Coro: Summer work bodes well for men's soccer

The Grand Canyon men's soccer schedule long has slated August as this season's starting point for practices and games.

That would not suffice for how eager the Lopes players were for the 2017 season. Anticipating another program leap in GCU's first year of Division I postseason eligibility, most Lopes players chose to be on campus since May for five days per week of building strength in the weight room or fitness on the field.

That put Coach Schellas Hyndman's team in midseason fitness before this month's 10-day training camp in Sedona, which trickles into making them more apt to be the team that players and coaches envision for a season-opening road trip.

"It makes me happy to say that I didn't even have to organize it," said GCU senior forward Niki Jackson, who made the preseason watch list for the MAC Hermann Award, collegiate soccer's top individual honor. "It was more of an individual effort. Everyone wanted to be here. Players wanted to work hard to have a good season.

"One of the biggest differences from last year to this year is we're all on the same page this time. We came in early. We weren't worried about getting fit. We were already fit. We just worried about our tactics and what we'll do to solidify wins on and off the field."

The Lopes leaped five places to a fifth-place Western Athletic Conference finish in Hyndman's second year at the helm. They were picked to finish fifth again this year in the coaches' preseason poll but are equipped to challenge the soccer-strong WAC's elite with a dynamic star in Jackson, four key transfers who got acclimated in the spring and four starting seniors on defense.

"This is by far our best team that I've coached here," Hyndman said. "It's the best team because our starting 11 are all pretty good players."

And then some. GCU's depth suggests it could be a team that carries on last season's winning ways at GCU Stadium (5-3-1), where Evansville visits for the Lopes' Sept. 7 home debut. Last season's home opener drew 6,402 fans, setting the stage for the NCAA's seventh-best season-attendance average (2,508).

Hyndman knows how much a home-field advantage plays into a team's tournament potential. He guided SMU to NCAA Tournament appearances in 22 of his 24 years there.

"This team has the capability of playing to that level," Hyndman said.

Portland transfer Jackson Jellah, a Phoenix O'Connor High School product like teammate Musa Morris Demos, adds speed and passing alongside Jackson, while Creighton transfer Evan Waldrep's field vision further strengthens the attack.

Waldrep returns to Omaha for his first two GCU games. The Lopes open Friday at Nebraska Omaha before facing his former team, 14th-ranked Creighton, on Sunday. Waldrep scored an NCAA Tournament goal for Creighton and hopes to help GCU and his best friend, Morris Demos, get there.

"I fell in love with this place," Waldrep said. "The soccer coaches are awesome.

"A lot of college teams have a good starting 11 and a couple good players off the bench. But here, we have a lot of good players."

With fitness and talent in place, Hyndman made preseason camp objectives to "educate, motivate and improve."

"Wouldn't it be nice to be the first sport from GCU to make the (Division I) tournament?" Hyndman told his team.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Niki Jackson

Jackson Jellah

Musa Morris Demos

Evan Waldrep

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