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DCTC To Add Men’s Soccer In Fall 2004
12/18/03
Starting next fall, Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) will become the first public college in Minnesota to sponsor a varsity soccer program for men. The team will kick off its first season in August 2004 competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association - Division I.
According to Women’s Soccer Head Coach Cam Pagani, the men’s program will mirror a schedule similar to the DCTC women’s program, which had an impressive 15-5 record and a #15 ranking nationally in its inaugural 2003 season.
Pagani said the Blue Knights’ 18-20 game intercollegiate schedule will be stocked with opposition from two- and four-year college programs from across the Midwest.
“We feel the addition of men’s soccer to our athletic program is a positive development that will help young men continue playing as they gain a high-quality education at our college,” said DCTC President Dr. Ron Thomas.
Existing sports at DCTC include wrestling, baseball, and women’s soccer.
“With this pioneering step, DCTC will provide a great opportunity for local men's soccer players to play a high level of soccer in their own community while gaining a college-level education,” Pagani added. “This will be a great stepping stone for these young people preparing for their careers.”
For more information about soccer at DCTC, contact Pagani at (952) 953-7424.
Local soccer fast facts:
- Currently, no public/college institution in Minnesota sponsors men’s collegiate soccer
- An estimated 40,000 boys play soccer in Minnesota*
- Dakota County is home to more than 4,000 boy’s soccer players*
*According to the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA)
