Bubonja promised Final Four appearance
Nov 3, 2008 9:10:42 GMT -6
Post by Big D on Nov 3, 2008 9:10:42 GMT -6
Bubonja: Nothing but Frisco will do
UIC star keeper looks to keep Final Four promise heading into final HL tourney.
Andrew Smothers
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Sports
Four years ago, UIC All-American goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja made a promise to then-new Flames head coach John Trask that by the time Bubonja left the program the pair would forever be known as the first Final Four participants in UIC history. And with professional soccer and graduation calling, Bubonja's running out of time to make good on his promise. If he wants to make good on this potentially historic promise, Bubonja will have to do it this December by leading the Flames to the Final Four in Frisco, TX.
"When I came here, I promised Coach we'd make it to the Final Four, so that's my goal," said Bubonja, one of the Flames captains, about entering the Horizon League championship tournament and likely the NCAA tournament.
"I still haven't accomplished it yet. It took me three years to almost get there and this is my last year to finally get there. So, if I don't do it, I guess I didn't keep my promise. I've got what, under eleven games to prove it, so I'll have to do it now."
While technically listed as a redshirt junior with one remaining year of NCAA eligibility beyond 2008, Bubonja and the UIC coaching staff do not expect the standout goalkeeper to return to UIC next fall. Bubonja, a Serbian native, has been highly regarded by MLS and some European scouts since making 40 appearances for the U-16 and U-17 Serbian national teams before heading to UIC and leading the Flames to the Elite Eight last season. This December Bubonja, 22, will graduate with a criminal justice degree and a minor in sociology.
"I'm still here at UIC and keeping my head here," said Bubonja. "Coach did mention there's a possibility of going early and right now it looks like it's gonna happen. But I'm really not thinking about it. That's for December when I graduate; I'll make the decision then.
"We're keeping all the options open. [Playing for a team in] the U.S. seems more [likely] because I've been here four years and most probably on the radar for some of the bigger teams here because of how far we went last year in the NCAA tournament."
The 6'2", 200-pound keeper led UIC to post the fourth-best goals-against-average in NCAA history in 2006 and posted shutouts against nos. 12 Saint Louis, 9 Northwestern, and 8 Creighton in last year's NCAA tournament. In 2005, Bubonja sat out the season as a medical redshirt after recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL.
But as Bubonja stated, both he and his Flames teammates have something to prove in the coming Horizon League and NCAA Championships tournaments. With an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament all but secured, the Flames seek to extract revenge against Butler in the HL tournament championship game and to make their case for a top 16 seed in the NCAA tournament. That seeding would grant UIC a first round bye and a second round home match.
"I think we'll get a bid as it is because we're going to go far in our tournament and win it," said Bubonja, "so we're not even worried about an at-large bid at this point.
"We take it one game at a time. Last year['s League tournament championship] was really for those seniors because they had never accomplished something like that, but we already have and our expectations are way higher than last year and that's a must-do for us. It's expected of us, as it is, so we're all looking forward to it. And we all know it's gonna happen in conference."
Bubonja is also confident that his team will receive at least a first-round home game, if not a top-16 seed in the NCAA tournament.
"We've been nationally ranked the whole season, with what another week left," said Bubonja, heading into the final week of League regular season play. "If we take care of business this weekend and head into the conference tournament and win, I think we'll get that bye. Unless we draw somebody regionally who's higher ranked than us, we should at least get the home game. But that's tough because only Northwestern and Notre Dame are above us."
And while Bubonja would rather have what will likely be his final Horizon League soccer tournament at home, if it ended up being held at Butler, he's not worried.
"Even if we have to go there to play Butler, we're still the favorite for it because we've won it and we're ranked and we play good football. I mean, you should have seen how happy they were when they beat us [1-0 earlier this season]. It's not everyday they get a ranked team coming to their place. So, the only thing is that I personally hate it there because it's a football field. But it's tournament time, so you put that aside.
"But I would give that all away as long as we make it to the Final Four. It doesn't really matter where you go, who you play, as long as we get it done."
Chicago Flame Story Link
UIC star keeper looks to keep Final Four promise heading into final HL tourney.
Andrew Smothers
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Sports
Four years ago, UIC All-American goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja made a promise to then-new Flames head coach John Trask that by the time Bubonja left the program the pair would forever be known as the first Final Four participants in UIC history. And with professional soccer and graduation calling, Bubonja's running out of time to make good on his promise. If he wants to make good on this potentially historic promise, Bubonja will have to do it this December by leading the Flames to the Final Four in Frisco, TX.
"When I came here, I promised Coach we'd make it to the Final Four, so that's my goal," said Bubonja, one of the Flames captains, about entering the Horizon League championship tournament and likely the NCAA tournament.
"I still haven't accomplished it yet. It took me three years to almost get there and this is my last year to finally get there. So, if I don't do it, I guess I didn't keep my promise. I've got what, under eleven games to prove it, so I'll have to do it now."
While technically listed as a redshirt junior with one remaining year of NCAA eligibility beyond 2008, Bubonja and the UIC coaching staff do not expect the standout goalkeeper to return to UIC next fall. Bubonja, a Serbian native, has been highly regarded by MLS and some European scouts since making 40 appearances for the U-16 and U-17 Serbian national teams before heading to UIC and leading the Flames to the Elite Eight last season. This December Bubonja, 22, will graduate with a criminal justice degree and a minor in sociology.
"I'm still here at UIC and keeping my head here," said Bubonja. "Coach did mention there's a possibility of going early and right now it looks like it's gonna happen. But I'm really not thinking about it. That's for December when I graduate; I'll make the decision then.
"We're keeping all the options open. [Playing for a team in] the U.S. seems more [likely] because I've been here four years and most probably on the radar for some of the bigger teams here because of how far we went last year in the NCAA tournament."
The 6'2", 200-pound keeper led UIC to post the fourth-best goals-against-average in NCAA history in 2006 and posted shutouts against nos. 12 Saint Louis, 9 Northwestern, and 8 Creighton in last year's NCAA tournament. In 2005, Bubonja sat out the season as a medical redshirt after recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL.
But as Bubonja stated, both he and his Flames teammates have something to prove in the coming Horizon League and NCAA Championships tournaments. With an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament all but secured, the Flames seek to extract revenge against Butler in the HL tournament championship game and to make their case for a top 16 seed in the NCAA tournament. That seeding would grant UIC a first round bye and a second round home match.
"I think we'll get a bid as it is because we're going to go far in our tournament and win it," said Bubonja, "so we're not even worried about an at-large bid at this point.
"We take it one game at a time. Last year['s League tournament championship] was really for those seniors because they had never accomplished something like that, but we already have and our expectations are way higher than last year and that's a must-do for us. It's expected of us, as it is, so we're all looking forward to it. And we all know it's gonna happen in conference."
Bubonja is also confident that his team will receive at least a first-round home game, if not a top-16 seed in the NCAA tournament.
"We've been nationally ranked the whole season, with what another week left," said Bubonja, heading into the final week of League regular season play. "If we take care of business this weekend and head into the conference tournament and win, I think we'll get that bye. Unless we draw somebody regionally who's higher ranked than us, we should at least get the home game. But that's tough because only Northwestern and Notre Dame are above us."
And while Bubonja would rather have what will likely be his final Horizon League soccer tournament at home, if it ended up being held at Butler, he's not worried.
"Even if we have to go there to play Butler, we're still the favorite for it because we've won it and we're ranked and we play good football. I mean, you should have seen how happy they were when they beat us [1-0 earlier this season]. It's not everyday they get a ranked team coming to their place. So, the only thing is that I personally hate it there because it's a football field. But it's tournament time, so you put that aside.
"But I would give that all away as long as we make it to the Final Four. It doesn't really matter where you go, who you play, as long as we get it done."
Chicago Flame Story Link
