New leadership for the Marauders as Tristan Joyce takes over as interim head coach for the 2023-2024 season
On Feb. 7, McMaster University announced that assistant coach and former Marauders goalkeeper Tristan Joyce would be named the new interim head coach for the men’s soccer program. Chris Markou, who was the team’s interim head coach this past season, will not return to the staff next year as the team continues to search for a permanent replacement.
A former player and inductee into the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame, Markou entered the position of interim head coach in May 2022 after previously serving in an assistant role. Replacing long-time head coach Dino Perri, Markou was originally viewed as a candidate to permanently take over the team after the 2022-2023 campaign.
A former player and inductee into the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame, Markou entered the position of interim head coach in May 2022 after previously serving in an assistant role. Replacing long-time head coach Dino Perri, Markou was originally viewed as a candidate to permanently take over the team after the 2022-2023 campaign.
"Chris is a McMaster Soccer legend who exemplifies Marauder values and has the leadership, empathy and technical knowhow to lead through this transition. . . We are excited to include him in the national search for a permanent head coach that will commence immediately after the 2022 season,” said Keenan Jeppesen, associate director of High Performance, in a statement on Markou’s hiring released on the Marauders website on May 5, 2022.
This past season, Markou helped to steer the men’s team to their first provincial championship title since 2012 following a one to nothing victory over the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold on Nov. 5, 2022. With a record of eight wins, three losses and one tie, Markou brought the Marauders to second overall in the western Ontario University Athletics conference.
Following their victory at the OUAs, the Marauders suffered a tough shootout loss to the eventual champion Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack at the U Sports quarterfinals in Kamloops, British Columbia on Nov. 10, 2022. The team’s season concluded after dropping their consolation semifinal five to nothing against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes.
“With a lot of the veterans graduating from previous year, new coaching staff getting shuffled in, I think [Markou] did everything he needed to do and you got to give a lot of credit to the guy for being able to come in in his first year as a U Sports coach and win [the OUAs] overall,” said Ahmed Mansour, team captain.
Since his departure in February, Markou has taken on a new position as the director of operations and community engagement for the Ancaster Legacy Football Club and their high performance program. Markou is also the owner and acting program director for Futbol Plus, a performance and developmental program in Hamilton for soccer players aged 10 to16.
When the Silhouette reached out to Markou for an interview, he declined to comment.
Filling in Markou’s vacancy, Joyce steps into the position just two years removed from his time as goalkeeper on the men’s roster. Joyce played as goalkeeper for four years with the team, being named an OUA Central Division all-star for the Marauders in 2021, where he recorded three shutouts and a save percentage of 73.5 per cent that season.
Joyce returned to the team for the 2022-2023 season as a goalkeeping coach in Markou’s staff, gaining his lone season of university coaching experience.
"The belief that last year was a one-off just can’t be instilled in people’s minds. Last year was an amazing championship and we want to do it again,” said Joyce.
The belief that last year was a one-off just can’t be instilled in people’s minds. Last year was an amazing championship and we want to do it again
Tristan Joyce, interim head coach, Marauders men's soccer
Joyce will be looking to repeat this past season’s success and help the team defend their provincial title under his leadership once they return in the fall.
McMaster women's soccer season ended on a high as the men's team continues through to the OUA finals
The regular season for both McMaster University’s women’s and men’s teams came to a successful close earlier this month. Both teams have earned themselves a playoff spot, with the women’s team finishing fourth and the men’s team finishing second in their respective divisions.
In their first round matchup the women took on the Brock Badgers. After failing to reach the playoffs in the season prior, the team was looking to make greater strides this time around.
On Wednesday night, the Marauders did just that. Within just 30 seconds, Bryanna Caldwell found the back of the net. The top goal scorer made good on a corner sent in from Ignacia Jimenez.
With the wind in her sails and a loud home crowd spurring the team on, Caldwell managed to score an almost identical goal. Another corner by Jimenez found the head of Caldwell, making the score two to zero.
“Ignacia puts the ball in the box and I know where it's going to land every time. It’s a connection only we have. Practice makes perfect,” says Caldwell.
“Ignacia puts the ball in the box and I know where it's going to land every time. It’s a connection only we have. Practice makes perfect.”
Bryanna Caldwell, Women's Soccer Team
The Badgers managed to put one in, but McMaster responded with a goal of their own by Tiam Pourbakhtiari. Brock put in one more goal just before the end of the game, bringing the game to a final score of three to two.
The women’s team went on to the quarterfinals to take on the Western Mustangs. In a disappointing game though, the team lost five to zero, effectively ending their playoff run.
While the team did not advance further, they are still looking to grow in the seasons to come. Having made it further than they had last year, it seems their game can only improve.
“With every season and game we’ve played, we’ve improved. This series of games is just a step in our path in growing as a team.” says Caldwell.
As the men’s team finished in second place, they were given a bye week. Resultantly, the bye week automatically placed the team in a quarterfinal spot, where they would take on the Guelph Gryphons.
The last time these teams met, the Marauders lost by two goals. This time however, the advantage was to the Marauders as Guelph was not awarded a bye week. The Gryphons took on the Brock Badgers just three days prior in a game that took the teams to double overtime and penalty kicks.
The Marauders won two to one against the Gryphons. Goals by Amir Shirazi and Miles Green brought the team over the Gryphons and into the OUA semi finals.
Facing the Nipissing Lakers in the semi final round, the two teams met on a very foggy night at Ron Joyce Stadium. It was the furthest most members on the team had ever gotten, so the feeling of anxiety was high for many in what turned out to be a really slow start.
“Many of us have not been in this position before, so maybe the nerves got to us,” explained Bryan Florent.
This was apparent as the game at half was tied with neither team having scored. Fortunately, the Marauders turned this around, coming out of the break on a game changing streak.
“The first half was very much a stalemate with attacks coming from both sides. In the second half, we had a change in mentality. We realized there's a difference between playing fast and playing rushed. We played rushed, which didn’t allow us to create opportunities,” said Florent.
"We realized there's a difference between playing fast and playing rushed. We played rushed, which didn’t allow us to create opportunities."
Bryan Florent, Men's Soccer Team
The team came out with a resounding win, with Green putting away two with assists from Sean Ross and Shirazi and Ed Bryan Florent putting away one on the assist from Justin Baker. This win qualified the team for Nationals and secured them a spot in the OUA Finals. They will now take on Toronto Metropolitan University in a challenge for the OUA Championship on Nov. 5.
It’s been an astonishing season on both sides, with head coach Miranda Wiley and rookie head coach Chris Markou leading their teams to new levels. With the roads paved by the current teams, the future of McMaster soccer looks bright.
With several coaching vacancies filled, let’s look at McMaster’s newest coaches
By Alyssa Wheeler, Sports Staff Writer
With the fall semester quickly approaching, McMaster University fall sports teams have also begun preparations for the upcoming season. Soccer, football, cross country, field hockey and lacrosse are amongst the many sports beginning this fall season.
Many teams this past offseason found themselves experiencing change, as a few teams have brought in some new faces to their coaching staff.
The men’s soccer team welcomed Chris Markou as its new head coach this year. Previously Markou served as the assistant coach for the team, alongside the former long-time head coach, Dino Perry. He also played for the team during his time in university, earning himself a spot in McMaster’s Hall of Fame.
"Last season I wanted to bring some value to the existing coaching staff regarding player development and bringing a winning team-first mentality through my own McMaster soccer experiences," explained Markou.
"Last season I wanted to bring some value to the existing coaching staff regarding player development and bringing a winning team-first mentality through my own McMaster soccer experiences."
Chris Markou, New COACH of MCMASTER UNIVERSITY's MEN's SOccer Team
In his former role under Perri, Markou worked on player development. With this background and mentality in mind, he has begun to implement those goals with his current squad. It’s important to Markou to create a strong team which competes for major titles this year.
Going forward, Markou wants to build an improved culture of McMaster soccer. He also highlights the impact of his younger players in building this culture and hopes to contribute to this culture as well.
"I'm focused on creating a positive soccer culture and enhancing the student athlete experience. I have made some very difficult decisions lately, but I also believe I've made some very good decisions for our team and program going forward," explained Markou.
"I'm focused on creating a positive soccer culture and enhancing the student athlete experience. I have made some very difficult decisions lately, but I also believe I've made some very good decisions for our team and program going forward."
Chris Markou, New COACH of MCMASTER UNIVERSITY's MEN's SOccer Team
The men’s soccer team is looking to improve on the previous season’s results, which saw them lose in the first round of playoffs to the Carleton Ravens. With a few new recruits and a new head coach the men's team is certainly one to keep an eye on.
The women’s rugby team has also welcomed a new head coach with the arrival of Chris Jones. His arrival has been praised by the associate director of high-performance sport, Keenan Jeppsen. These praises include being a coach who looks to develop players, while taking an all-angles approach to building a formidable team.
With the team losing several key players due to graduation, Jones is looking to fill those vacancies and build an even stronger team. Like the men’s soccer team, they are also looking to improve upon last season’s results, in which they lost in the first round of playoffs to the Guelph Gryphons. With a new attitude, led by Jones’ upbeat personality and holistic coaching nature, the women’s rugby team should be another exciting team to watch this coming season.
