By: Adam Lorio
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — The Arkansas Men’s Club Soccer Team took home their second consecutive trophy from Kansas State this weekend.
While the Arkansas Razorbacks Division I sports programs boast impressive track records and garner appropriate attention, club sports remain another exciting arena for student competition. In recent years, the Arkansas Men’s Club Soccer Team has consistently worked to build a growing reputation in the region, and after a disappointing result in Nationals last semester, they’ve just brought home the hardware they’ve been working toward. After an opening 2-1 victory over Kansas State, a 5-0 thrashing of Truman State, and a convincing 3-1 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in the championship game, the men’s club team crowned themselves back-to-back champions of the Ed Chartrand Memorial Trophy in Manhattan, Kansas, this weekend.
Landon Crawley, a four-year veteran of the team, starting goalkeeper, and club president said, “All year long we have a goal we work for. In the fall we work to win the next game, win regionals, win nationals. While we didn’t reach all of our goals, we had a really good time doing it. And with this tournament, everybody that went on our team has shown a sense of urgency to win, and for them to be a part of back-to-back tournament wins is huge.”
The team practices twice a week at the UREC Sports Complex on campus and is led primarily by a culture of student involvement and leadership. Dr. David Barrett, a philosophy professor at the University of Arkansas, also leads the team on the sidelines of practices and games. After a long year of grueling practices, careful coordination between university officials, players, and other club teams, and unwavering commitment, the Razorback Men’s Club Team put forward a dominant display and brought home the hardware.
Erik Barr is a junior forward who scored in all three games of the tournament, an impact that proved decisive. “I just want to thank the seniors for everything they’ve done and provided for our team to be as successful as possible … Even though we’ve got a lot of guys leaving, I think our team will just keep getting better … We want to win this tournament again next year,” said Barr.
As the seniors pass the torch, the Razorback Men’s Club Soccer Team seems poised to keep building a legacy of student-led success.