Azhley Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Thanks to the men’s and women’s soccer teams, Dominican University’s sports program is ranked 72nd in the current Learfield/IMG Director’s Cup Division III Standings.
In the fall 2021 season, both the men and women’s soccer teams advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournaments.
The men’s team fought hard but lost 3-0 in their first game against St. Olaf College. The women’s team beat Hanover College 2-1 in the first game, advancing them to the second round, but they were ultimately defeated and lost 1-0 in the second round.
Although both teams were unable to advance further in the tournament, they still scored big and helped put Dominican in 72nd place in the Learfield/IMG Director’s Cup Division III Standings.
In an email to The Star, Sports Information Director Darin Yrigoyen said: “The Learfield rankings are comprehensive across the athletic department, of which the scores are tabulated based on NCAA qualification. Men’s and women’s soccer were the two programs to contribute to that score this fall, but the ranking is for the entire Athletic Department.”
For Division I athletes, points for the Learfield ranking are determined by how far each team advances in the tournaments.
Regan Coxon, a junior and center-forward on the women’s soccer team says, “This is a great accomplishment to receive for not only the soccer teams but for athletics and Dominican as a whole. It shows that we aren’t only athletes, but we are also student-athletes that can compete on the field while being full-time college students.”
Center-back and midfielder for the men’s soccer team, senior Giovannie Ortiz says, “It is an amazing accomplishment for the program to be recognized and be ranked 72nd in the current Learfield/IMG Division III Directors Cup standings!”
Both athletes admit to the struggles their teams faced during the fall season. But that only made them stronger and more determined to succeed.
“This past fall season was interesting to say the least. We suffered through a lot of adversity with injuries, tough losses, and finding our identity as a team but we never gave up hope because we knew this team was special,” Ortiz said.
“We experienced a lot of adversity, but we were able to overcome that and grow stronger as a team which made us such a successful team,” Coxon said. “I played one of my best seasons here at Dominican this past fall and I was able to contribute to the team’s success.”
