As it prepares to embark on its 2022 campaign, the Penn State Altoona men's soccer team flips the page to a new chapter in the history of its program.

The Lions will feature a new head coach, Andrew Beverly, who will be making his collegiate coaching debut this season. Beverly was a three-year player for Division II Lock Haven University and brings numerous years of coaching experience at the high school and club levels, and he welcomes the challenge of leading a team at the collegiate level.

"I'm very excited. It's definitely going to be a challenge and a new experience, but the game is still the same, so I'm not too worried about that," said Beverly. "We've got a great group of guys that has been working hard since we started, and the team is coming along."

Last fall, Penn State Altoona placed seventh in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's regular season standings, falling one spot short of a postseason tournament berth. The Lions were picked to finish in sixth place this year in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, and Beverly's hope is that the team can make incremental improvements to build off of its finish last year. However, with just three upperclassmen on the roster, overcoming inexperience will be an early hurdle for the team.

"We are certainly a young team, but it is a strong group of committed players with a lot of potential," Beverly explained. "I can't say where we'll expect to finish, in terms of record or in the conference standings, but we have a goal to improve upon last year's season and push to get stronger as a team each day. The guys have trained and competed well throughout our preseason, and we're excited to get into some games."

Penn State Altoona's attack will be spearheaded by returning sophomore forwards Grady Ballard (State College, PA/State College) and Chad Reighard (Altoona, PA/Altoona). Ballard was a second team All-AMCC pick last season, finishing second in the conference in shots on goal (42), third in points (31), assists (7), shots attempted (76), and penalty kick goals (2), and fourth in goals scored (12) and game-winning goals (3). Reighard tallied one goal and one assist while appearing in 14 games last year, making 12 starts.

Sophomore Cameron McCarthy (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) will also be counted on to help generate offense, after a freshman campaign that saw him start all 17 games while scoring one goal and registering two assists.

"Grady and Chad are two electric attackers who can create a goal out of nowhere," said Beverly. "Cam is an intelligent winger with an eye for a pass."

At the midfield position, Beverly says that senior Garrett Giedroc (Howard, PA/Bald Eagle), sophomore Jonathan Hill (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove), and sophomore Alexander Rubio (Woodbridge, VA/St. John Paul the Great) should help lead the way for the group. Giedroc was named as a "Player to Watch" this season for the Lions in the conference's preseason poll, following a 2021 campaign that saw him start all 17 games for the team. Hill also played in all 17 games last season, and Rubio comes to Penn State Altoona after transferring from Greensboro College, where he saw action in five games last year.

"Garrett and Jonny are two workhorse midfielders who will make it tough for teams to break us down," Beverly stated. "Alex is a complete player that can fill any role in our midfield."

Defensively, Beverly will count on junior Blake Johnston (Altoona, PA/Bellwood-Antis) and sophomore Owen Myers (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove) to anchor the back line this fall. Johnston started 16 games last season for the Lions, and Myers started all 17 while chipping in a goal.

"Owen and Blake will be looked at to lead our back line," said Beverly. "Their communication and ability to read the game will be crucial for our defense this fall."

Sophomore Tommy Packevicz (Trumbull, CT/Christian Heritage) is back at goalkeeper this season and is expected to again see the majority of the minutes between the pipes. He started all 17 games last fall, going 9-8 with three shutouts, a 2.22 goals-against average, and 79 saves. Packevicz was third in the AMCC in wins and fourth in shutouts.

"Tommy has the ideal combination of technique, athletic ability, and attitude to be one of the top goalies," Beverly asserted. "We'll look to him to be more of a leader for us this season."

While Beverly has highlighted a number of players who he sees as key performers at each position, he also expects other returners and newcomers to earn playing time throughout the season. With a 26-player roster, he stresses that opportunities for playing time must be earned.

"I expect some tactical and lineup changes as the season progresses and as we settle into a team identity," he explained. "But the guys know that, with a larger squad, they will have to perform day in and day out to get their chances on the field."

Beverly understands that his team's identity has not yet been determined. With a roster comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores, and with a first-year head coach leading the group, the team will need to jell to find out what works and what doesn't during the season. But Beverly still expects the squad to aspire to achieve some core qualities in its play.

"It will likely take some time for us to develop as a complete team," he acknowledged. "But, as we get into the schedule of games, the goal is to show that we can be an organized, cohesive unit defensively, and a team that can go forward in numbers to create chances."

Penn State Altoona men's soccer opens its 2022 schedule on the road this Saturday, September 3, traveling to face non-conference opponent Waynesburg University at 7:00 p.m.