Men’s Soccer celebrates after win against conference opponent Lynchburg on Sept. 28.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
In his second season as the head coach of Virginia Wesleyan Men’s Soccer, Shane Kohler has the team winning at a high rate. Through their first twelve games of the season, they boast a 9-1-2 record.
“I think some of the successes is that we just came into preseason ready to go, and the guys came in prepared. We did challenge ourselves in our out of conference schedule, so we had to be good right from the start,” Kohler said.
While their present success is gratifying, the team has their eyes on what’s ahead. They look to improve upon previous years results, starting with addressing their goals.
“We talk about winning an ODAC Championship and going to the NCAA Tournament. And so for us, those are our aspirations, and we talk about it pretty frequently amongst the group. So, I think that should be motivation enough,” Kohler said.
The team has advanced to the conference semifinals in each of the last three years, but have yet to make an appearance in the conference championship. Senior midfielder Everett McCloskey commented on the team’s aspirations this year, looking to do better.
“One of our goals for the season is to win the ODAC Championship. We’ve been close many times. So that’s the goal there, and going to the NCAA Tournament and just make some history,” McCloskey said.
On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Marlins played their second conference match of the season against the University of Lynchburg. This match resulted in a 2-0 win, much different from their previous meeting in the 2023 ODAC semifinal match. This result has further instilled confidence in the team.
Graduate student Alex Moody battles with the defender for the ball.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
“It’s a statement win to the ODAC and the rest of the country that Virginia Wesleyan University’s Men’s Soccer is a force to be reckoned with and is one of the best teams in the country,” McCloskey said. “We respect Lynchburg and every single ODAC school we play because we believe that the ODAC has some of the best teams in the country. This win gives us even more of a belief that we are going to make great accomplishments this year.”
The team’s success against the Lynchburg Hornets was recognized by the conference and the NCAA. On Monday, Sept. 30, the Marlin’s sophomore goalie, Ben Haynes, was awarded with the ODAC Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week. Haynes recorded 12 saves in the shutout. As of Oct. 8, the team is recognized as the No. 15 team in the nation.
Their success has been recognized and spread throughout the school as well. Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Andrea Hoover-Erbig commented on their goals and competitive efforts.
“With the results that they’re getting on the field and going a little further in the ODAC Tournament, I think it’s a combination of recruiting and just building that competitive culture. Setting their goals to be successful and competitive at the end of the season,” Hoover-Erbig said.
Even with their winning record, Coach Kohler acknowledged that the team still has areas in their game that they need to improve.
“I do think some of the defensive press and pressure can continue to improve. Just kind of being turned on for the entire 90 minutes. I think there are some moments where we have a letdown for a little bit, unfortunately that can cost you at the end of the game,” Kohler said.
Sophomore midfielder Joshua Nevins has been deemed a “warrior” by Coach Kohler, leading the back line. Nevins believes the team is highly motivated and tightly-knit.
“I just think our mindset is different because we have a lot of [seniors] to play for,” Nevins said. “There’s the group of guys who are boys now, so it just makes it easy to play. We’re just pumped up for every single game.”
With their current record, Men’s Soccer is trying to extend their season past the ODAC Tournament and into the NCAA Playoffs. Their next game is Oct. 12 at Roanoke.
By: Crosson Miller
lcmiller@vwu.edu
