Men's Soccer Seniors

Carter transferred prior to his junior year and improved with each passing day, highlighted by outstanding performances in 2018 and 2019. Carter always had a smile on his face, he was consistently encouraging everyone, and he was the most supportive teammate any of our players have likely known. He was a valuable leader on the field, in the locker room and in SAAC. I will miss seeing the way Carter handled every challenge and every victory with grace, dignity and a sense of humor.

Davis had a very solid start to his college career, and in preseason 2018, it was very clear he was becoming a leader on the field and developing into one of the best defenders in the region. An injury ended Davis’ soccer career prematurely, but he stayed with the team and continued to support his teammates and lead from the sideline, cheerfully serving the team in any way he could. The graceful manner in which Davis dealt with his injury gave us all meaningful perspective on everything. I will miss Davis and appreciate his cheerful approach to every day.

When Isaiah arrived at GU I saw him as soft-spoken, innocent and compliant – until I got to know him. He quickly became more than willing to respond to me giving him a hard time by firing back with a much wittier and piercing jab. Isaiah’s sense of humor was matched by his competitiveness and relentless accountability to his own high standards. As a senior, Isaiah became a leader on the field as there was great trust from his teammates (and coaches) in the information he was giving. He had an excellent senior year, and it has been a pleasure to have him continue to train and lead by example this past winter. I will miss Isaiah’s timely wise-cracks and jabs, as well as his passion and leadership.

Brady was a battler literally and figuratively his entire career. He fought through some tough injuries, he worked through learning a new position, and he persisted daily regardless of his role. Brady comes from a very successful and storied soccer family, he approached each day with a workman-like attitude. Brady was very deserving of the WCC All-Academic honor this fall. As much as his teammates might give him a hard time for being inquisitive, I will miss his frequent questions which quickly made me realize that I omitted a detail or two and those questions ensured that the proper message would get delivered.

Quinn transferred before his junior year and had an outstanding senior season. He comes across as very easy going, sort of a surfer/skater type, almost like Jeff Spicoli. On the field, Quinn was passionate with a competitive and sometimes fiery focus. Selection to the WCC All-Academic team reflects Quinn’s commitment to the classroom as well. He has a way of connecting with everyone, he was an excellent teammate, and he had the ability to break the silence with a subtle comment and wry look. I will really miss our conversations about movies, music, mountain biking, snowboarding, and life.

I am really thankful Brayden opted to return to play for his fifth year. He battled multiple injuries in his tenure and often played through pain. He was respected by his teammates and coaches for his vision in the final third and soft touch on the ball. Brayden approached each day with a smile and great attitude regardless of the circumstances. He was loved by his teammates, and I think he was an excellent listener who cared deeply about others. I will miss Brayden’s determination and his huge heart.

Everyone improves and changes from freshman to senior year, but Nate’s ascent in five years is one for the ages. The expectation for all student-athletes is to work hard, but Nate was one who did a lot of extra work and it paid off. His confidence and focus grew, his teammates saw changes take place, and he developed a deeper appreciation for who he is as a person. Nate was a leader in the classroom and on the field this year, receiving a well-deserved WCC All Academic recognition. Nate is a problem solver, multi-faceted and I will miss him this fall.

Garrett epitomized what it means to be a Zag – a charismatic leader, a loving and caring teammate, and hard-as-nails competitor. There is no doing anything part way with Garrett, he jumped feet first into everything and committed himself to SAAC, his academics, his friends, his faith and his family. Needless to say, he was fully committed to the program and received All-WCC recognition in multiple areas four times. Garrett played a big part in the shaping of our team culture, and I will miss his leadership, competitive spirit, and sense of humor.