Saturday, December 01, 2007

Bradley Finding Success in NCAA Tourney


There are some teams that stay with us no matter where life takes us, or where their results place them in the table. In the college ranks there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the Braves of Bradley University. Having attended high school in central Illinois, the Peoria based school provided my first live NCAA soccer experience.

The program has been solid over the years producing a few MLS players, most notably Bryan Namoff of DC United. Other Bradley alums that might be recognized by those familiar with MLS would be Tim Regan, who started out with the MetroStars, spent a season with Chivas, and is now back in New York with the Red Bulls, and Gavin Glinton.

This years team overcame huge adversity, in the form of a preseason tragedy to take the Missouri Valley title, and took out national powerhouse Indiana on penalties in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Wednesday night. Such an accomplishment provides an opportunity to face Maryland in Maryland on Saturday night.

Go, Braves!