Men's Soccer at Pitt Greensburg

Coach Wawrzyniak began the Men's Soccer program four seasons ago.  Fall 1998 was the inaugural season and the team had immediate success.  Starting 8 freshmen, the team ended with a 7-9 record plus a 2-3 record in the AMCC.  A trip to the AMCC playoffs was the climax to the season.  Last season, the team improved to 8-10 overall and 5-1 in the AMCC.  Again they advanced to the AMCC playoffs before losing a 2-1 heartbreaker to Penn State Behrend.

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg men’s soccer team enjoyed their greatest season in school history. The Bobcats finished 19-2 overall and 6-0 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC). The Bobcats finished in first place in the AMCC for the first time in the team’s five-year history. They also won their first ever AMCC men’s soccer championship, and in their first season as a full member of the NCAA Division III, the Bobcats received their first bid to the NCAA Tournament. They received a bye in the first round and lost to Ohio Wesleyan, 1-0, in the second round. The driving force of the Bobcat’s outstanding season was fifth year head coach Ted Wawrzyniak. Wawrzyniak has built this program from the ground up, and for his efforts this season he was named as the AMCC ‘Coach of the Year’.

As a team this season, Pitt Greensburg ranked 10th in the NCAA Division III in scoring offense, with an average of 3.57 goals per game. The driving force on the offensive end included freshman forward, Adam Zeleznick (Pittsburgh/South Park H.S.), and two senior midfielders, Brandon Migitsch (Pittsburgh/Penn Trafford H.S.) and Bill McIntosh (Pittsburgh/South Park H.S.). Zeleznick led the Bobcats and the AMCC in scoring with 45 points, of which included 19 goals and seven assists. For his outstanding season, Zeleznick was named the AMCC ‘Newcomer of the Year’ and the AMCC ‘Player of the Year’. He finished 23rd in the NCAA Division III in goals per game with 0.90. For his accomplishments this season, Zeleznick was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) 2002 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic All-Regional Second Team. Migitsch also lit up the scoreboard for the Bobcats. The school’s all-time leading scorer, Migitsch added to his total this season. He scored eight goals and had a team high 19 assists for the Bobcats and in the process earned a spot on the AMCC All-Conference First-Team. Migitsch finished the season ranked 1st in the NCAA Division III in assists per game with 0.95. McIntosh finished with 31 points on the season, including 12 goals and seven assists. He also was named to the AMCC All-Conference First-Team. For his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom, McIntosh was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District II College Division Second Team Men's Soccer Team. College Division District II consists of all non-NCAA Division I colleges and universities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Manning the Bobcat’s powerful defense were senior goalie Mitch Paterline (Irwin/Penn Trafford H.S.) and junior defenders Mike Tintera (Harrison City/Penn Trafford H.S.) and Brendan Walk (McKeesport/Elizabeth Forward H.S.). Paterline was a brick wall in goal for the Bobcats all season. He had a goals against average of 1.09, while posting six shutouts on the season. Paterline was named AMCC First-Team All-Conference goalkeeper for his incredible season. For his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom, Paterline was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District II College Division First Team Men's Soccer Team and to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America College Division First Team Men's Soccer Team. Tintera and Walk both played smothering defense all season, while helping out on the offensive end when needed. Tintera provided seven assists and two goals, while Walk scored four goals and added 11 assists. Both were named as AMCC First-Team All-Conference selections. Walk also ranked among the leaders in the NCAA Division III in assists, finishing in a tie for 24th with 0.57 per game. For his accomplishments this season, Walk was named to the NSCAA 2002 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic All-Regional Third Team.

Two other Bobcats were named as AMCC All-Conference Second-Team selections, sophomore forward Steve Green (Oakmont/Riverview H.S.) and sophomore midfielder Dave Tintera (Harrison City/Penn Trafford H.S.). Green made 15 starts for the Bobcats and scored seven goals while adding six assists. Tintera started 20 games for the Bobcats and finished second on the team in scoring with 32 points. He scored 11 goals and added ten assists in his outstanding sophomore season.

Other key contributors included senior defender Chris Knauff (Valencia/Mars H.S.), sophomore defender Brett Marion (Beaver/Beaver H.S.), and sophomore midfielder Steve Forbrich (McMurray/Peters Township H.S.). Knauff started every game the Bobcats played and recorded two assists on the season. Marion started 18 games and scored one goal while adding three assists. Forbrich started in 12 games and scored three goals and had four assists for the Bobcats.

Other members of the team included juniors John Guzowski (Erie/Harbor Creek H.S.), Nick Hammon (Lake City/Girard H.S.), Jeremy Hettler (Irwin/Penn Trafford H.S.), Jim Horning (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg H.S.), and Corey Yerace (Irwin/Penn Trafford H.S.). Sophomore members included Alex Artayet (Venetia/Peters Township H.S.), Mark Eckhardt (Irwin/Penn Trafford H.S.), Greg Faltenovich (Beaver/Beaver H.S.), Peter Jonah (Pittsburgh/South Park H.S.), Kris Richardson (Fombell/Riverside H.S.), and Dan Stern (Boswell/North Star H.S.). Freshmen included Jake Bethem (Belle Vernon/Belle Vernon H.S.), Jamie Deniziak (Erie/Harbor Creek H.S.), Scott Duryea (Cheswick/Deer Lakes H.S.), Bryan Gesinski (Mt. Pleasant/Mt. Pleasant H.S.), Tyler Greene (Sharpsville/Sharpsville H.S.), Justin Innocent (Lebanon/Northern Lebanon H.S.), Chris Kirshner (McKeesport/South Allegheny H.S.), Chris Roslonski (Pittsburgh/Seton-La Salle H.S.), and Matt Spolski (Reading/Muhlenburg H.S.).

TED WAWRZYNIAK:  Coach Wawrzyniak started the UPG Men’s Soccer program in 1998, and since his inaugural season has led the Bobcats to the playoffs every year in the AMCC.  Still an active participant in amateur soccer, Coach Wawrzyniak plays with the International Soccer Club in Western PA.  The International Soccer Club, which he established in 1989, has gone on to win many championships since its inception, the most prestigious being defeating the US Open Cup Champions in 1998.  Coach Wawrzyniak also is a founder of the Foothills Soccer Club, as well as establishing many soccer programs in Western PA.  He was recognized in 1999 by the Pennsylvania West Soccer Organization as the first recipient of the Founders Award.  Additionally, Coach Wawrzyniak holds national licenses with the United Soccer Federation and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and is a member of many soccer organizations both in Pennsylvania and nationally.  Since the first year of the program, Coach Wawrzyniak has helped produce 16 All-AMCC Conference players.

JOHN CURLEY:  Coach Curley has been with Coach Wawrzyniak since the first season.  A former standout at the University of Pittsburgh, he brings Big East experience with him to UPG and has been a tremendous asset to the program.  Coach Curley also holds his USSF Coaching License.

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