ELMHURST, Ill. - Fresh off of its first-ever College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship and appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Elmhurst College men's soccer team enters the 2010 season looking to duplicate its success from 2009.

"Last year was fantastic for our program," said head coach Dave Di Tomasso. "Qualifying for the NCAA Tournament was great for our players to see first hand just what it takes to make the tournament and win a championship. Our players tasted that success last year, and they're eager to try and take it even further this season."

Elmhurst returns 10 starters from last season's squad, including five on the defensive side of the field.

Senior Sebastian Domczewski (Des Plaines/St. Viator) returns to anchor the Bluejays in goal after earning second-team all-conference honors in 2009. Domczewski limited opponents to only 1.14 goals per game and also recorded seven shutouts in net.

"Sebastian will be a vital key for us again this season," said Di Tomasso. "Having a senior goalkeeper who knows what it takes to win ball games is a huge advantage for us."

Sophomore Ryan Miller (Oswego/Oswego East) is expected to back up Domczewski in goal this season.

Despite losing first-team all-conference pick Brandon Violette to graduation, Di Tomasso is confident that the Bluejays' defense in front of the net will remain solid.

Seniors Randy Warren (Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney) and Brian Chrencik (Darien/Downers Grove

South) are expected to anchor the Bluejays in the back. Warren earned second-team all-conference accolades in 2009 after totaling 12 points on four goals and four assists.

"Randy and Brian are two keys to our defense," said Di Tomasso. "Their combination of experience, athleticism, and knowledge of the game, is rare to find."

Di Tomasso expects some competition for the final two starting spots on defense. Junior Cary Kendzior (Sarasota, Fla./H.S.) and sophomore David Griggs (Warren, Mich./Detroit Jesuit) both saw starting time in 2009 while transfer Neal Crowder (Sturgeon Bay, Wis./H.S.), sophomore Sean Sullivan (St. Charles/St. Charles North), and freshman Ryder Lewis (Maple City, Mich./Glen Lake) will also challenge for time.

The Bluejays are loaded with talent and depth at the midfield in 2010. Three-time all-conference selection Jon Brehm returns to the squad after scoring seven goals in 2009. Brehm, who is already Elmhurst's all-time leader in goals scored and total points, can play either midfield or forward for the Bluejays.

"Jon is a very dynamic player who is extremely versatile," said Di Tomasso. "While he's seen a lot of time playing striker for us, he's excelled this summer playing at outside midfield for the Chicago Fire's NPSL squad."

Junior Brian McMahon (St. Charles/St. Francis) returns to the squad after earning CCIW Co-Player of the Year honors in 2009 after scoring seven goals and totaling 15 points. Sophomore Luke Froehlich (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) had a strong freshman campaign, playing in all 21 contests and finishing the year with nine points.

"Brian and Luke are two players we'll count on again in the midfield," said

Di Tomasso. "Brian is a strong player who has the ability to win almost any ball in the air while Luke is a quick player who has gotten even stronger in the offseason."

The Bluejays have no shortage of experience at midfield. Sophomore Ken Miller (Roselle/Lake Park), and juniors Keith Thurman (Lombard/Willowbrook), Tim Piotrowski (Schaumburg/H.S.), and Kyle Wright (Rochester Hills, Mich./Brother Rice) all started at times for the Bluejays in 2009. Thurman ranked second on the team in total points (17) and goals scored (six) while Miller finished with five goals and five assists in his debut season with the Bluejays.

Sophomores Kyle Smith (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids), and John Stewart (Burbank/Brother Rice) also saw action in 2009 and are expected to contribute this season.

Di Tomasso expects freshmen Austin Haase (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol), Chris Tan (Sarasota, Fla./Pine View) and Brett Harper (Lake Zurich/H.S) to also push for playing time in their first season with the squad.

On offense, Di Tomasso believes Elmhurst will have no trouble putting the ball into the back of the net. Elmhurst returns players who accounted for over 88 percent of the team's 48 goals scored in 2009.

Junior Matt Sterner (Naperville/Naperville Central) led the 2009 team in total points (21), goals scored (seven), and assists (seven). The Bluejays also add Georgetown transfer David Madison (Arlington Heights/Prospect) up front.

"If we add Jon Brehm up front, we'll have a glut of options and scoring combinations to work through," said Di Tomasso. "Matt has shown he is a great offensive player, who can score and set up his teammates. David has a nose for the goal and is an excellent passer as well."

Freshmen Moses Suleiman (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./H.S.) and Aaron Ingle (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) will also push for time at forward.

Once again, the Bluejays' road to success will not be easy. In addition to a highly competitive CCIW schedule, the Bluejays' non-conference schedule is chock-full of challenging opponents, including top-25 teams in Ohio Wesleyan University, Dominican University, and the University of Chicago.

"Our schedule is clearly the toughest we've ever had in our seven-year history of men's soccer," said Di Tomasso. "We're going to be playing some of the nation's best teams on a day-in, day-out basis. We'll get tested early and often this season and it will be up to our team to show that we can maintain the same level of play that put us in the NCAA Tournament last season."

Di Tomasso believes that the conference portion of Elmhurst's schedule will once again prove to be demanding.

"This team has the experience and ability to go deep into the playoffs," he said. "But, I believe our toughest test will be getting out of the CCIW. I consider our conference to be one of the top-three conferences in the nation and I know that we have to reach a level of success in the CCIW to be able to compete in the NCAA Tournament."

Overall, Di Tomasso's goals remain the same that they've been since men's soccer first began as a varsity sport at Elmhurst in 2004.

"Each year, we've had an underlying goal of winning a CCIW Championship, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, and competing for a national championship," he said. "If our players keep their focus and continue to play with the confidence they had last year, I believe our team can reach a new level of success this season."

Elmhurst opens the 2010 season by facing Ohio Wesleyan University at Wheaton College's Bob Baptista Invitational on September 3.