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Cougars announce contract agreements with Vicente Figueroa, Semir Mesanovic and Ryan Hall
Thursday Sep 06, 2007
Stockton, CA -- Sept. 6, 2007 -- The California Cougars, of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), announced Thursday that the team has agreed to contract terms with forward Vicente Figueroa, midfielder Semir Mesanovic and defender Ryan Hall for the upcoming 2007-2008 season. Per team policy, terms of the deals will not be released.
Forward Vicente Figueroa, also known as “El Tigre,” defended his 2005-2006 MISL Rookie of the Year season by scoring 60 points in 23 games for California in the 2006-2007 season. The left-footed shooting forward notched five three-point goals along with nine assists in his second MISL season. His 60 points scored placed him second in scoring on the Cougars behind Enrique Tovar, and 11th best in the MISL.
Figueroa is a fierce competitor that fits perfectly in the Cougars fast paced aggressive style of play. “We will use Vicente as an offensive weapon in our system this season,” said Cougars Head Coach Bernie Lilavois. He added “I am extremely happy to have Tigre back for this season. The league figured him out a little bit after his first year in the league, but he adjusted quickly and became an offensive star for our team last season.”
Midfielder Semir Mesanovic was acquired last season from the Chicago Storm on January 4, 2007. That trade sent former Cougar John Ball to the Storm in exchange for Mesanovic and forward Elvir Kafedzic. In 17 games played for the Cougars, Mesanovic scored 17 points including 2 power play goals and 7 assists.
“We got Semir from Chicago last year and he immediately made his presence felt. He helped us get our first road win of the season against his old team just a few days after the trade. I think it took him awhile to settle in and adjust to a new life in California. He will have a breakout year for us after spending the summer living here and working in our summer camps,” said Lilavois.
Defender Ryan Hall led the entire MISL with 61 Blocks last season, including a seven block performance against the Detroit Ignition on March 24, 2007. Hall finished the season with 15 points on 28 shots. He also knocked in two three point goals. Hall played in all 30 Cougars games despite suffering from several different injuries. His 22 blocks, five points and three assists in January proved to the league how complete a player he has become in his four year career.
“Our ‘Ultimate Cougar’ is back for another season and we could not be more excited to have him. He always marked the opposition’s best player and did so in all 30 of our games. I’ll need Hally to be the leader of our improving defense,” said Lilavois.
Hall enters his second full season of play for the Cougars. He was picked up after being waived by the Chicago Storm in January 2006.
About the California Cougars:
The California Cougars are a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The MISL is a single-entity organization that features a coast to coast presence across North America including soccer talent representing players from 31 different countries. The Cougars made their competitive debut in November of 2005, after being announced on February 28, 2004. The team makes its home at the state-of-the-art Stockton Arena, in Stockton, California. The Stockton Arena opened in December 2005, and is an integral part of the cities developing waterfront district. For additional information please contact Greg Young, Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting, by phone: 209-373-1559, or by email: gyoung@californiacougars.net. You can also visit the Cougars’ official website at http://www.californiacougars.net.
About The MISL:
The Major Indoor Soccer League is a single-entity organization with a coast-to-coast presence comprised of seven teams located across the United States, and features the finest indoor soccer players representing 31 countries around the world. In February of 2004, the League announced an expansion team in Stockton, CA, that began play in 2005-06 as the California Cougars. In May of 2004, the League announced plans for an expansion team in Newark, NJ, that will begin play in 2007-08. In April of 2005, the League also approved an MISL expansion team for Detroit that will begin play as the Detroit Ignition in 2006-07. On Sunday, April 30, 2006, the MISL announced on ESPN2 that MISL Orlando had been approved to begin competition with the 2007-08 season. The 2006 MISL All-Star Game was played before a capacity crowd at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. The 2006 MISL Championship Series concluded live on ESPN2 and before a crowd of 16,061 at Savvis Center in St. Louis on Sunday, April 30, 2006, with the Baltimore Blast winning their third MISL Championship Series in four seasons. For more information on the MISL, visit the League’s official website www.MISL.net.
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