9/1/2010 7:37:51 AM
Wingate, N.C.----Last year, the Wingate University men’s soccer team and head coach Gary Hamill accomplished something that all previous teams in program history had failed to do. In their first visit to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional play-offs in two seasons, the Bulldogs won the first play-off game in school history, a 4-0 triumph over Flagler College.
National runner-up Lees-McRae College ended Wingate’s NCAA journey in the 2009 quarterfinal round, but the season was a big success. Coaches from other South Atlantic Conference schools believe the Bulldogs have the potential to return to the play-offs, as they picked Wingate to finish second in the pre-season coaches’ poll. With the high expectations both externally and internally, longtime head coach Hamill isn’t willing to look far ahead.
“We have a large group of returning players and because of this fact, our expectations are high,” Hamill says. “At the same time, we have to approach things one day and one game at a time. Our conference is one of the toughest at the Division II level…with Anderson (S.C.) University joining the league, we’ve added another top five region team. You have to perform every day and play each game like it’s the championship match.”
A major part of the Bulldog team is senior midfielder Luke Mulholland. The 2009 SAC Player of the Year, Mulholland led the team with 17 goals and 37 points last season. Mulholland is 24 goals away from the school record currently held by All-American David Hayes. Fellow senior Jamie McKenna will also be a key part of the Bulldog offense. McKenna racked up six goals and 14 points in 2009. Joey Calandra will return between the pipes in 2010. The senior goalkeeper went 12-5-1 with two shutouts in 2009.
Mulholland and three teammates earned pre-season All-SAC laurels. Junior defender Tom Poole joined Mulholland on the first team. Senior midfielder Jack Vundum and sophomore defender Corey McCollom earned second team accolades. The Bulldogs had a pre-season training trip to Brazil, an experience that Hamill feels was quite beneficial.
“The trip was a great experience,” Hamill says. “Not only did we get to play good quality teams, but we also had the chance to spend time together and visit the country of several of our players. The experience was the chance of a lifetime for several of our players.”
Wingate will begin the 2010 season Thursday night at UNC Pembroke with a 7 p.m. kick-off. The Bulldogs will open the home portion of their schedule on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Limestone College.
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of more than 2,300 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.
Wingate offers 32 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 36 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this
time period. Wingate’s 45 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.
(Wingate University junior Steven Grandy contributed this article. Grandy is a Sport Management major from Raleigh, N.C.)