SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Intercollegiate men's soccer has been a part of Susquehanna University since as far back as 1938.

Susquehanna finished with a record of 9-7-2 in 2007, including a 4-2-1 record in the newly formed Landmark Conference — good for third place in the league and a berth in the first-ever Landmark men's soccer championships.

At last year's championships, the Crusaders fell in the first round, 1-0 in double overtime, to eventual conference champion Drew University. Still, SU had much to hang its hat on in 2007, including five all–conference selections.

Rhyan Nelson '11 (Manalapan Twp., N.J./St. John Vianney) and 2008 co-captain Isaac Laubach '09 (Millville, Pa./Millville) earned first-team all–Landmark honors, while Jim Robertiello '11 (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham), Dan Husko '09 (Brick, N.J./St. Rose) and 2008 co-captain Matt Gawlas '09 (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) landed on the second team. Robertiello (below) also took home the conference's Rookie of the Year award after leading SU in goals and points with nine and 19, respectively, while seeing action in every game. His nine goals and 0.50 goals per game also tied for the Landmark lead.

Laubach started all 18 games in 2007 while spearheading a Crusaders defense that allowed the fewest goals in the Landmark. He also scored two goals and notched an assist. Nelson played in all 18 games and was second on the team in goals and points with six and 15, respectively.

Husko, another defender, started all 18 games and was credited with an assist. Gawlas played in all 18 games and controlled play from the midfield position . He also scored three goals.

A total of 12 men's soccer players earned a spot on the 2007 Landmark Conference fall academic honor roll. Gawlas and Laubach were two of them. Gawlas was also selected to the 2007 Landmark fall all-academic team and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's 2007 College Scholar all–East Region second team. Laubach was an NSCAA College Scholar all–East Region first-teamer and an NSCAA Scholar All–American. The NSCAA also honored the entire SU men's soccer team with an academic team award for the fourth straight year. Susquehanna is one of only 72 schools nationwide to have both its men's and women's 2007 soccer teams earn this honor.

Athletically, Laubach landed on the NSCAA all–Mid-Atlantic Region second team. Nelson (right) earned third-team all–Mid-Atlantic Region honors.

B.J. Merriam '11 (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) and Matt Glackin '11 (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) played the most time in goal for Susquehanna last year and combined for a total of 99 saves. Merriam posted a goals against average of 0.89, and Glackin registered a 1.21. Merriam's .852 save percentage was good for second in the Landmark, second only to Glackin's .855. Glackin's 6.71 saves per game and Merriam's 5.20 put them first and second in the conference, respectively. SU shut out five opponents in 2007 and led the Landmark in saves.

Jim Findlay will return for his 11th season behind the men's soccer bench in 2008. With 83 career wins, Findlay is the winningest coach in program history. He led the Crusaders to their first appearance in the Middle Atlantic Commonwealth Conference championships in 2003 while garnering the conference's Coach of the Year award. The team returned to the championships tournament in both 2005 and 2006, advancing to the championship game for the first time in school history in 2006.

Thanks to a 2-1 win at Lycoming College on September 7 last year, SU currently holds “the Boot,” a bronzed and mounted soccer shoe trophy that is annually played for between the Crusaders and the Warriors. Susquehanna plays Lycoming at home this year on Sept. 10 in another “Battle for the Boot.”