Men’s soccer team looks to capitalize off last season’s accomplishments
The Hill College men’s soccer program looks to pick up where it left off last year as it finished the 2023 season just one match shy of a national championship tournament appearance.
First-year head coach Ivan Franco, who is no stranger to the Hill College soccer program, said a lengthy recruiting season should help his team fill in some missing pieces from last season.
“The success of last season has helped show the recruits coming in what’s achievable if they come in with the right mindset,” Franco said. “Last year’s success in the men’s program definitely drew more attention to recruits and helped us attract more looks and considerations from top recruits.”
Franco, who served as an assistant coach last year for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs, accepted the men’s head coaching position this summer following former men’s head coach Dejan “Milo” Milosevic’s departure. He was also heavily involved in the recruiting process during the team’s offseason.
“Our goals and expectations pretty much remain the same as last year,” Franco added, “which are to go above .500 in the win column as well as to put ourselves in a good position to win the Region 5 Championship.”
Last season, the Hill College men’s soccer team finished with an overall record of 7-5-4 (including an impressive 4-1-1 record at home). After defeating Western Texas College in dramatic fashion (penalty kicks at the end of OT) to capture the Region 5 Championship, the men’s team fell to Murray State College, 3-1, in the District Championship.
“Currently, we are not ranked at the beginning of the 2024 season, and that is the way I wanted it to be,” Franco said. “I've consistently reminded our [student-athletes] how important it is to make the most of their opportunities coming up if they want to be ranked.”
Key players - including returners as well as newcomers - to watch out for this season include sophomores Marlon Meda, Mane Birovljev, Stefan Radovanovic, Federico Confaloni, and freshman striker Vanja Kopunovic.
The men’s team will take its talents on the road during its first 11 matches of the 2024 season before hosting Murray State College Sept. 24 at Gateway Park in Fort Worth (Gateway Park is the site of all home games for Hill College).
Gateway Park will also be the site of the NJCAA Region 5 Men’s Soccer Championship scheduled for Oct. 23 starting at 1 p.m.
“Of course, the location [of the regional championship] benefits us since it’s our ‘home field,’ but as we know the location and venue doesn’t mean much when everything is on the line,” Franco added.
2024 Hill College Men’s Soccer Roster
1 - Hector Lozano, SO, GK
1 – Uros Pavolic, FR, GK
2 – Mohamed Kawatin, FR, LB
3 – Savo Sretenovic, FR, CB/RB
4 – Marlon Meda, SO, D
5 – Stefan Milovanovic, FR, CB/CDM
6 – Dusan Drca, FR, CM/CDM
8 – Aleksa Vasilijevic, SO
9 – Vanja Kopunovic, FR, ST
11 – Filip Ratkovic, FR, ST
12 – Giovanni Lopez, FR, CM
13 – Miguel Medelin, FR, LB
14 – Juan Tibaduiza, SO, D/LW
15 – Federico Confaloni, SO, RW
16 – Raffaele Pisani, FR, CB/CDM
19 – Martino Di Braida, FR, RB
21 – Kenny-All Hakazimana, SO, F
22 – Stefan Radovanovic, SO
23 – Mane Mirovljev, S, F
24 – David Fernandez, F, CM
26 – Dante Olivares, F, GK
Head Coach-Ivan Franco
Hill College Men’s Soccer Team Accolades
Region V Champions 2023, District Finalists 2023 Region V Champions 2016, Plains District Finalists 2016, Nationals 2016 Region V Champions 2015, Plains District Finalists 2015, Nationals 2015 Region V Champions 2014, Plains District Finalists 2014, Nationals 2014
For more information on the Hill College men’s soccer program, please visit https://hillcollegeathletics.com.