CLEVELAND - Head coach Jim Allen and the Delta State University men's and women's soccer teams are gearing up for an exciting season in 2010. Both squads are loaded with new faces, and Allen, along with assistant coach John Constable are excited about the potential of the program this year. Allen returns for his sixth season at the helm of the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen soccer program. Assisting Allen is John Constable who returns for his third season as Allen's primary assistant.

The Lady Statesmen will field an 18 player varsity squad for this season, with 11 newcomers and 10 letter winners from the 2009 lineup. Two international players will begin their careers with the Lady Statesmen, Val Pol, a freshman midfielder, joins the Lady Statesmen from Caracas, Venezuela. Pol was a member of the 2008 Venezuelan National Team and named 2008 Best Player by Copa Venezuela.

Charlotte Benson joins the Lady Statesmen from Guilford, Surrey, England. The midfielder attended The David Beckham Academy and garnered several awards for her outstanding play. Joining Pol and Benson is Payten Pearson, a freshman midfielder from Hogansville, Ga. Pearson garnered Most Valuable Player honors for her team in 2010.

Rounding out the top newcomers list is Erin Weaver. The Columbia, Ill., native helped lead Columbia High School to regional championships in her junior and senior seasons. Meredith Wilkes will also be looked upon for a solid contribution during her rookie campaign. The Bartlett, Tenn., native was named Best All-Around Player for St. Benedict High School.

Allen and Constable hit the recruiting trail hard, especially in the south with players from Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas and four from Mississippi schools.

Coming off a disappointing 2-11 mark last season, Allen and the Lady Statesmen look to improve during their 2010 campaign. The Lady Statesmen will be anchored by returning defenders Jaz Yacaman and Sam Bossert, along with goal keeper Sam LeJune who recorded 134 saves in 13 appearances. While neither are known for a goal scoring prowess, both will be relied upon to hold a steady backline for Allen's charges.

“I am really looking forward to this season for our women, they have really worked hard in preparation of the 2010 season and I think they have really come together as a team, stated Allen”.

The men's squad also faces a season of change with the signing of 21 newcomers to the Statesmen roster. The 2010 squad is loaded with players from across the globe with seven of the 21 signees coming to the Mississippi Delta region from overseas.

The Statesmen staff gathered talent from Colombia, England, Australia, Brazil and Canada. Some of the impact newcomers for the Statesmen include Cody Ackinclose; the midfielder from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada was named to the British Columbia U16 Provincial Team and helped the squad win the Canadian National Championship in 2008.

Greenville, Miss., native Eljay Allen was also a key signee for the Statesmen. The Washington School Graduate and son of Statesmen coach Jim Allen was named First Team All-Conference from 2006-10. Allen was also a member of the 2010 All-Star team and Most Valuable Player of the North All-Stars. Also joining the Statesmen for the 2010 season is Adam Brundle and Fraser Pain. Brundle, a freshman midfielder from London, England was named Norwich City Youth Development captain and garnered five Player of the Year Awards at Old Catton. Pain, a freshman defender from Hertfordshire, England helped lead his school to a county and state championship in 2006

“I believe our men will be very competitive this season due to our varsity and reserve team system, stated Allen. Hopefully the camaraderie will be there when the season begins, Allen concluded.”

The Statesmen look to improve from 2009 in which they finished with a record of 3-11-1. Seven of the 11 loses came by one goal.

The Statesmen return nine letter winners from the 2009 squad, including Jeremy Bozdeck. The St. Louis, Mo., native was limited to only three matches due to an injury. Mathew Baker joins Bozdeck as another leading returner. The New South Wales, Australia native will be relied upon as a steady contributor in the midfield.

The Statesmen were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll, while the Lady Statesmen were picked to finish seventh. Both squads open up the season with the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Jackson, Tenn. Match times are set for 1 p.m. for the women and 3p.m. for the men on September 3rd. The home opener at Delta Field is September 6th versus Bethel College. Game times are set for 12 and 2 p.m.