UC Clermont mens soccer team. Photo provided.
To get the maximum, they first had to achieve the minimum. The men’s soccer team at University of Cincinnati-Clermont achieved the former last week, and hopes to take the first step toward the latter Friday.
The Cougars are one of six schools to qualify to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II national tournament, and begin pool play at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 17 vs. Berkeley College at Montour Junction Sports Complex in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The winner plays Penn State Brandywine at noon Sunday; the loser plays Penn State Brandywine at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
UC Clermont is the No. 3 seed in pool “B” (Berkeley is No. 1, Penn State Brandywine No. 2). Pool “A” includes No. 1 Johnson & Wales, No. 2 Central Maine Community College and No. 3 Five Towns College (Dix Hills, New York). The winners of each pool meet for the national championship Nov. 20 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. Last season, UC Clermont made its first national tournament appearance, losing to Central Maine and Berkeley, and took a 9-6-1 record into this year’s tournament.
That set the bar for the 2023 season for coach Avery Patton’s team.
“We were coming off the back of the program’s first-ever USCAA national tournament appearance, which we went into ranked as the No.2 team in the USCAA. So, this season, the minimum expectation was to reach the national tournament again, which we did, Patton, in his second season at UC Clermont, said. “Now that we have reached the minimum, we are looking to achieve our main preseason goal of winning the title.”
The season has had its highs and lows. UC Clermont lost its opener at Campbellsville 4-0, but defeated Campbellsville-Harrodsburg by the same score a week later. The Cougars had a three-match winning streak in early September (Earlham, Penn State Greater Allegheny and Penn State New Kensington), but won only one of their last four matches, losing to Georgetown and Boyce, tying Shawnee State, Patton’s alma mater, and defeating Midway.
“Overall, I think it has been a successful campaign up to this point,” Patton said. “We had a tough schedule which was comprised of some of the top teams in the NAIA and NCAA DIII. Being able to beat and earn good results against that level of competition can only be seen as a huge success.”
As is the case with most USCAA schools, UC Clermont’s roster is mostly freshmen and sophomores, with the vast majority coming from local high schools, including Batavia (freshman defender Cameron Kendrick) and Goshen (freshman forward Jonathan Jimenez and sophomore forward Tanner Newberry). Local talent is the foundation of programs such as UC Clermont.
“The players from this area are the lifeblood and heartbeat of the program,” Patton said. “These players grew up here, they have an immense passion and pride for the city that you don’t get with athletes that aren’t from the area. The program wouldn’t be where it is without that passion in the squad.”
Roster turnover is also more frequent than at four-year schools, which makes building chemistry more difficult, but also more important. Patton said the Cougars’ difficult schedule helped that process.
“This team really showed me their determination and fight. When you have such a tough schedule there are bound to be teams that will make life difficult for you during the game,” he said. “When faced with these difficulties and adverse moments, these players really stuck together and fought for every result. Playing such talented teams and challenging these athletes brings either one of two results. They either hide and shy away or they fight tooth and nail to earn something from the match. They certainly gave me the latter result.”
Three juniors provide veteran experience – defender Alex Dietrich (Buckeye), midfielder Jakob West (Indian Hill) and defender Gavin Harrison (West Liberty).
“I have a leadership group in place. The group comprises of players with great character, respect, commitment, intensity and passion. These are the players who everyone else looks to when we are facing adversity, they really drive the team on in those tough moments.”
First-year players include Jimenez, Kendrick, goalkeeper Andrew Swaisgood (Fairfield), defender Kyle Ziegelmeyer (St. Henry), Jimenez, midfielder Ryan Valenzuela (Fairfield), defender Alex Huff (Ryle), midfielder Ali Coundoul (Winton Woods), forward Ryan Russell (Walnut Hills) and forward Trey Wynn (St. Xavier).
“I’ve never subscribed to the idea that freshmen or younger players need to ‘wait their turn,’” Patton said. “There is a famous quote from Sir Matt Busby that I always come back to when dealing with younger players: ‘If you’re good enough then you are old enough.’ This quote certainly rang true this season as I had multiple freshmen come in who started every game this season and made a huge impact.”
UC Clermont game-by-game results
Campbellsville 4, UC Clermont 0
UC Clermont 4, Campbellsville-Harrodsburg 0
UC Clermont 1, Kentucky Christian 0
Anderson 4, UC Clermont 1
UC Clermont 3, Earlham 1
UC Clermont 7, Penn State Greater Allegheny 1
UC Clermont 7, Penn State New Kensington 1
Bluffton 5, UC Clermont 3
UC Clermont 3, Indiana-Purdue-Columbus 2
Indiana University-East 3, UC Clermont 0
UC Clermont 3, Mount St. Joseph 0
UC Clermont 4, Campbellsville-Harrodsburg 0
Georgetown 3, UC Clermont 1
UC Clermont 1, Shawnee State
UC Clermont 2, Midway 1
Boyce 5, UC Clermont 3
UC Clermont roster
Juniors – Alex Dietrich, defender, Buckeye; Gavin Harrison, defender, West Liberty; Jakob West, midfielder, Indian Hill.
Sophomores – Issa Doumbia, midfielder, Withrow; Cameron Engel, forward, Ryle; Ethan Green, midfielder, Goshen; Gavin Hawkins, midfielder, Ryle; Alex McAfee, forward, Colerain; Liam Menz, defender, Walnut Hills; Tanner Newberry, forward, Goshen; Juan Tenorio, defender, Fairfield; Issiaka Thiama, midfielder, Dater; Sulayman Thiama, forward, Dater; Dylan Withers, forward, Anderson.
Freshmen – Ali Coundoul, midfielder, Winton Woods; Alex Huff , defender, Ryle; Jonathan Jimenez, forward, Goshen; Cameron Kendrick, defender, Batavia; Ryan Russell, forward, Walnut Hills; Andrew Swaisgood, goalkeeper, Fairfield; Ryan Valenzuela, midfielder, Fairfield; Trey Wynn, forward, St. Xavier; Kyle Ziegelmeyer, defender, St. Henry.