Fall Schedule Release: Men’s Soccer

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon football, volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer teams have finalized their schedules for the fall. This week, each team will provide a look at a return to normalcy this fall. Today's featured team is men's soccer.

Men's Soccer

The men's soccer team is coming off of a 4-4 record in the shortened 2021 spring season. The Hawks were 3-2 in conference play, with the program's first home victory against Maryville during the NCAA era.

Huntingdon advanced to the first round of the USA West Division Tournament. 

In the fall of 2021, Huntingdon will return to a regular number of games. The 16-game schedule begins at Birmingham-Southern on Sept. 1.

To view the complete schedule, click here:

Head coach Matt Cooper on the expectations for a return to normalcy this fall: "We are really looking forward to everything about the season getting back to normal, being able to play a full schedule with non conference opponents, team travel, normal practices and locker and weight room activities. It will be like a breath of fresh air to get back to as normal as we can. Being able to provide a better student-athlete experience is what we are really looking forward to and expect with a return to normalcy."

Senior Kelan LeBlanc on the expectations for a return to normalcy this fall: "Between an altered season, social distancing, mask wearing and online classes, the past two semesters were stripped of many things that are enjoyable in college. My expectation of returning to normalcy includes being able to once again interact with staff and teammates without the additional virus protocols. As a student-athlete, bonding and representing the college with parents and friends in attendance is going to be a much welcomed atmosphere."

Junior Taylor Bradley on the expectations for a return to normalcy this fall: "Having a return to normalcy this year is huge, not just for myself, but for the team as a whole. Playing in the spring last year was a different scene, especially only playing a limited amount of games. Being able to get the season in though, was something that is going to help us when we return this fall. Actually, thinking about a full season and being able to prepare for a full season is an awesome feeling. Our whole team is excited and eager to get back to it and build off of the success we had in the spring."

Cooper on how the challenges of the past year helped bring the team closer together: "I think the challenges of the past year, more than anything, made the team realize how much they as individuals really affect the group. One person, not doing what they are supposed to do or putting themselves in a situation they don't need to be in, can make a problem for the group and not just the individual. We used the analog of an engine. If one part is not working properly or not doing what it's supposed to do, it doesn't work properly and can break down. Each one of us had to do their part. This in turn brought the team closer in that they can really trust each other and know they are all doing everything they need to do to be successful and get the job done."

LeBlanc on how the challenges of the past year helped bring the team closer together: "I believe that the challenges and protocols gave us a chance to find creative ways to get things done, and in some ways included a modification of communication between coaches and players. As a result, I believe we paid more attention to each other's needs and situations, because we knew the virus was serious. The last thing we wanted was to lose a teammate to the virus."

Bradley on how the challenges of the past year helped bring the team closer together: "The challenges of the past year have definitely brought our team closer together. In the past year, we have spent so much time together -- from away trips, to weekly COVID-testing and even practicing every day. We felt as if this past year was a good time, because we were with each other all the time and it brought us together as a team and as brothers. Spending so much time together is a key aspect in a successful team. You all have to be on the same page with each other and battling through the challenges in the past year has truly brought our team closer."

LeBlanc on what he learned about himself and his team last season: "Last season taught me about the speed in which something can change our lives. It really put things in perspective, because I lost family members to the virus. Throughout the season, you could feel the difference in the attitude and actions of the team. It was a wake-up call to reality, but we all embraced it and stuck together."

Bradley on what he learned about himself and his team last season: "I have learned so many things about myself and also my team in this year. Personally, we all are fighters. Having to participate during COVID was not an easy thing, but we battled through it and ended up having a very successful season. We have a team full of guys that are willing to put in the work to be successful on the field. We were all 100-percent committed to each other and our coaching staff, and that is something hard to say for what all we had to sacrifice to just have a season. We had a list of goals at the beginning of the year and we completed many of them. But, we are still looking to accomplish more of our goals in the fall season."

Cooper on the goals for this season: "Our goals are to again have a successful season and compete for a conference championship. We are looking to host a first-round playoff game this season. We want to compete and be a hard-working team that gives it their all every time we step on the field. We want to leave no doubts that we did everything we could to get the result. We are really looking to build off of these past two seasons' successes and just be better than we were the year before."

LeBlanc on the goals for this season: "As a senior, I want to have fun, and finish as strong as I can. I would like to lead the team to the conference championship. The team has gotten better each year and has some good returning players, as well as talented new players. Hopefully, we allow the coaches to mold us to our fullest potential."      

Bradley on the goals for this season: "For me, the main goal is to grow not only as a player, but as someone the younger players can look up to. I want to be someone who can show them how we should go about as an individual part of this program and be someone they feel comfortable coming to and asking questions if they have something they do not know or need help with. On the field and as a team, I think we all can agree that we want to make it back to the conference tournament. We made it in the spring and it showed us that we can do that again. We just have to come in during August and put in the work to have a successful season. Making it back to that conference tournament is our main goal. We want to get better and better every week so that by the time we get to that tournament we are ready to play our best game and hopefully bring out some wins."