Elon University is a national powerhouse.
“Of course,” you say. “Elon is the most beautiful campus in the country and our study abroad program is second to none!”
No, you squirrel-loving, Instagram-obsessed Elon students. I’m talking about sports here. That’s right, “Elon,” “powerhouse” and “sports” in the same sentence.
Elon’s men’s soccer team is a national powerhouse. Under ninth-year head coach Darren Powell, the Phoenix is officially among the nation’s best. Elon has won two consecutive Southern Conference tournament championships and achieved a national ranking two years in a row. Elon men’s soccer is on par with football programs at schools such as the University of Wisconsin or the University of Mississippi — big players in the college football world.
LAST TIME OUT: No. 24 Elon takes down No. 9 Wake Forest
Elon has taken the route any successful mid-major team follows — a building process. When Powell took over in 2005, Elon was coming off of a 4-11-5 season. By 2006, the Phoenix was 10-8-2. A SoCon regular season championship followed in 2008.
In 2009, the Chris Thomas-era began. Thomas, a forward from Snellville, Ga., scored 53 goals in his four-year career, including 23 in 2012. That mark, along with 51 points, led the nation.
With Thomas leading the Phoenix, Elon began to reel off big wins. In 2010, Clemson University was the first victim of the maroon and gold in a 1-0 match. Elon defeated Wake Forest University, a longtime national powerhouse, for the first time in 2011. Elon beat the Demon Deacons again in 2012, this time with Wake Forest ranked No. 13 in the nation. That win was one of four by Elon over ranked teams a season ago. No. 6 University of North Carolina at Charlotte, No. 18 West Virginia University and No. 22 Furman University also fell to the Phoenix.
Thomas’ record-breaking season ended in a loss against Coastal Carolina University in the NCAA tournament, and questions loomed over how he would be replaced.
So far in 2013, Thomas has not been missed. Elon sits at 5-0-1 entering a match Friday Sept. 20 against the College of William & Mary. The biggest win of the season came on Tuesday night, when Elon beat Wake Forest for the third year in a row.
The Phoenix entered the match ranked No. 24, with the Demon Deacons at No. 9. With a win on Friday, that No. 23 will almost certainly rise into the teens.
On a side note, William & Mary is coming off a 3-2 win in double overtime against the No. 1 team in the nation, Creighton University.
Junior forward Jason Waterman has stepped up for Elon with ten points in the first six matches, including four goals. Sophomore midfielder James Brace has also scored three times.
Not only has Powell guided his team to success, he has led three players to professional opportunities in Major League Soccer. Midfielder Gabe Latigue (New England Revolution) and defender Steven Kinney (Chicago Fire) appeared on an MLS roster in 2013. Goalkeeper Clint Irwin burst onto the scene with the Colorado Rapids, and has served as his team’s starting keeper since March. His 76 saves have led the Rapids to third place in the MLS’ Western Conference.
A successful goalkeeper in MLS, and oh yeah, an undefeated mark in the 2013 season. Elon University men’s soccer has arrived.