SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 19, 2010) -- The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints men's soccer team arrived on campus a week before school is set to begin to participate in preseason workouts in preparation of the 2010 season. More than 20 returning and new student-athletes moved into residence halls on Aug. 15. After checking in, they underwent weigh-ins, body fat assessments and fitness testing. On Monday, the squads began their daily workouts.

On Aug. 19, the teams took a break from the physical activities to participate in the annual Champions of Character presentation spearheaded by Associate Athletic Director Adrienne Rodriguez. Rodriguez talked about the NAIA Champions of Character program, which aims to instill five core values in NAIA athletes, coaches: respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship. She stressed that Our Lady of the Lake University shares and supports these values and strives to promote the Champions of Character program by working with students, coaches through our Champions of Character educational program.

Sister Joyce Detzel, new director of Campus Ministry, gave a spiritual talk to the players, while Athletic Director Jack Hank and Sports Information Officer Patty Constantin welcomed the players.

Athletic Trainer Chassity Muņiz (at right) discussed a serious and timely topic among all levels of sports - Concussions in Athletes. In the NFL, studies show that players who had suffered concussions reported more problems with memory, concentration, speech impediments, and headaches than those who had not. In response to the prevalence of these types of injuries, the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, by which NAIA abides, instituted rules changes in all NCAA sports related to concussions. These include removing an athlete from practice or competition who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as unconsciousness, amnesia, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems), either at rest or exertion, and shall not return to play until cleared by a physician. For further information on this topic, go here.

Upon the conclusion of preseason workouts on Saturday, the teams will get set for intrasquad scrimmages on Sunday at the OLLU Soccer Field. The women are set to play at 10 a.m., the men's reserves team will play at 2 p.m. and the travel team will take the field at 4 p.m.

Last year, the team -- in the University's first year as a member of the Red River Athletic Conference - played in the conference championship tournament and lost 2-1 against the University of Texas at Brownsville. The Saints ended their season third in the conference. Ricardo Guerra, Gary Hamilton, Esteban Rocha and Ramon Rodriguez were named to the RRAC All-Conference Second Team.