The Mac Weekly

Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Aaron Brown Midfielder Jake Rocke '10 fires a shot against Luther College last week.

"I said yo baby, yo baby, yo baby yo! If you're not a Scot, then you've gots to go!" Mac fans are heard loud and clear most Tuesday and Friday nights when the Macalester men's soccer team takes the field. What is it that draws people to the games? Head Coach Ian Barker explains:

"The team has good talent for the MIAC, arguably more talent than some of our last teams."

In other words, this year's squad has the potential to be something special. Mac has traditionally been a top team in the highly competitive Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference qualifying for the league playoffs three of the last five years and the Division III national tournament twice in that time period. The Scots, however, will have to regroup after a slow 1-2 start in the conference; a real test for a young team with 14 first-years on the roster, several of whom have seen significant playing time.

"We're younger this year," Midfielder Jake Rocke '09 said. "The big thing [with the first-years] is I haven't noticed any hesitation or fear. You can't play scared or hesitate."

On and off the field, many first-year students say soccer makes dealing with the stress of homework and classes easier. Being on the team allows them to form a base of friends, and provides a mental break from Mac's heavy workload.

"It was helpful to be here during pre-season," Mark Mullaney '11 said. "Eating, sleeping, and playing soccer with the guys-it's the ideal life."

Out of the fourteen first-years that came out, half of them are from Minnesota, the rest come from all over, everywhere from Maryland to Alaska.

"This group is the deepest new class we've had in a long time, "Barker said. "It was a good recruiting year."

The first-years are a versatile group; with a player for each position, they have the makings of a solid base for years to come. During pre-season, the team of first-years scrimmaged against the upperclassmen, and was able to hold their own.

Why are so many good soccer players choosing to go to Macalester? Many of the players cite Mac's reputation for academic excellence and internationalism, but the majority of the first-years claim they chose Mac at least in part because of the soccer fans.

Continued...

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