MARSHALL, TX - The Wiley College Wildcats soccer team began its 2002 season with a busy road trip this Labor Day weekend in south Texas taking on two conference rivals. The Wildcats traveled to Laredo, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Internationals for the first game of the season on Friday evening, August 30, at 5:00 p.m.

On Saturday, August 31 at 1:00 p.m. the Wildcats mixed it up with Shriner College before returning to Marshall on Monday to play the University of Texas Permian Basin soccer team at the Wiley College Pemberton Complex Field at 12:00 p.m. on Labor Day. Dr. Solomon Masenda begins his 13th season as head coach for the Wildcats posting an 11-5 record last season. The Wildcats won a berth in the 2001Red River Conference Championship, but were defeated by the Southwestern Adventist University Knights of Keene, Texas. “As well as we performed last year, this season seems to be more promising than last,” said Coach Masenda. “The players have been working hard and we should do well.”  Wiley College has an international student population of nearly ten percent and with the exception of two Americans on the squad the entire team is comprised entirely of international students. The Wildcats will play approximately 20 games against 10 conference opponents this season.  Bright Mutize, a sophomore chemistry/biology major from Zimbabwe, said, “I’ve been playing soccer all my life and I know we’ll bring the championship home to Wiley College this year.”