LAKEWOOD, CO- With the start of the 2023 men's soccer season fast approaching, head coach Brad Camp and his team are ready for the challenge to improve upon last year's results. 

The 2022 season was an historic one for the Cougars, as the team made their first RMAC tournament in program history, helped by a monumental victory over #3 CSU Pueblo at Trailblazer Stadium. After exiting in the first round of the conference tournament, CCU will look to take the next step forward this year and make a deep run in the postseason. 

Spirits are high heading into the new season, helped by good talent at all levels of the team. 

"We are deep in terms of our roster pool. We have a lot of leadership. We have a lot of new guys coming in that will instantly lift our level. We are excited to see if the coaches can make all of this work in our favor," Camp said. 

Following a stellar campaign last season, the Cougars will look for even more growth out of this year's squad.

"A big goal for us is to truly ingrain a growth mindset into our culture. We have been so blessed to work with men who want to pursue their faith and sell out for this program. However, we feel we have untapped potential," Camp said. "Unfortunately for us, every program in this conference has untapped potential. If we really want to take the next step, we must be elite at learning to accept our mistakes as chances to grow."

Those chances will certainly come, and with a run to the RMAC postseason a year before, the team will be hungry to do even more.

"We want to use last year as a chance to really look in the mirror. We achieved some of our goals, but we want to push our guys to accept the call to improve themselves. If the coaches can lead in the right way we have a chance to improve upon last year," Camp said. "Most important, however, is what the players choose to do in their hearts and their minds. If they really embrace the chance to improve themselves we will have success."

As with every team in the sport, CCU will encounter tough moments on the pitch where they will be tested. Their head coach is keen on improving his team in these times and helping them navigate them in the best way possible. 

"I want to improve the social aspects of our team in hard moments. I know my guys are fighters. I think this program must take the next step to solve problems on the field in the toughest moments. We need to do this in a way that brings everyone along the journey," said Camp. 

That togetherness and buy-in will play a huge role in what this team does, as Camp sees every single player on the team having an impact throughout the season. 

"For us, we need 29-30 guys buying into what we do. It is about the collective for how we play."

The season is fast approaching, and the feeling around the program certainly is one of belief and camaraderie as a team. You can catch the home and season opener at Trailblazer Stadium on September 1 as the Cougars host St. Cloud State University at 1 p.m. MST.