Following four years of success, including the team’s first ever NCAA Championship tournament berth in 2007, DePaul men’s soccer head coach Craig Blazer received a contract extension through the 2014-2015 year.
“I’m very pleased with the leadership that Jean Lenti Ponsetto has provided me. I very much enjoy working at the university and believe in what I’m doing,” said Blazer, who is most proud of the team’s 2007 NCAA appearance.
“We did that by winning the Big East Red Division and also earning our first Big East final four advancement,” Blazer said. “That year we were picked to finish last in the Big East.”
Blazer also led the Blue Demons to four consecutive Big East Conference Championship appearances, including two final four advancements in 2007 and 2008.
For the second year in a row, the men’s soccer team earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award. Blazer was also named the NSCAA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 2007. The honor of Big East Coaching Staff of the year was also awarded to Blazer and assistant coach Adam Tinkham after they won the Big East Red Division title in 2007.
According to Blazer, the 2007 season was the team’s breakout year. “It was done with a great group of young men who believed in each other,” he said.
The 2009 season saw the team’s most competitive schedule, which ended with an RPI of 40. Although the team did not have enough wins to move forward, it was an outstanding season, Blazer said.
“We’re in a transition, but at the same time we return a lot of proven starters and have a lot of potential,” he said of the team, which graduated nine seniors and currently has an incoming group of 14 players.
New players will arrive at DePaul on July 19 for the second session of summer school, giving them a chance to get acclimated academically and socially. They will also participate in a five-week training program.
“I’m looking forward to the future. We have a great group of young men that we get to work with not only athletically, but also academically,” Blazer said. “Competing in the Big East is a challenge that myself, my staff and the players very much enjoy. We get to compete against some of the best teams in the country.”
Blazer’s first goal is to be successful against other Chicagoland teams, including Loyola University, University of Illinois-Chicago and Northwestern University.
After that?
“Our next goal is to qualify in the Big East tournament and win games in that tournament,” he said.