Caruso, newly selected as a member of the OCAA Men’s Soccer All-Millennium Team, will assume the helm officially for his first National Championship. Caruso has been an assistant for the past seven years and also played for the Thunder during a three year campaign. In 2007, after the championship game was snowed out in Halifax, Caruso got his first taste from behind the bench for the Thunder when then head coach, Steven O’Kane was unable to attend. His rookie game as a head coach didn’t go as planned, so look for Caruso to have his team focused and ready and on the straight and narrow.

Before the Thunder take to the pitch, they will attend the All-Canadian’s banquet where Will Beauge (Algonquin), Noel Ellerton (George Brown) and Andrew DaSilva (Humber) will all be honoured for their seasons. Also being recognized at the banquet will be the OCAA Coach of the Year, Paul D’Hollander of Fanshawe College. During the banquet, the awards for CCAA National Player of the Year and National Coach of the Year will also be announced.

Algonquin Thunder National Championship History
Medal Totals: 2 gold, 4 silver, 0 bronze

1999 at Durham College, Oshawa, Ontario
Silver: Algonquin College

2002 at John Abbott College, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Montreal
Gold: Algonquin College

2004 at Fanshawe College - London, Ontario
Silver: Algonquin College

2005 at Langara College, Vancouver, British Columbia
Silver: Algonquin College

2006 at Langara College, Vancouver, British Columbia
Gold: Algonquin College



2007 at Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Silver: Algonquin College

Men’s Championship Draw
1. Collège François-Xavier-Garneau (FQSE)
2. Algonquin College (OCAA)
3. Concordia University College (ACAC)
4. Capilano University (BCCAA)
5. Thompson Rivers University (BCCAA-2)
6. University of King’s College (ACAA)

Men’s National Championship schedule:

Wednesday, Nov. 5
Algonquin vs. Thompson River University (BC host) - 6:00pm

Friday Nov. 7
Algonquin vs. Concordia (AB) - 6:00pm

Saturday Nov. 8
Men’s Classification game – 12:00pm
Men’s Bronze Medal game – 12:30pm
Men’s Gold Medal game – 6:00pm

Algonquin Thunder Roster
GK Rob Lungstrass
GK Tristan Roscoe
2 Dejan Radojevic
3 Sean Pound
4 Erichsen Bailey
5 Biagio Forieri
6 Mike Gagliano
7 Loui Legakis
8 David Cardinali
9 Will Beauge
11 Corey O'Connell
12 Brendan Walker
13 Edgar Soglo
14 Stephane Lemay
15 Edwin Moran
16 Tyller Farrell-Rose
17 Orhan Akkaya
18 Perry Legakis
19 Semir Hadziresic
20 Bruno Mota
21 Michael Tjarera
22 Christian Hoefler

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Mike Caruso
Assistant Coach: Jim Zito
Assistant Coach: Kwesi Loney
Therapist: Stephen Handel
Athletic Director: Ron Port

For more information, including the latest news, results and developments within the 2008 CCAA Men’s Soccer Nationals visit http://www.soccernationals2008.com/english/index.html