Soccer teams kick off debut season in new conference

By Oliver Molina

Staff Writer

Trevecca’s men’s soccer team started off the 2024 season with fresh faces, due to recruiting new transfers and freshman. The team started off the season with scoring eight goals in three games, with Christopher Douglas leading offensively.

Head coach Danny Leavy has high expectations for the men’s soccer team in their debut season in the Gulf South Coast conference.

“On the field, our expectation is to qualify for the GSC conference tournament,” said Leavy. “That’s a bare minimum.”

Douglas is a freshman striker who has won GSC freshman of the week. He has scored twice in the last three games, and has been leading the team in goals and is second in shots so far this season.

“He just hit the ground running, you could see it in training. He just scores all the time,” Leavy said about Douglas.

Douglas has high expectations for his first season as a Trojan. 

“Although I am a freshman, I want to make the all conference team and make it far in the tournament,” said Douglas. 

 Leavy’s expectations rub off on his players.

Ian Aviles is a graduate defender who is a transfer from the University of Chester who shares the same expectations.

“I hope to be in the GSC tournament and hopefully get a result and advance,”  said Aviles.

With 18 out of the 47 total players being first year guys, Aviles has said the team has welcomed him well.

“Everyone goes out of their way to make you feel at home, so I think the chemistry has grown and it’s only going to get better from [here],” said Aviles. 

The Trojans have started off the season with a 2-2-2 record, 1-0-1 in conference matchups. 

Women’s Soccer

Trevecca women’s soccer team ended last season on a high note, making it to the quarter  finals of the GMAC conference tournament in head coach Nathan Harrell’s debut season. 

They enter into a new conference this year with more competitive play, according to Harrell.

Harrell has high expectations in his second year of coaching the women’s soccer team.

“We want to finish top of the league, we want to make it to the conference tournament, and at least win the first game,” said Harrell. 

This offseason, Harrell focused on recruiting due to having a lot of graduated seniors. They have 7 new freshmen on the Varsity squad. Development is a big thing for freshmen and sophomores. 

Taylor Loftus is heading into her 5th year for the Trevecca Trojans. She was a GMAC all conference player for 2023 and 2024, and this offseason she was focusing on rehab due to having surgery.

 She also has high expectations going into her 5th season, and has taken a mentorship role for the team.

“My goals this season is for each girl to leave this season with a great experience and build their faith and enjoy the season,” said Loftus. “For myself, I would like to go injury free and just play a lot of minutes and enjoy the game.” 

Jordan Hellman is a junior transfer from Lincoln Memorial University. She also has high expectations for her debut season for the Lady Trojans and for the team’s debut season in the GSC.

“I know that it’s going to be hard going to a new conference and that we are going to be  underdogs, but I always love the underdogs,” said Hellman. “I want to hopefully make it to the conference tournament and hopefully win the conference championship.”

The Lady Trojans currently sit at 11th in the GSC standings, but hopes and expectations are still high for the team to go far in the conference tournament.