After a weekend of shocking results, the CIS men’s soccer top 10 has been totally remade.

The Cougars got the honour of opening their first CIS season with a home-and-home series against the reigning Canada West champion (and nationally No. 4 ranked) University of Alberta Golden Bears. And, less than two minutes into their first CIS match, the Cougars were already down by two goals.

The Vancouver Whitecaps certainly scored well in the PR department Sunday, as it beat the reigning CIS champion University of Victoria Vikes Sunday, in front of 2,831 fans in the B.C capital.

University of Saskatchewan midfielder Josh Northey and Oakland University defender (and Toronto Lynx alumnus) Julian Konner McNamara reportedly made the strongest showings of the 12 Canadians who participated in the combine.

A dozen Canadian prospects are among the 102 prospects working out at the United Soccer Leagues’ combine, which kicked off Thursday in Bradenton, Fla.

“I wasn’t sure if anyone was watching me (at the CIS final),” said Gigolaj. “I had an OK season the year before, too. And there was no news. So I wondered it was going to be the same. But this year, the biggest thing was having it (the CIS final) in the West. Soccer is much bigger in the West than it is in the East. There were more fans and coaches there.”

FC Edmonton won its first match of the preseason Saturday, 4-1 over the Univesity of New Mexico in Arizona. In Thursday’s 1-1 draw with UNM, coach Harry Sinkgraven started a group of players that included proejcted back-ups. On Saturday, he played what, depending on some signings to come in the next couple of weeks, will be close to the starting XI fans will see April 9 when FCE opens its inaugural NASL campaign against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

FC Edmonton has announced its full preseason schedule for the Arizona portion of its training camp. Highlighting the trip is a game against MLS Cup finalist FC Dallas, March 7 in Casa Grande, Ariz.