With eight starters returning from the 2021 Big South double-winning team, it's no surprise that Dustin Fonder's 2022 squad has been picked to once again claim the league title.  This year's team boasts not only quality, but depth, and has a collective mind set on a deep run in the NCAA College Cup.
 
"We're excited about the group of returners we have," said Fonder, whose squad finished 15-4-2 overall, 7-0-1 in the Big South last year.  "It's an experienced squad full of guys who have played in big games, the NCAA tournament and lifted trophies.  We have a good vibe around the program right now, but there's a feeling that we have unfinished business.  Our goal is not to just make the NCAA tournament but do some work in the tournament."
 
After winning the Big South regular season and tournament crown for the second time in three seasons, last year's squad played its NCAA opener at Virginia Tech without the league offensive player of the year, Tyler Young, who missed the postseason after suffering an injury in the regular season finale.  Also among those sidelined was high-scoring winger Jalen James.
 
However, this season, Fonder not only returns the preseason league offensive (Young) and defensive (Bissafi Dotte) players of the year, but also Kemy Amiche and Moses Mensah, who joined Young on the All-South Region team.  Add goalkeeper Edu Rodriguez, co-captain Diego Konincks, James and Daniel Hernandez, and the lineup is dotted with some of the most experienced performers in not only the league, but the region.
 
"Frankly, the biggest thing we have to worry about is our chemistry being right this year because we have so much depth," said Fonder, who has led his side to a 40-9-6 overall mark and 21-1-2 league record over the last three seasons.  "We have several players that can contribute to the team, but they must first accept their roles.  Hopefully, this depth will be useful over a grueling schedule and we will be able to be healthy and strong at the end when it matters most."
 
After claiming five trophies – the Big South tournament title in 2018, 2019 and 2021 plus regular season crowns in '19 and '21 – over the last four seasons, Fonder and his staff are preparing the 2022 unit for what could be the program's most successful campaign.
 
That promising outlook is echoed by preseason national rankings from the United Soccer Coaches (No. 25) and Top Drawer Soccer (No. 22).
 
Goalkeepers
A red-shirt junior, Rodriguez played all but 15 minutes in the Camel nets last season and led the Big South in goals-against average (0.94) while ranking second in shutouts (6).  He finished 11th in the country with 1915 goalkeeper minutes played, allowed more than one goal only four times in 21 starts and posted 0.37 GAA vs. league opponents.
 
Returnees Felix Schuster and Hunter Johnson and Dayton transfer Sean Ellis add competition and depth at goalkeeper for a side that ranked fourth in the country in goal differential (+34) a year ago.
 
Defenders
Dotte, the 2022 Big South defensive player of the year who was called up to the Central African Republic national team for a pair of games last spring, anchors the central defense along with co-captain Konincks, who is a two-time all-league performer.  Also returning is senior left back Moses Mensah, a three-time All-South and all-league standout who was chosen as the No. 2 prospect in USL League Two over the summer while playing with One Knoxville. 
 
Fonder's biggest challenge will be replacing graduated three-year starting right back Franck Momo, the 2020-21 Big South defensive player of the year.
 
Dotte, Konincks and Mensah were the lone Camel field players to start all 21 matches last fall and have combined to make 133 starts for the Orange & Black.
 
Newcomers Daniel Osei-Tutu, a transfer from Azusa Pacific, Adrien Gameiro and Tiago Lopes as well as returnee Anass Amrani could figure in at the right back slot.  Lopes also has the capability to play in the central defense.  Sophomore Carson Pina and freshman Novian Williams provide cover for Mensah on the outside left.  Freshman Jack Sias also adds depth.
 
Midfielders
Graduated 2022 Big South tournament MVP George Bediko must be replaced in the midfield, but Fonder has plenty of options from returning and new players.  UNCG transfer Angel Bacho has played in 46 collegiate matches, while fifth-year senior Jamie Lamb started eight matches – including six of eight league contests – last year.
 
Kyoji Hata played in 16 matches with four starts last season and scored twice in the Big South semifinal round.  Lopes, a transfer from NAIA Tennessee Southern, has 31 games of collegiate experience, and can figure in the midfield as well.
 
French newcomer Jorhan Chopin figures to compete for minutes centrally, while freshman Ioannis Moros adds depth in the midfield and defense.
 
Young capped a breakout season in 2021 by earning Big South offensive player of the year honors from his attacking midfield slot.  He led the league with 27 points (nine goals, nine assists) despite missing the last three matches due to injury.  When Young has produced at least one point in his 29 career matches, the Camels own a 13-0-1 record.
 
Like Young, Amiche and James can play a variety of positions, including attacking midfielder and on the wings.  Amiche was a freshman All-America pick last season after ranking fifth in the nation with 11 assists and notching 25 points, including seven goals.
 
An All-South pick in the '20-21 season, James was limited to eight matches last fall due to injury.  He has provided 29 points (12 goals, five assists) in 43 career matches for the Camels.
 
Forwards
Daniel Hernandez was the team's third-leading scorer last season with 19 points (nine goals) and topped off the campaign with Big South all-tournament honors.  He scored three times in the league semifinals against Winthrop and also in the NCAA first round match at Virginia Tech.  He has the ability to play both centrally and on the wing.
 
Like Amiche and James, red-shirt junior Adrian Morales has played important minutes on the wing in his CU career.  Last season, he scored the game-winning goal in the Big South final.  Junior Gerard Broussard provided five goals and a pair of assists while playing in all 21 games last season in the attack.
 
Redshirt freshman Lumumba Panton is expected to push for minutes along with newcomers Ethan Roberts and Cesar Rubio.  Gameiro can play on the outside in the attack as well as in the back.
 
"We've shown that we can score goals, which is the hardest thing to do in soccer," said Fonder of his team that ranked second nationally in goals per game (2.62) last season.  "If we can stay tight in the back, and just not concede any soft ones, we can win a lot of games.
 
Overview
The Fighting Camels open the season with three-straight road matches. Campbell will travel to Houston, Texas to face Incarnate Word (Aug. 25) and Houston Baptist (Aug. 27) in the HBU Invitational.  The Camels then head to Davidson (Sept. 1) before hosting Coastal Carolina on Labor Day (Sept. 5) in the home opener.
 
Big South Conference play begins Sept. 25 when the Camels travel to USC Upstate.
 
The top four teams in the final conference standings will advance to the Big South Men's Soccer Championship, which will be hosted by the higher seeded team throughout.  The Big South semifinal round is set for Nov. 6 with the final scheduled for Nov. 12.  The champion receives the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA College Cup.
 
"Even with all the preseason publicity, we just have to remind everybody on the team that we're zero and zero," said Fonder.  "We just want to be 1-and-0.  If we stay humble and hungry, we're going to be tough."