Jan. 24, 2001

The UWM men's soccer program received a finishing touch this month when Scott Dombrowski, a senior defender this past season, was drafted by the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League. Dombrowski, a 2000 All-America candidate, was part of a Panther squad that saw many great moments during the 2000 campaign.

Milwaukee's first win of the season came at the expense of Northwestern on September 3rd, pouncing to a 5-1 score. The victory was followed by a 4-2 come-from behind win over Northern Illinois, allowing UWM to recapture the John Lewang Memorial Trophy. Playing with a man down since the 18th minute and fighting a 2-1 halftime deficit, the Panthers showed determination to score three second-half goals.

UWM captured the UW-Green Bay Oneida Bingo & Casino Classic trophy after posting great victories over Xavier and Loyola (Md.). Both games came as shutouts for the Panthers, but the 2-0 win over Loyola, who was close to being ranked after defeating two nationally-ranked opponents, came extra sweet. It was the 300th win for UWM, and allowed sophomore defender Chad Dombrowski to take the tournament MVP honors, while three other Panthers were named to the all-tournament team.

The Panthers won their second consecutive back-to-back game the following weekend with victories over Yale and MCC-foe Wright State to go on a four-game winning streak. In mid-October, UWM defeated Butler, 4-1, and Akron, 2-1, in back-to-back matches the same weekend they defeated them in 1998.

Winding down the regular season, the Panthers demonstrated their resilience with a tie and a win over conference opponents Green Bay and Cleveland State, respectively. With Major League Soccer GM Peter Wilt and a raucous crowd in the stands, UWM's Chad Dombrowski scored a diving header to equalize Green Bay with minutes remaining.

The shutout against Cleveland State propelled UWM to host the MCC tournament quarterfinal game. In that match, they coasted to a 3-0 win over Butler while grabbing their fourth shutout against an MCC opponent, and advanced to the tournament semifinals. In the semifinal round, the Panthers were defeated by host UIC, who eventually won the MCC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's final 16 participants.

The post-season awards recognized several individuals on the UWM squad. Senior Blake Bostwick was selected to the all-region team, while the conference honored Scott Dombrowski with All-MCC First Team honors, and Bostwick and junior Ryan Seymour with All-MCC Second Team honors. Three freshmen were named to the MCC All-Newcomer team: Daniel Saavedra, Tighe Dombrowski, and Kyle Lance.

The 2000 season ended shorter then Milwaukee had hoped, but the Panthers are inspired for the 2001 campaign. Training diligently in the off-season, UWM's young team will return with experience and incredible talent as the Panthers had 10 freshmen on the roster last season, with four players starting and four others making significant contributions.