HAMILTON – It will be 477 days since its last match when the Colgate men's soccer team takes the field for the first time in 2021 against Navy on Sunday. Kickoff from Annapolis is set for 3 p.m.
 
This season may look a bit different, but 16th-year head coach Erik Ronning has his squad focused and prepared the same way that has brought home three Patriot League titles in the last four years.
 
"Everyone is really anxious – the same feeling you would have before your first regular season game in the fall – we're prepared and focused," Ronning said. "It may be a little more magnified because we haven't played in so long, but we've been prepared for this for a long time.
 


"We have tried to send a message to the guys to be ready whenever we're asked to be ready. The guys have been really excited to compete this weekend for a long time. Their preparation for this has been a great indication to how committed they have been from the beginning."
 
Key Returners
Colgate returns four of its top five scorers from 2019, including Preseason All-Patriot League pick Drew Fischer. As a freshman, Fischer led the team with four goals and 11 points. He netted two game-winning goals and was a perfect 3-for-3 on penalty kicks.
 


Junior defender Will Stroud was also named Preseason All-League after an injury-shortened 2019 campaign. Stroud started 16 games as a freshman in 2018, helping guide the Raiders to their third consecutive Patriot League championship behind a League-best 10 shutouts.
 
Among other returning starters, midfielder Kian Alberto enters his junior season as the team's active assists leader with nine. He dished four helpers in 2019, which was tied for the best on the team.


 
Junior forward Edward Bass was tied for second on the team in goals (3) and netted two game-winners in 2019, including the lone marker in the last meeting against Army. He scored the game-winner in the 88th minute on a breakaway tally to send the Raiders home with a 1-0 triumph in West Point.


 
In total, Colgate returns seven players who started at least 10 games in 2019. Team captain Chris DePetro is back for his senior season with 44 starts in his first three years. He started all 16 games as a sophomore and earned 18 nods during the 2018 championship season.  


 
Forward Ryan Krueger and defenders Dominic Galietta and Baraka Kiingi all had at least 10 starts last season, plus sophomore Chris Noriega was 7-for-7 before an injury halted his freshman campaign.
 
On the 35-man roster for 2021, Ronning said, "We have strength in numbers at every position. We have a talented group of young men and have a chance to be very successful. Everyone believes in what we're doing and I feel very confident about the group of young men we have here."
 
Fresh Faces
Ronning and his staff once again revamped the roster with a talented incoming class. The Raiders welcomed 10 newcomers to the squad this season, including two forwards, three midfielders, three defenders, and two goalkeepers. The 10 incoming freshmen hail from seven different states.
 
Championship Success
Colgate will have a new look between the pipes this season after losing four-year starting goalkeeper Jacob Harris to graduation. Harris ranks second in program history in shutouts (20) and helped the Raiders win three consecutive Patriot League titles. Along with Harris, All-League selections Christian Clarke and Kentaro Morrison played pivotal roles in Colgate's championship run.
 
The Raiders in 2018 became the first team in Patriot League history to win three consecutive conference championships. Colgate went on to beat New Hampshire in the first round of the NCAA tournament and took Wake Forest to the wire in the second round. This was one year after advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history with postseason wins over UMass and Michigan.
 
Schedule Preview
Sunday's opener is the first of seven regular season games on the 2021 schedule. The Raiders are slated to make their home debut on March 13 against Boston University. The Raiders are also scheduled to host Holy Cross for the regular season finale on April 10.
 
"Our guys have been dealing with adaptability since March 2020," Ronning said. "Handling schedule changes and things of that nature is no different. We try to stay consistent and focus on what we can control, which is our attitude, our temperament, how we prepare, and how we stay healthy as a team. We just have to be ready when they tell us to be ready."
 
Patriot League Format
The Patriot League's 10 men's soccer teams will be divided into two five-team divisions for the 2021 spring season. Army, Boston University, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette will play in the North Division. American, Bucknell, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy will play in the South Division.
 
Teams will play each divisional opponent at least once. A minimum of six League games will be played by each team. The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 27, and conclude on Saturday, April 10. The championship dates are still to be determined. 
 
"I'm excited for our guys to have the opportunity to compete again," Ronning said. "They have sacrificed so much for a chance to compete. We're fired up and ready to go. Our guys are going to battle, fight, and represent Colgate the right way. That's who we are."
 
Attendance Policy
Continuing the effort to support a safe and healthy community in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colgate University is restricting outside fan attendance at all athletic competitions this semester. All Colgate home games and Patriot League games are available for streaming on ESPN+.