VIDEO | Season Preview with Gary Hamill

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs open the 2019 season this weekend, hosting Chowan University Saturday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. Winners of four of the last five regular season South Atlantic Conference regular season titles and the 2016 NCAA Division II national championship, Wingate is coming off an 8-6-1 season in 2018, going 6-4 in league play. The Bulldogs went 6-0-1 at Pride Park last season, outscoring opponents 13-1.

"We are all looking forward to the beginning of the season and the anticipation of doing well," head coach Gary Hamill says. "Preseason has gone very well and the team as a whole is in great shape. The new players have all settled in well and that's mainly down to the returning players. It's always difficult when you have such a large recruiting class. Our goal is always to win a championship and we've set those high standards for years."

The Bulldogs have 11 freshmen on the squad in 2019. Wingate was picked to finish fourth in the preseason SAC coaches' poll, with three players earning preseason All-SAC honors. Soren Nygaard and Elliot Cutts are preseason first team all-conference selections, with Mattia Ditommaso earning second team accolades.

POSITION BREAKDOWN

FORWARD

The forwards will be led by freshman Paul Ngongo. The Copenhagen, Denmark native will be joined up front by classmate Luiz Oliveira, with several midfielders expected to have a key role on the attack.

"Paul will be our primary striker," Hamill says. "He will have very good support from the midfield and we are excited to create a lot of goal-scoring opportunities."

MIDFIELD

The strength the team is in the midfield, led by preseason all-conference selections Cutts, Nygaard and Ditommaso. Cutts led the 'Dogs with six goals last season, while Nygaard contributed four goals and two assists on the year. Ditommaso was named the SAC Freshman of the Year in 2017.

The Bulldogs have plenty of more experienced players that will have a major impact in the midfield in seniors Stuart Hendry and Oscar Perez, along with sophomore Daniel Kuper. "The midfield is well-balanced with returners who have made major contributions the past few years," Hamill says. "In addition to the three preseason all-conference starters, we have three more veterans that will be heavily relied upon for significant time that we know can step up and perform for us."

DEFENSE

The defense has seen some injuries force a slew of young players into action in the early season. "With a few of the seniors having sustained potential long-term injuries, we've been somewhat forced to expedite a few freshmen in key positions," Hamill says. "It's looking like four freshmen, Niclas Wittur, Josh Ochsenbein, Owen Marshall and Devin Scully will start across the back."

GOALKEEPER

Wingate will be replacing Pablo Jara, the first three-time All-American in program history, who started nearly every game throughout his career. Redshirt senior Victor Spaggiari and freshman Jens Bergendorff are both battling for the goalkeeper role.

"The goalkeeper position was always going to be difficult to fill," Hamill says. "With losing Pablo Jara, whoever assumed that role was going to have a lot to prove. Victor and Jens have gone head-to-head for the starting position and still are as we enter opening day."

SCHEDULE

The Bulldogs will now open the season with three straight home games. A challenging trip to Florida was slated for opening weekend, but contests against Rollins and Florida Tech were cancelled due to the impending threat of Hurricane Dorian. Wingate will start the season at home against Chowan, then host defending national champion Barry Thursday, Sept. 12, followed by another challenging home match Saturday, Sept. 14 against Nova Southeastern. Conference play starts Sept. 18 when Wingate travels to Coker, while the first home SAC contest is slated for Saturday, Sept. 21 against Anderson.

"The schedule is a tough one, perhaps one of the toughest in the country," Hamill says. "With such a large freshman class it's important to put them in tough situations early, it's the only way to learn. Given our conference schedule, which I believe is one of the toughest in the country, we need to prepare the team ahead of time for that challenge."

Wingate's first two contests of the year will air on ESPN3, starting with Saturday's contest against Chowan at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will face the top-ranked Barry Bucs the following Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. Postseason play begins Nov. 12 with the SAC Tournament quarterfinals, while the semifinals and finals are slated for Nov. 15 and 17 in Matthew, N.C. 

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 13 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 113 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 122 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.