Brown era kicks off in Oklahoma

The Barton Community College men's soccer team under first year Head Coach Mike Brown opens up the 2016 season today in Oklahoma taking on Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa at 4:00 p.m. non-conference game.

Picked third in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) pre-season coaches' poll, the Cougars will be back at home on Friday in a 4:00 p.m. exhibition with Tabor College before officially opening the home season Sunday at 12:00 p.m. versus Western Nebraska Community College.

The Cougars return key members of the offensive attack, midfield, and defensive line who earned all-conference and regional honors.  Leading the offensive charge is first team postseason selection Lucas Alves who was second on last year's squad with thirteen and points with twenty-nine.  Alves will be joined on the frontline by Salina South graduate Jose Escobedo and Texas native Mario Ramirez giving the Cougars a formidable attack from various angles.

Controlling the midfield will be the play and leadership of Sergio Ribeiro and team captain Vinicius Monteiro.  The all-conference Ribeiro and Monteiro will be supported by the also all-conference performances along the back line of Grayson Carroll, Kota Endo, Orel Taib, and Bruce Turner who earned two conference and one national goalkeeper of the week awards.