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Teams: Men's Soccer: Team
Overview
 As
a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC),
the Tufts University Men's Soccer program is one of the most
competitive in New England. Now in his 19th season as head coach,
Ralph Ferrigno directs a team that annually competes for the
conference title and the automatic NCAA Tournament berth that goes
to the champion. Fourteen of Ferrigno's Tufts teams have finished
with winning records. Six times they have won 10 or more games. His
career record of 151-102-23 represents both the most wins and the
best winning percentage (.588) of any coach in the long history of
the Jumbo program. From 1994-2002, the team posted a remarkable
91-41-12 record (.674). With seven conference tournament berths in
the last eight seasons, the Jumbos look to climb in the competitive
NESCAC standings for 2008. As part of NESCAC, the Tufts program
plays in the nation's most competitive small college conference
academically and athletically. The Jumbos play at a post-season pace
week after week against conference competition. Conference member
Middlebury College, a team Tufts lost to 1-0 on a goal in the 59th
minute, won the 2007 NCAA Division III Championship. Three NESCAC
teams overall were selected for NCAA play. Jumbos Greg O'Connell and
Alex Bedig were named to the All-Conference team last fall, with
O'Connell earning the honor for the third time of his career. The
NESCAC is a group of highly selective liberal arts colleges and
universities that share an academics-first philosophy for
intercollegiate athletics. Jumbo players are recognized for their
academic accomplishments as well. Bob Kastoff, a 2008 Tufts
graduate, was named to the NESCAC All-Academic team last fall.
Recent graduate Matt MacGregor, an international relations/history
major with a grade point average over 3.8, was selected to the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America's Collegiate Scholar
All-America Team. Located right outside of Boston, Tufts offers a
well-rounded collegiate experience to student-athletes. Within its
picturesque small-college campus, Tufts is a major university with
"an unprecedented diversity of programs, exceptional faculty and
staff, and bright and talented students," according to President
Lawrence S. Bacow. The Athletics Department sponsors a varsity
program of 28 sports that is among the most competitive in the
NCAA's Division III. Tufts finished 15th in the 2008 U.S. Sports
Academy Directors' Cup, the award presented annually to the best
overall collegiate athletics programs in the country. The
University's proximity to a world-class city renowned for its
academic institutions is also a major draw. Tufts Soccer enters
each season with NCAA Tournament aspirations. Ferrigno's 1994 team
won the NCAA New England Championship, defeating NESCAC rivals
Williams and Middlebury to take the crown. The team hosted Johns
Hopkins in the NCAA Quarter-finals in front of 4,000 fans that year.
The 1996 Jumbos followed with another NCAA Tournament berth. In the
regional Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships,
Tufts advanced to the championship game in 1998 and won the title in
2000. NESCAC teams are no longer eligible for ECAC Tournament play.
Ferrigno earned his 150th win with the Tufts program last season. He
was named NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2001 after guiding the team to
an 11-4-1 overall record. Other recognition he's received includes
NCAA New England Coach of the Year, New England Intercollegiate
Soccer League Coach of the Year and Massachusetts College Coach of
the Year. Previously an assistant at Dartmouth College, Ferrigno is
also a veteran of over 10 years with the Olympic Development
Program, a licensed coach in the USA, England & Wales, and founder
of the Lightning Soccer program in 1986. In March 2007, he coached
the Massachusetts Olympic Development Program's Boys Under-17
program to the national semi-finals. The Jumbos have several
starters from last season returning to this year's squad. Peter
DeGregorio and Alex Lach are the top returning scorers, with Lach
contributing two game-winning goals. Naji Muakkassa and Bear Duker
are talented young players who will step into leadership roles this
fall. Matt Maloney started every game on the backline last season,
and starting keeper Dave McKeon is also back. The Jumbos had a 1.21
goals against average that was tied for fourth in NESCAC last
season. Their five shutouts, including against NESCAC's Bates and
Trinity, was also tied for fourth in the league. The Tufts program
fields a very competitive junior varsity program, which has fed the
varsity line-up with young players throughout Ferrigno's tenure.
With eight seniors graduated from last year's roster, the 2008 team
will feature several new faces. Kraft Field, home to the Jumbos,
was a gift to the University made by New England Patriots and
Revolution owner Robert Kraft and his family in the 1980s. Tufts
also uses the Bello Field turf, opened in 2004, for games and
practices during inclement weather. The Tufts team also regularly
takes a pre-season tour to England, homeland of Coach Ferrigno.
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