Thursday, September 26, 2013

Horizon League Features Liam Anderson From MSOC

INDIANAPOLIS--Every week Cam Fuller talks with a Horizon League student-athlete who exemplifies integrity and excellence in both the classroom and on their respective playing field. This week, Fuller caught up with freshman goalkeeper Liam Anderson of the Milwaukee Men’s Soccer team. Anderson is off to a stellar start to his career, leading the Panthers to a 6-0-1 record.

FOR DIRECT LINK TO HORIZON LEAGUE WEBSITE

Meet Liam Anderson
Milwaukee Men’s Soccer
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
High School: West Lake Boys High School
Height/Weight: 6-0/190
Position: Goalkeeper

Soccer Background
-Three-year starter in the box for the Westlake Boys High School soccer team.
-Named the ASB Auckland Schoolboy Player of the Year.
-Appeared in ASB Premiership Runners-up 2013, FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012, FIFA U17 World Cup Mexico 2011 and ASB Charity Cup Champions 2011.

2013 Season Highlights
-Milwaukee is unbeaten through seven games for the first time since 1996 when the Panthers started 7-0-0.
-The Panthers are ranked No. 6 in the NSCAA Great Lakes Poll.
-First career start was a 2-1 season opening victory over No. 12 Marquette in front of a record crowd of 3,312 at Engelmann Stadium.
-The true freshman has played every minute in the box for the Panthers.
-Anderson ranks top 10 in the nation in goals against average and save percentage. He has allowed a measly three goals in seven starts, and his save percentage of .885 ranks 10th in all of Division I. You hail from Auckland, New Zealand, what drew you to UW-Milwaukee?
The fact that I could play at a high level of soccer and also get a University degree at the same time. It’s not really an opportunity you get in New Zealand so America was a big thing. I’d been to America before, but I’d never been to Milwaukee at all. I never visited the school so it’s been quite a new experience.

What’s the transition been like from New Zealand to the United States and from high school soccer to college soccer?
It’s been good so far; it’s a similar standard of fĂștbol. The biggest difference is the pitches I think six of our first seven games have been on field turf which is quite new to me. The pace has been the biggest thing. It’s a faster game, but you never have to worry about a bad pitch or if you can’t play fĂștbol on the pitch.


Describe your first game in the box as a Panther, facing No. 12 Marquette with the Milwaukee Cup on the line. It was really exciting, probably one of the best experiences I’ve had in soccer. The crowd was amazing and there was so much build up for the game, it was really good. After we won it was a little bit of a pitch invasion by the fans, it was a really cool experience. Since that Marquette game we’ve had very high expectations. Milwaukee hasn’t had a winning record since the 2005 season when the Panthers won the Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championships, later losing in penalty kicks to No. 1 New Mexico in the second-round of the NCAA Tournament. What’s it going to take for the Panthers to get back to that level?
Just keep doing what we’re doing at the moment. We pride ourselves on being a really hard team to play against and a hard team to score against. The chances we get I think we can keep winning those and keep doing what we’re doing. At the moment I think we’re at the right step.

Head Coach Kris Kelderman and Goalkeeper Coach Mark Litton both have a wealth of experience in soccer and have some very impressive playing and coaching resumes. What’s it been like to have those two guide you during your first year?
It’s been really good. I work a lot with Mark [Litton] and he knows what I’m talking about and he always has something I need to work on and how to improve my game. Kris [Kelderman] really helps me and the team tactically before matches. We’re always working hard to get better.

You beat out three other goalkeepers for the starting nod to begin the season and have allowed a mere three goals this season, good for a 0.41 goals against average which ranks eighth in the nation. Was this something you expected coming into the season?
Not really, I really didn’t know what it was going to be like once I got here, I just knew I was going to try the best I could. Then I got the starting spot which was great, only allowing three goals thus far is really good, so I just try to do the best I can and so far I’ve been playing well and getting clean sheets.

You plan on studying geography, what’s been your favorite class in your first semester of college?
My favorite class at the moment is The World-Peoples and Regions. It’s really interesting learning about other cultures such as Latin America and Europe and it’s a quite interesting class, that’s the one that’s stood out thus far.

You have quite a few teammates from Wisconsin, have they converted you into a Green Bay Packer fan yet?
I haven’t really watched that much football, I haven’t really had that much time to watch TV. A lot of people in my dorm watch and meet together for the Packer games. I think I might start watching them and see what it’s all about. Back home we get the Super Bowl every year and sometimes I watch that but other than that I’ve never seen American football.

What’s been your favorite American cuisine?
I love Qdoba, it’s amazing. I like their burritos and quesadillas. There aren’t a whole lot of differences in food from back home; we have a lot of McDonald’s, Subway’s and Burger King’s. It’s more of a variety of fast foods over here, but overall it’s very similar. The one thing I miss is mince cheese pies [New Zealand food tradition, prepared as a hamburger-like meat pie], they are amazing but aren’t found over here.

Once your career as a Panther student-athlete is over, where do you see yourself?
I want to pursue soccer as much as possible, I’d really like to go pro, and that’s the big thing for me. If I could play soccer as much as possible and play and make a living out of it that would be the perfect situation for me.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Full Horizon League Men's Basketball Schedule Out

The full Horizon League 2013-14 men's basketball schedule is now out. Here is the release and the full composite schedule, courtesy of the league office.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The race for the Horizon League men’s basketball title will begin on January 2, 2014, as the League announced its conference men’s basketball schedule on Thursday. Each of the nine Horizon League teams will play the others twice - for a total of 16 conference games - over a nine-week span culminating on March 1.

Among the highlights is the rematch of the Horizon League Championship between Wright State and Valparaiso on Fri., Jan. 10 to launch ESPNU’s weekly coverage of the conference.

Oakland University, the newest member of the Horizon League, will travel to Wright State on Thurs., Jan. 2 to open conference play before its first home conference game against Valparaiso on Sat., Jan. 4.

Separated by a scant 26.5 driving miles, Detroit will host Oakland on Sat., Jan. 11; the two schools will be featured again on Fri., Feb. 14, on ESPNU, as part of ESPN’s “Rivalry Week,” this time at the O’Rena on the Oakland University campus.

Key matchups loom throughout the schedule, including the opening Thursday night, when UIC hosts Valparaiso and Cleveland State travels to Green Bay. Two days later, Youngstown State heads up I-43 to Green Bay for the first Horizon League Network Game of the Week, while Detroit opens its conference season at Wright State.

Green Bay and Wright State will meet on Jan. 17 as part of ESPN’s “Venue Week,” in a matchup of two of the conference’s semifinalists a year ago. A week later, Youngstown State will get its first crack at the Raiders, hosting Wright State at the Beeghly Center on Jan. 25.

Rivals will square off over the first full weekend of February, with Detroit traveling to Valparaiso for an ESPNU game on Friday, Feb. 7. The following day will see Cleveland State at Wright State and Milwaukee at Green Bay. Oakland’s first trip to Valparaiso’s Athletics-Recreation Center as a member of the Horizon League will close the weekend.

UIC and Green Bay will make the northeast Ohio swing over Valentine’s Day weekend, meeting Youngstown State and Cleveland State on Thurs., Feb. 13 and Sat., Feb. 15.

Cleveland State will host rival Youngstown State on Tues., Feb. 25 to open the last week of the regular season before traveling to Valparaiso on Sat., March 1. Green Bay will close the year in Detroit, taking on Oakland on Thurs., Feb. 27, before a Saturday date with Detroit. UIC will welcome Wright State in its season finale.

The Horizon League Tournament will begin on Tues., March 4, with three first-round games. The winners, along with the No. 3 seed, will be in action on Fri., March 7, with semifinals set for the following day. ESPNU will carry both semifinals, at 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. ET. The Horizon League Championship will air on Tues., March 11, at 7 p.m. ET, on ESPN or ESPN2.

Last year, the Horizon League sent a conference-record six teams into postseason play. Over the last 12 seasons, the League’s NCAA Tournament winning percentage is among the of all non-Power 6 conferences.

Thursday, Jan. 2
Oakland at Wright State
Cleveland State at Green Bay
Youngstown State at Milwaukee
UIC at Valparaiso

Saturday, Jan. 4
Cleveland State at Milwaukee
Youngstown State at Green Bay
Valparaiso at Oakland
Wright State at Detroit

Tuesday, Jan. 7
Youngstown State at UIC

Wednesday, Jan. 8
Detroit at Cleveland State
Milwaukee at Oakland

Friday, Jan. 10
Wright State at Valparaiso

Saturday, Jan. 11
Oakland at Detroit

Sunday, Jan. 12
Green Bay at Milwaukee
UIC at Wright State

Monday, Jan. 13
Cleveland State at Youngstown State

Wednesday, Jan. 15
Valparaiso at Detroit

Thursday, Jan. 16
Oakland at Cleveland State
Milwaukee at UIC

Friday, Jan. 17
Green Bay at Wright State

Saturday, Jan. 18
Detroit at Youngstown State
Milwaukee at Valparaiso

Sunday, Jan. 19
Wright State at Cleveland State
Green Bay at UIC

Tuesday, Jan. 21
Milwaukee at Wright State

Wednesday, Jan. 22
Cleveland State at UIC
Oakland at Green Bay

Thursday, Jan. 23
Valparaiso at Youngstown State

Friday, Jan. 24
Detroit at Milwaukee

Saturday, Jan. 25
Valparaiso at Cleveland State
Wright State at Youngstown State
UIC at Oakland

Sunday, Jan. 26
Detroit at Green Bay

Wednesday, Jan. 29
Green Bay at Valparaiso
UIC at Detroit

Thursday, Jan. 30
Wright State at Milwaukee

Friday, Jan. 31
Cleveland State at Detroit
Youngstown State at Oakland

Saturday, Feb. 1
Wright State at Green Bay
Valparaiso at UIC

Sunday, Feb. 2
Oakland at Milwaukee

Wednesday, Feb. 5
Youngstown State at Wright State
UIC at Green Bay

Thursday, Feb. 6
Cleveland State at Oakland

Friday, Feb. 7
Detroit at Valparaiso

Saturday, Feb. 8
Cleveland State at Wright State
Milwaukee at Green Bay

Sunday, Feb. 9
Youngstown State at Detroit
Oakland at Valparaiso

Thursday, Feb. 13
UIC at Cleveland State
Green Bay at Youngstown State

Friday, Feb. 14
Detroit at Oakland

Saturday, Feb. 15
Green Bay at Cleveland State
UIC at Youngstown State
Valparaiso at Milwaukee

Sunday, Feb. 16
Wright State at Oakland

Tuesday, Feb. 18
Detroit at UIC

Thursday, Feb. 20
Milwaukee at Youngstown State
Valparaiso at Green Bay

Friday, Feb. 21
Oakland at UIC
Detroit at Wright State

Saturday, Feb. 22
Milwaukee at Cleveland State
Youngstown State at Valparaiso

Tuesday, Feb. 25
Youngstown State at Cleveland State
UIC at Milwaukee
Valparaiso at Wright State

Thursday, Feb. 27
Green Bay at Oakland
Milwaukee at Detroit

Saturday, March 1
Cleveland State at Valparaiso
Oakland at Youngstown State
Green Bay at Detroit
Wright State at UIC

Tuesday, March 4
Horizon League Tournament 1st Round:
Game 1 - No. 9 seed at No. 4 seed
Game 2 - No. 8 seed at No. 5 seed
Game 3 - No. 7 seed at No. 6 seed

Friday, March 7
Horizon League Tournament 2nd Round:
Game 4 - Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner
Game 5 - No. 3 seed vs. Game 3 winner

Saturday, March 8
Horizon League Tournament Semifinals:
Game 6 - Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 seed
Game 7 - Game 4 winner at No. 1 seed

Tuesday, March 11
Horizon League Championship
Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7

Sunday, September 8, 2013

39th Panther Invitational In The Books

Final standings from the 39th Panther Invitational

Champion: Marquette (2-0, 7GF/1GA)
Second: Milwaukee (1-0-1, 3GF/1GA)
Third: Drake (0-1-1, 2GF/5GA)
Fourth: Bowling Green: (0-2, 0GF/5GA)

All-Tournament Team
Axel Sjoberg, Marquette (MVP)
Brady Wahl, Marquette
Louis Bennett, Marquette
Adam Lysak, Marquette
Laurie Bell, Milwaukee
Rami Younes, Milwaukee
Luke Goodnetter, Milwaukee
Mueng Sunday, Drake
Alec Bartlett, Drake
Brandon Silva, Bowling Green
Zach Schewee, Bowling Green

Friday, September 6, 2013

Horizon League MBB TV Schedule Announced

The Horizon League released its 2013-14 regional and national TV schedule Friday. The package puts UWM on the Horizon League Game of the Week at least twice, with two other possible appearances late in the year.

This TV coverage will be in addition to UWM's local TV package with Time Warner, which will be set over the next month.

Meanwhile, the full Panther season schedule will be announced last week.

The full Horizon League TV announcement ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- As part of their long-term relationship, the Horizon League and ESPN have announced a minimum of 32 men’s basketball games involving League members will air nationally on ESPN Networks during the 2013-14 season.

“Our multiple ESPN platforms as well as our regional Game of the Week networks provide the Horizon League with invaluable exposure for the benefit of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans,” said Commissioner Jon LeCrone. “We look forward to providing another season of compelling, down-to-the-final-buzzer competition.”

“ESPN is excited to once again showcase the best teams in the Horizon League to fans across the country,” said Nick Dawson, senior director, ESPN programming and acquisitions. “With 16 conference games televised across a variety of ESPN networks and platforms, Horizon League fans will be well served throughout the 2013-14 season.”

Continuing a relationship that began with the 1988 Midwestern Collegiate Conference championship game, the Horizon League will host its championship game at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 11 on ESPN or ESPN2.

The Horizon League will once again will be a centerpiece of ESPNU’s Friday nights, starting on Jan. 10 when defending conference champion Valparaiso hosts Wright State in a rematch of last year’s championship thriller.

In all, there will be at least 15 games featuring League teams showcased on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU in 2013-14, beginning with Green Bay welcoming back Tony Bennett and his Virginia squad on Dec. 7 and concluding with the Horizon League championship game.

The Horizon League’s national telecast package is highlighted by a “Rivalry Week” showdown between Detroit and new conference member Oakland on Feb. 14. Wright State-Green Bay (Feb. 1) and Cleveland State-Wright State (Feb. 8) matchups could help decide who will host the Horizon League Tournament March 4-11.

In non-conference play, Oakland will be featured twice against Big Ten opponents, as the Golden Grizzlies face Indiana (Dec. 10, ESPN2), before hosting Michigan State on Dec. 14 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The award-nominated Horizon League Network Game of the Week will return on Saturday, Jan. 4, when Green Bay hosts Youngstown State. The 10-game schedule will feature three wildcard selections to close the regular season, with all broadcasts carried in all nine League markets and on ESPN3.

Continuing to set the standard for online streaming of sporting events, the Horizon League Network will carry every non-televised men’s and women’s basketball game this season for free and in full HD.

As the season approaches, check the schedule on HorizonLeague.com or follow the Horizon League on Twitter (@HorizonLeague, @billpotter_HL) for additional non-conference telecasts along with local and regional telecast information from the conference and its member institutions. 2013-14 Horizon League Regular Season TV Schedule

Dec. 7 - Virginia at Green Bay - ESPNU
Dec. 10 - Oakland at Indiana - ESPN2
Dec. 14 - Michigan State at Oakland - ESPN2
Jan. 2 - UIC at Valparaiso - ESPN3
Jan. 4 - Youngstown State at Green Bay - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Jan. 10 - Wright State at Valparaiso – ESPNU
Jan. 11 - Oakland at Detroit - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Jan. 17 - Green Bay at Wright State - ESPNU
Jan. 18 - Milwaukee at Valparaiso - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Jan. 25 - UIC at Oakland - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Jan. 29 - Green Bay at Valparaiso - ESPN3
Jan. 31 - Cleveland State at Detroit - ESPNU/ESPN3
Jan. 31 - Youngstown State at Oakland - ESPNU/ESPN3
Feb. 1 - Wright State at Green Bay - ESPN2
Feb. 5 - Youngstown State at Wright State - ESPN3
Feb. 7 - Detroit at Valparaiso - ESPNU
Feb. 8 - Cleveland State at Wright State - ESPN2
Feb. 8 - Milwaukee at Green Bay - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Feb. 14 - Detroit at Oakland - ESPNU
Feb. 15 - Wildcard Matchup TBA - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Feb. 18 - Detroit at UIC - ESPN3
Feb. 21 - Oakland at UIC – ESPNU OR ESPN3; Detroit at Wright State – ESPNU OR ESPN3
Feb. 22 - Wildcard Matchup TBA - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3
Feb. 25 - Valparaiso at Wright State – ESPN3
Feb. 27 - Green Bay at Oakland - ESPNU
March 1 - Wildcard Matchup TBA - HLN Game of the Week/ESPN3

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Harris Is On KC Chiefs Practice Squad

Former Panther basketball standout Demetrius Harris was signed to the practice squad of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week.

Harris was signed by the team as an undrafted free agent in April after impressing scouts during workouts this spring. He did appear in the Chiefs’ preseason game against the Green Bay Packers last week and had been targeted as a practice squad player for the organization since the first rookie mini-camp in May.

Harris wound up working out for about 10 teams prior to this past spring's NFL Draft, and is projected as a tight end. He was a highly-touted football player in high school and originally signed to play the sport at Arkansas State.

The 6-foot-7 Harris was a standout on the basketball court for the Panthers this past season, averaging 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest while making 28 starts.

Should Harris play in an NFL game, he would become the first Panther to do so since 1983, when Mike Reinfeldt finished off his eight-year pro career.