Bradley soccer coach Jim DeRose was much more upbeat for this year's media day.

"I think for all of us over the past year soccer is in its proper place," said DeRose. "The players are just excited to get out and play."

"We’re having nothing but fun," said sophomore Ephraim Beard. " To get to pass the ball and be on a beautiful field is a treat."

A year ago the Braves were mourning the death of teammate Dan Dahlquist. Today its their NCAA Elite–8 appearance that's still fresh in their minds.

"We definitely have confidence in our abilities," said Chris Cutshaw, the Braves' top returning scorer. " When you go to Indiana, when you go to Maryland and you play those teams and you beat them on their own field and you see all of the national championships you no Bradley’s arrived. If you carry the same work ethic and mentality you can beat those teams and play on the same stage as them."

The Braves return 6 starters from that Elite–8 team, including Cutshaw. But they also lost 5 of their best players to graduation. Still, the National Soccer Coaches Association ranks Bradley 21st in its pre–season rankings.

That ranking surprised Cutshaw.

"It definitely shows respect. I was shocked with all of the people we lost."

But DeRose views the pre-season ranking as sort of a standard of excellence for the Braves to live up to.

"That’s the goal for this team. Young or not young we pride ourselves that we’ve always played meaningful games in November. We’ve always played for something on the last day of the season and this is no different."