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The UTRGV Men’s Soccer Team started their season off preparing for their first appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference after being picked fifth in the OVC preseason poll on Aug. 6.
The Vaqueros, who spent last season as a NCAA D1 independent, used the opportunity to practice all season for the conference.
During the Ohio Valley Conference, UTRGV will be facing Linden Wood University, Houston Christian University, University of the Incarnate Word, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Indiana University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Western Illinois University.
Head coach Bryheem Hancock said last season helped them to prepare for the Ohio Valley Conference.
“We have nine guys from last year and we talked to them about developing over the course of 12 months last season to prepare ourselves for now,” Hancock said. “So now, that same challenge we have with the 16 new guys we have been with, they can improve day by day.”
He said with the OVC season comes the chance to take something home at the end and the belief to perform greater than before.
“So this year you have the belief that you’ll move further, so for us it’s one game at a time,” Hancock said.
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This season is an opportunity for the team to show how capable they are, with players, like senior forward Mouhamed Pouye, being optimistic toward his future performance.
“We have more goals now, like last year we were not in the conference, but this year we have something to play for,” Pouye said. “So yeah, that’s going to be a big difference this year.”
According to the conference coaches named him the “OVC Player to Watch”. He is focused on perfecting his game by working more.
“Just working harder, I think coming in early trying to get some reps in,” Pouye said. “Usually when it’s like, you know, days I don’t do anything in the afternoon, I just come in and put some work in and then just try to perfect my game.”
The team has been working hard on their teamwork and individual skills. Sophomore defender Roman Zuniga, who is new to the position and was previously an offensive player, said he has been facing his own challenges to make sure he plays well during the conference.
“It’s affected me, because before I was a defender, and now I have so much going on around me that before I wouldn’t have to notice,” Zuniga said. “Like now I have players to the side and behind me and I always have to be checking where they’re at, and it’s been kind of a difficult change, but I feel it’s going to make me improve as a player.”
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The OVC season is a new obstacle for the players, but despite that they are all confident in their ability to work as a team to secure their seasonal goals according to Hancock.
UTRGV played its first home conference game on Sunday against Stetson University at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Results will not be available as of press time.
The Vaqueros next home game is against Lindenwood University at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus.
