Eastern Illinois University Athletics

2009: Kupiec played in 14 games and started 13 times, including the first seven and final six contests of season… after suffering an injury in the IPFW win on Sept. 27, return in mid-October and finished out the year as a starter… scored the game-winning goal against Asbury… also connected on a penalty kick opportunity in the exhibition victory against Saint Xavier… went the distance in 10 of the 13 games he started, including each of the final four contests… went the distance in each of the three draws, a season-high total of 110 minutes… helped EIU post seven shutouts, one shy of the program record in the Valley era, and a 356 consecutive scoreless minutes streak at Lakeside Field.

2008: Kupiec played in 15 games and started four times, the draws at Northern Illinois and Western Illinois and home games against Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts… scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the exhibition victory Saint Xavier… averaged 80 minutes per game in the contests he started… went the distance in the draw at Western… logged a season-high 101 minutes in the draw at Northern… played 42 minutes as a reserve in the victory at Western Michigan.

2007: Kupiec played in 16 games and started six times, including the final five matches of the season… also started the Creighton contest… scored his first career goal, a game-tying variety, at Evansville… logged double-figure minutes in 15 of the 16 games he played in… averaged 50 minutes per game as a starter… logged his most minutes in the two meetings with Bradley (65 and 64)… also played 59 minutes in the win at Western Kentucky… put six of his nine shots on goal for a team-best .667 shot on goal percentage.

 

2006: He played in 18 games and started three times late in the season, including the home finale against Creighton… tallied his first career assist on Brad Peters’ first goal in the MVC Tournament win over Missouri State… recorded a shot in five consecutive games… put two of his season-high three shots on goal at Wright State.

 

HIGH SCHOOL: He played for coach Jack Ferraro… led the team in goals as team captain his senior year… also earned all-conference and all-sectional honors as well as All-Area recognition from both the Daily Southtown and Star Newspapers in 2005… Sandburg went to the finals of the IHSA state tournament in 2005 after winning conference for the third consecutive season… 2003 Best of the Midwest champs… National Honor Society... honor roll student… also played for the Midwest United club team.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was connecting on a penalty kick with his team down 1-0 and only 2:30 remaining in the championship game of the Pepsi Showdown… his father has been a major influence on his sports career because “he has encouraged me to do better my whole life”… most admires Brian Pasierb, a former teammate at Sandburg and midfielder at Missouri State, because “I think he is the best player I have ever played with”… his uncle Mike played football at the University of Illinois... son of Gary and Sue Kupiec… MAJOR: Accounting.