BILLINGS, Mont. – The return to a full schedule of games is on the fast-approaching horizon for the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team, which kicks off its 2021 campaign this week with three road matches.
 
The Yellowjackets, who were tabbed fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason poll released earlier this month, are set to enjoy their first full slate of games since the 2019 fall season. "We are just excited to have a normal season," said MSUB head coach Thomas Chameraud, who begins his third season as head coach and eighth overall on the coaching staff. "We haven't played many games since November of 2019, and the players and staff are just excited to play, be on the field, and get that adrenaline going before kickoff."
 
MSUB cruised through its three-game preseason schedule, conceding just one goal total in victories over Rocky Mountain College, University of Providence, and Carroll College over the last 10 days. MSUB opens a stretch of three games in four days with a neutral-site contest against Texas A&M International University on Thursday in Grand Junction, Colo.
 
This Week's Schedule
Thursday, September 2 – vs. Texas A&M International (at Grand Junction, CO) – 1 PM
Saturday, September 4 – at Colorado State-Pueblo (Pueblo, CO) – 1 PM
Sunday, September 5 – at UC Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs, CO) – 2:30 PM
 
After six non-conference affairs covering the month of September, MSUB will jump into its 10-game GNAC schedule on Oct. 2 at Seattle Pacific University. "We still have a lot of things to work on and we have to teach our new players the way we want to play, so it will take some time," said Chameraud. "We have to move quickly, but we are excited everyone is here and fit. Our conference schedule is a tough one, and we play in a really tough league. It will be up to us to prove ourselves."
 
Fourth-year captain Luca Battistotti headlines the Yellowjacket roster, anchoring the defense as a center back and bringing the most experience on the squad. The Italian international has started 57 matches in his four-year career, playing in every single one of MSUB's games since the 2017 fall season. "Luca is very competitive, and we want to make sure he leaves on a high note this season," said Chameraud. "He is someone who leads by example, works the hardest on and off the field, and should be a great example for the newcomers."
 
Battistotti is surrounded with solid defenders on the back line, in returning seniors Bryan Maxwell and Pascal Pisarek and incoming freshman Oscar Salling. Maxwell emerged as a starter as a sophomore in 2019 and has 33 caps, while Pisarek has seen time in 26 matches during his three-year Yellowjacket career. The 6-foot-1 Salling provides the 'Jackets with a demonstrative presence in the center of the defense alongside Battistotti, while hometown defender Hadyn Koch and Spanish international Guillermo Gonzalez add further depth.
 
"We are counting on Bryan and Pascal, because they have been in the program and they know the way we want to play," said Chameraud. "Bryan was solid for us last spring, and Pascal after two difficult years with injuries is finding some rhythm. It will be key for our newcomers to understand as quickly as they can the way we want to play. Oscar and Guillermo come from academies in their countries with a lot of tactics and they will assimilate quickly. We are confident Hadyn will be able to adjust to the college game and match the level of play."
 
Mathias Kjølner was among the Yellowjacket freshmen who excelled during the modified 2021 spring season, and has already made promising strides towards a starting role through the team's exhibition schedule. Third-year defender Tybalt Thornberry and senior Brady Tesch are veterans on the unit, and newcomers Colten Atkinson and Jack Jarrett will vie for minutes right away.
 
"Technically it will be the first season for all of those guys except for Brady," said Chameraud on the pandemic-affected 2020 season. "In 2019 we didn't really have a player who fit that formation, and now we have players who can be dangerous offensively and be very strong defensively."
 
Senior Brad Lowes anchors MSUB's central midfield unit, and netted a goal in MSUB's 2-1 victory over Rocky Mountain College on Aug. 21. "Brad was a very good player for us last spring, and most importantly he has been a strong leader during the COVID year," Chameraud said. "He is someone who is always going to give everything he has on the field, and that's something the younger players should look up to. He's a fun guy to be around and is well-liked on the team."
 
A healthy Marvin Putu has already proven to provide a tremendous boost to the Yellowjackets, as he found the net three times during the team's preseason schedule. Putu has been limited to just 17 matches since his debut in the fall of 2018, but will play a big role in the team's success as a veteran upperclassman. "I am excited for Marvin," Chameraud said. "He played this summer, is healthy, and he got some confidence and rhythm from playing games again which was lacking his last two years. Hopefully he can stay healthy and bring his technical abilities to the team this upcoming season."
 
Senior Paul Cuevas and third-year midfielder Jacob Holtz are among the other returners, along with Jayse Judkins and Edgar Ramirez who each made their MSUB debut during the 2021 spring season. Newcomers Valdemar Fogt, Ryan Hanley, Jeremie Briquet, Roddy Lewis, and Sian Realing will each get their first taste of soccer in a Yellowjacket uniform this fall.
 
"The key in the midfield is going to be having a lot of competition with all of our newcomers and returners," said Chameraud. "We needed to bring more depth into the team, and we feel like we have quality center midfielders. Everybody will have to fight for their playing time, and in the past we didn't have that as much as we have it now."
 
MSUB will rely on a trio of talented strikers at the top of the formation, with third-year forward Austin Shafer being joined by Halil Yilmaz and Ty Vohland. Shafer has four career goals in his 29 matches played, while Yilmaz and Vohland each joined the program during the 2020-21 academic year. The latter two each got on the score sheet during the preseason, with Vohland providing an assist to Fogt and Yilmaz converting a penalty kick in the 3-0 win over Providence.
 
"Austin is someone who has developed himself as a leader in the team, and he is a quality forward who has a nose for goal," said Chameraud. "Halil can finally cut loose, after it was a frustrating spring for him. Ty brings a different profile, which will help us be less predictable during the season."
 
One of MSUB's deepest positions on the field is goalkeeper, where the team has a quartet of options between the posts. Third-year returners Aleksandar Garza and Kolten Unrein possess the most experience at the collegiate level, while incoming freshmen Georgios Theodoulidis and Connor Trapp should see significant playing time as well.
 
"We have four goalkeepers, so there is a lot of depth and competition for one position," Chameraud commented. "Alex and Kolten both returning have some good experience, and we are excited about both Georgios and Connor being new to the program."
 
Chameraud is joined by assistant coaches Matt Ball in his second season and Tulio Melo entering his third year with the program. "We are excited as a coaching staff to have our first full season together," Chameraud said. "We have been waiting a long time, and we are all on the same page. Matt has been awesome with the goalkeepers and Tulio has been tremendous as well helping both on and off the field so the program runs smoothly."
 
The Yellowjackets went 8-9-2 overall during the 2019 fall season and took fourth place in the GNAC with a conference record of 5-6-1 during the team's last full season on the pitch. Simon Fraser University was picked to win the league in the preseason poll, with Western Washington second and Seattle Pacific third ahead of the Yellowjackets in the preseason rankings.
 
All of MSUB's home matches will feature a live video stream available online through the MSUB Sports YouTube channel here, and live statistics available online here. Live coverage links for MSUB's road matches can be found through the men's soccer schedule page online here.