On a bright, clear autumn day, the soccer field nestled between Freeman and Cummings is littered with small groups lying on blankets or lounging in beach chairs, eyes glued to something truly special. Above the regular din of occasional calls of encouragement or barks from the sideline, rises a high-pitched, almost crow-like cry, indistinguishable as it bounces against the surrounding buildings.
The source of this cry may just be the best soccer player Connecticut College has seen in its uniform. Patrik Devlin ‘17, a senior from Washington Crossing, PA, is something special. Leading the NESCAC with nine goals, and ranking fourteenth in the nation (yes, the nation) in goals per game, Devlin is worth watching. But is he the best ever? The answer from Men’s Soccer Coach Ken Murphy was simple: “No question. He’s the best player we’ve had.”
Murphy, in his eighth year as the team’s coach, saw Devlin’s technical skills as a force coming out of high school, but also knew that his game had developed enough to “come in straight away and become a core player.” Though Devlin considered other NESCAC colleges and schools closer to home, the coaching staff and campus at Connecticut College stood out as keys in his decision to settle here. And he has never looked back.
With his show-stopping success, a First Team All-American honor is not out of reach. To those at the team’s home game against Colby, that should be no surprise. In the 29th minute, Devlin shot a laser from thirty yards out that, as if on a string, stretched perfectly out of the goalkeeper’s reach and into the upper right corner. As an encore, only 30 minutes later, Devlin scored in a crowded box off of a perfectly timed pass from Christian Murphy ’19.
Will Tomasian, Assistant Director of Athletics and head of the college’s sports information, sees All American as a realistic goal. Devlin would be the first men’s soccer player to make the First Team since Peter Spear in 1993. And, according to Tomasian, All-American soccer is “definitely one of the hardest teams to make in sports,” because nearly every school in the country has a soccer team, creating an enormous pool of players to choose from. Tomasian works to broadcast the success of all players at Connecticut College, but he admitted that, “With Pat, it’s pretty easy. He does it himself.”
Making it to the First Team is certainly a goal for Devlin himself this year, especially after being named to Third Team last year, but his main focus is academics. Coach Murphy’s “School first, soccer second” approach has trickled down to this star. Murphy is always quick to note that, “The number one objective is education” and that Devlin is especially committed to academics. And that’s no joke.
Devlin, who is taking on a bear and double majoring in economics and computer science, estimates that he spends between five-to-six hours every day on school work (outside of class), along with five hours of soccer-related activities. There is a great deal that goes into preparation for each game, including film sessions, scout sessions, time in the trainer’s room and responsibilities as a captain. But that commitment to the team can be “an escape from the stress that comes with academics,” as Devlin said. It’s easy to understand why.
Devlin attributes the success of the program to both the academic focus and the team-first approach, which is the “backbone” of the team. Putting in five hours of work isn’t as strenuous when every player has bought in. And winning isn’t as difficult either. Building on a strong base set by former coach Bill Lessig, Coach Murphy has brought the program “to another level,” according to Tomasian. Devlin is part (albeit an extremely important part) of the program’s movement forward and is vital in the cycle of attracting better recruits. Over his four years here, he pointed to the team culture as one of the biggest improvements, and something that he said he knows will continue to grow after he leaves.
But while he is still here, he and the team have a lot of work to do. After reaching the NESCAC semifinals in the last two seasons, Devlin believes that a conference championship isn’t just within reach, but is “definitely realistic.” His ultimate dream for the program is to get a bid to the NCAA tournament, and the captain has faith that this team may be the one to crack that upper echelon of success. Playing in what Murphy calls the best Division III conference in the country, the coach also believes that the team has made it to the big kids’ table, on the verge of entering the top tier of the NESCAC.
And the men’s soccer program is not alone. There is a general trend throughout athletics of “moving the needle,” as Tomasian sees it. He points to women’s soccer, men’s swimming and women’s ice hockey as leading programs that are making a name for Connecticut College nationwide.
Following a NESCAC championship in 2014, the women’s soccer team is nationally ranked and is making a charge at more postseason success. Men’s swimming has seen success in a national context, and Tomasian believes it could be a top-ten team this year. And women’s ice hockey, another team realistically reaching for a conference championship, will play in Frozen Fenway in January, a premiere event restricted to the crème-de-la-crème of the region.
So it seems as though the sky’s the limit. For Devlin, this could not be more true. His historic numbers are only increasing. The team continues to win. And an extended postseason run appears to be a sure bet. With only a handful of games left, the greatest soccer player we have seen at Conn believes that the team is “just getting started.” We can’t wait to see how it ends.
On a bright, clear autumn day, the soccer field nestled between Freeman and Cummings is littered with small groups lying on blankets or lounging in beach chairs, eyes glued to something truly special. Above the regular din of occasional calls of encouragement or barks from the sideline, rises a high-pitched, almost crow-like cry, indistinguishable as it bounces against the surrounding buildings.
The source of this cry may just be the best soccer player Connecticut College has seen in its uniform. Patrik Devlin ‘17, a senior from Washington Crossing, PA, is something special. Leading the NESCAC with nine goals, and ranking fourteenth in the nation (yes, the nation) in goals per game, Devlin is worth watching. But is he the best ever? The answer from Men’s Soccer Coach Ken Murphy was simple: “No question. He’s the best player we’ve had.”
Murphy, in his eighth year as the team’s coach, saw Devlin’s technical skills as a force coming out of high school, but also knew that his game had developed enough to “come in straight away and become a core player.” Though Devlin considered other NESCAC colleges and schools closer to home, the coaching staff and campus at Connecticut College stood out as keys in his decision to settle here. And he has never looked back.
With his show-stopping success, a First Team All-American honor is not out of reach. To those at the team’s home game against Colby, that should be no surprise. In the 29th minute, Devlin shot a laser from thirty yards out that, as if on a string, stretched perfectly out of the goalkeeper’s reach and into the upper right corner. As an encore, only 30 minutes later, Devlin scored in a crowded box off of a perfectly timed pass from Christian Murphy ’19.
Will Tomasian, Assistant Director of Athletics and head of the college’s sports information, sees All American as a realistic goal. Devlin would be the first men’s soccer player to make the First Team since Peter Spear in 1993. And, according to Tomasian, All-American soccer is “definitely one of the hardest teams to make in sports,” because nearly every school in the country has a soccer team, creating an enormous pool of players to choose from. Tomasian works to broadcast the success of all players at Connecticut College, but he admitted that, “With Pat, it’s pretty easy. He does it himself.”
Making it to the First Team is certainly a goal for Devlin himself this year, especially after being named to Third Team last year, but his main focus is academics. Coach Murphy’s “School first, soccer second” approach has trickled down to this star. Murphy is always quick to note that, “The number one objective is education” and that Devlin is especially committed to academics. And that’s no joke.
Devlin, who is taking on a bear and double majoring in economics and computer science, estimates that he spends between five-to-six hours every day on school work (outside of class), along with five hours of soccer-related activities. There is a great deal that goes into preparation for each game, including film sessions, scout sessions, time in the trainer’s room and responsibilities as a captain. But that commitment to the team can be “an escape from the stress that comes with academics,” as Devlin said. It’s easy to understand why.
Devlin attributes the success of the program to both the academic focus and the team-first approach, which is the “backbone” of the team. Putting in five hours of work isn’t as strenuous when every player has bought in. And winning isn’t as difficult either. Building on a strong base set by former coach Bill Lessig, Coach Murphy has brought the program “to another level,” according to Tomasian. Devlin is part (albeit an extremely important part) of the program’s movement forward and is vital in the cycle of attracting better recruits. Over his four years here, he pointed to the team culture as one of the biggest improvements, and something that he said he knows will continue to grow after he leaves.
But while he is still here, he and the team have a lot of work to do. After reaching the NESCAC semifinals in the last two seasons, Devlin believes that a conference championship isn’t just within reach, but is “definitely realistic.” His ultimate dream for the program is to get a bid to the NCAA tournament, and the captain has faith that this team may be the one to crack that upper echelon of success. Playing in what Murphy calls the best Division III conference in the country, the coach also believes that the team has made it to the big kids’ table, on the verge of entering the top tier of the NESCAC.
And the men’s soccer program is not alone. There is a general trend throughout athletics of “moving the needle,” as Tomasian sees it. He points to women’s soccer, men’s swimming and women’s ice hockey as leading programs that are making a name for Connecticut College nationwide.
Following a NESCAC championship in 2014, the women’s soccer team is nationally ranked and is making a charge at more postseason success. Men’s swimming has seen success in a national context, and Tomasian believes it could be a top-ten team this year. And women’s ice hockey, another team realistically reaching for a conference championship, will play in Frozen Fenway in January, a premiere event restricted to the crème-de-la-crème of the region.
So it seems as though the sky’s the limit. For Devlin, this could not be more true. His historic numbers are only increasing. The team continues to win. And an extended postseason run appears to be a sure bet. With only a handful of games left, the greatest soccer player we have seen at Conn believes that the team is “just getting started.” We can’t wait to see how it ends.•
