Last year the men's soccer team managed just four wins on the season before falling in the quarterfinals of the Region IX tournament.

                This year, the outlook for the Cougar men is to claim a regional title. But, the players know to do that, they have to accomplish that feat in steps.

                "Our first goal it being Region IX champions," sophomore Sebastian Arenas of Manizales Colombia, said. "But we know we have to go step-by-step."

                That goal started last week when the team reported for pre-season practices and the 26-man roster has been working hard to get ready for the season that officially begins August 19 against Iowa Lakes Community College in Sterling, Colorado.

                "The practices are going well," Arenas said. "We are putting in a lot of effort. The team has a goal and everyone wants to reach it. We are practicing a lot in order to create a good environment in the team, so we can show our potential."

                The Cougars lost some key players from a year ago, but return seven players from a year ago. Besides Arenas, the Cougars return starting goalkeeper Hernan Burdiles from Santiago, Chile. Other returners include Samuel Acosta also from Manizales, Colombia, Adolfo Rojas and Luis Escobar both from Aurora, Colorado, Pablo Dominguez from Madrid Spain, and Pedro Roche from Ponce, Puerto Rico.

                The freshmen on the team are talented and all the players are battling in practice for playing time. The newcomers include Scottsbluff's Eduardo Sena, Lexington's Kenny Morales, and Kearney's Jhordy Solares.

                Other newcomers include four from Miami, Florida, in Luis Terreros, Michael Escobar, Isrrael Rodriquez, and Roberto Rivero.

                The other players are all international including players from Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Germany, Colombia, Gambia, Belgium, and Argentina.

                Those players are Felipe Alvarez De Araya and Lucas Ovalle from Chile; Joao Bisneto, Joao Menezes, Eduardo Oliveira, and Guilherme Lindolfo from Brazil; Alex Carrillo from Ecuador; Paul Denz from Germany; Simon Echeverry from Colombia; Abdoulie Fatty from Gambia; Maxime Niyibaho from Belgium, and Jeronimo Zelaya Diaz from Argentina.

                Arenas said there is plenty of talent on this team and they are working hard to put a good product on the field. The soccer fans can see the product on Saturday when the women and men will play the alumni at Landers Soccer Complex with the men going at 2 p.m. after the women's game at 12 noon.

                "As I said before, we have a really good team, our coaching staff is trying to make us improve every day," Arenas said. "We are creating connections that can help us with games and be successful."

                Arenas added that not only him, but the entire team is working hard in the weight room and on the field.

                "I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team," he said. "Everyone from the freshmen to the sophomores have been putting in loads of hard work and have been really dedicated this pre-season to get a step closer to our dream of reaching the national tournament."

                The connection that they are making is something the players are hoping to carry to success, including a regional title. The last time the Cougars won the Region IX title was 20 years ago back in 2003.

                "We have a lot of players in different positions, all of them with wonderful abilities," Arenas said. "The intensity in the practices is high and we are working on our weaknesses. Everyone has a lot of expectations, and we want to make history this year."