Photo courtesy of Sam Maidenberg
With the final whistle of the 2022 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship, which saw Conn come up just short in overtime, it quickly set in that my college soccer career was over. After 63 games across 4 years of wearing the 00 on my back, the thing that brought me to New London now feels a distant past.
Photo courtesy of Sam Maidenberg
Upon arriving at Conn, I was given a similar pitch as the rest: small classes, a forward-thinking curriculum, and the beautiful arboretum headlined the reasons for choosing Conn, while the added notion of a competitive and up-and-coming soccer program echoed the College’s growing presence in the realm of attractive liberal arts schools in New England. Despite early exits, back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, coupled with a run of winning seasons in the NESCAC during the regular season had been seen as recent success and steady improvement each year leading up to my first year. Before the class of 2023 joined the program, success was defined by a short but inspired playoff run. It is now expected that the season will end with a trophy.
However, an overall record of 40 wins, 14 losses and 9 ties, capped off by becoming the 2021 NCAA National Champions, changed everything for the future of the Men’s Soccer program at Conn, along with the scope of Camel Athletics in general.
The unprecedented success throughout my time at Conn can primarily be traced back to what none of us typically equate to a success, the dreary 2020-21 academic year. Throughout the height of the pandemic, the team undertook a drastic transformation; graduating the old guard who set the foundation of our team with numerous All-Conference and All-American caliber players, while bringing in the current crop who were instrumental in the run to a national championship. As the fall 2020 season was canceled, there was no promise of competition for another calendar year, while even that was uncertain at the time. Nonetheless, the team worked tirelessly to gain an edge over our competition, who, whether at fault of the bleak circumstances or their elected effort, allowed the constraints of COVID to define their preparation for the future. Our program, built on discipline and unity, simply took the opportunity presented to us to gain an upper hand. As every inch counts, that extra 1% eventually got us over the finish line and led us to glory in the finest of margins, through penalty kicks in the National Championship game.
As my time at Conn has unfolded, a winning culture has quickly begun to permeate athletics at the College. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the College signed an apparel deal with Under Armour. This move bridged the gap between each team at Conn, providing matching gear across the board while evoking a sense of pride to represent the CC logo. The varsity athlete weight room then opened, creating a space for teams to workout together with updated equipment, a huge step to further utilize the expertise of Strength and Conditioning Coach Analisse Rios. The College unveiled a master plan to revitalize the athletic center, boasting a modern look with expanded facilities across the board. Recent renovations to the waterfront have kicked off the plan, which over the scope of the next decade, will take shape to transform Camel Athletics. When this long term project is finally completed, the College will look back to its launch, which, in conjunction with the first NCAA National Championship across any sport in college history, marked a new era of sporting history in New London.
Photo courtesy of Sam Maidenberg
Between the lowest of lows during the pandemic and the highest of highs hoisting the trophy, the experience of being a student-athlete at Conn has shaped my time on the Thames. The final whistle that ended our careers has only opened a new chapter in the friendships fostered through football, ones shaped by soccer but built on all of the basics. As an intense commitment, my time kicking it on Freeman Field taught me extreme discipline. Hours of each day were committed to practice, film, recovery, and non-stop thinking about the complex world of D3 soccer; the beautiful game took over the majority of my days, forcing me to use my time well in order to stay afloat in the classroom while cranking out shaken-espressos at Coffee Grounds and producing The College Voice.
Ultimately, Conn gave me the opportunity to play the sport that I love on a daily basis. Slipping into a uniform emblazoned with the white and blue CC on my chest was the source of immense pride, encapsulating everything I loved about playing for the Camels. Lining up next to the people I care most about was a pleasure, while the constant support of the ‘Freeman Field Faithful’, a conglomerate of students, faculty, administration, and parents prematurely screaming as we progressed up the pitch, made all of the hours worth it. My fondest memories all contain the backdrop of fall foliage and crisp weather on Freeman Field, playing NESCAC and NCAA tournament games while people lined the hills surrounding the field creating the most unique atmosphere in D3 soccer. The immense support of everyone involved throughout the years is what allowed us to grind out tough wins and helped us bounce back after a bad loss, and we happily share our sacred trophy with anyone who’s attended our games. At times my greatest stressor, but always my greatest pleasure, thank you Conn College Men’s Soccer.
