Jan. 8, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Kentucky All-Conference USA and All-Mid-American Conference goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum completed his seventh season with the Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew while ranking first in the league in saves at 124.
A native of Overland Park, Kan., Gruenebaum thrived for the Crew in 2012 posting not only the most saves in the league, but doing so by 15 more saves then Chivas USA goalie Dan Kennedy (109). The former first-round pick, also posted the fifth best goals against average (1.26) and recorded the fifth most shutouts (eight) in the MLS. Gruenebaum also logged the third most minutes of any netminder (2920) and second most shots faced (166). For his career, Gruenebaum ranks No. 42 in MLS history in career saves at 199.
A 2005 first-team All-Conference USA selection at UK, Gruenebaum spent every minute in goal as a senior for the Wildcats, posting a 0.91 goals-against average with 21 shutouts in his 66 career contests. In the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft, Gruenebaum was picked with the third overall pick. In his MLS career, Gruenebaum has appeared in 59 games with 58 starts, posting a 21-20-16 career mark and a 1.27 career goals-against average, with 14 shutouts.
CONFERENCE USA SOCCER GETS BETTER THROUGH REALIGNMENT
The 2013 season will pit Kentucky against three new conference foes with the addition of Charlotte, Old Dominion and New Mexico. The squads bring more top-25 competition to an already highly competitive C-USA, as New Mexico finished the year ranked No. 10 by the NSCAA with Charlotte checking in at No. 23 and Old Dominion owning a No. 28 NCAA RPI.
Located in Albuquerque, N.M., the New Mexico Lobos come into C-USA from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation where they accumulated a record of 66-26-11 all-time in conference play while garnering eight MPSF regular season titles and reaching the NCAA tournament for the tenth time and reaching the College Cup in 2005. After the season 2012 the Lobos finished ranked No. 10 nationally while posting the 11th best RPI in the country.
The Charlotte 49ers out of Charlotte, N.C., is joining the C-USA family for the second time after spending the 2005-2012 seasons in the Atlantic 10. In the A10, Charlotte posted a 43-16-13 record during its eight seasons in the conference, claiming one A10 title. The 49ers have competed in eight NCAA tournaments in the history of the program which started in 1976, reaching the College Cup in 1996 and 2011. In 2012, the 49ers finished the campaign with another NCAA tournament appearance and ended the season ranked No. 23 by the NSCAA, while holding down a respectable No. 9 spot in the final RPI.
OD finished the 2012 season sporting an 11-3-3 overall record in advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
The addition of Charlotte and New Mexico strengthen an already stellar men’s soccer conference. With these two teams coming in, the conference will be losing two members to the Big East as well. The SMU Mustangs and the UCF Knights both are scheduled to be in the Big East next season.
UK ANNOUNCES SPRING ALUMNI WEEK
Head Coach Johan Cedergren has announced that UK will be holding a spring alumni week on the 13th and 14th of April in Lexington, Ky. The event will include a trip to Keeneland and a spring soccer match vs. Lipscomb on the 13th with first kick to be announced at a later time.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact Kim Bohannon at kim.b@uky.edu.
