VAST RECRUITING JOUNREYS PAYS OFF FOR TERRIER ATHLETICS WITH LARGE CLASSES—
Forty-six athletes signed their National Letter of Intent to become a part of the Wofford family next fall. Football signed 25 new athletes, men’s soccer signed 10 and Woco Woso, women’s soccer, signed 11.
This is an exciting time across the nation as many schools are shaping what will be the future of their sports teams. Wofford’s coaches traveled the many interstates that bring our country together to find the right pieces for their teams.
“We feel that this is a strong class that meets our needs,” says head football coach Mike Ayers in an interview with the Athletic Department. “We put in a lot of time, and it is a class that is all over the map from D.C. to Ohio to Florida and Tennessee.”
The football team also picked up seven players from South Carolina, three of which played at local high schools in the Spartanburg area.
“We have a lot of excellent players from in-state as well,” says Ayers. “I feel that our staff did an excellent job of locating guys that fit the Wofford mold.”
Traveling from Florida to Alabama to Texas, the Men’s soccer team covered much ground to develop their recruiting class. The players in this class have done their fair share of traveling too, playing in tournaments abroad in order to better prepare themselves for the college game.
“Every one of these kids plays at the highest level within their club,” says Ralph Polson, Wofford’s head men’s soccer coach. “They’re playing in a league that takes them all over the country to play. I don’t know if there is a single guy who hasn’t had the opportunity to go abroad and play. I think that’s the biggest thing to look at, having played at the highest level.”
Polson added that signing day has grown for the college since he has been here.
“[Signing Day] used to be just about football,” says Polson. “Because of the growing interest of soccer in our country and its coverage, signing day has become a big deal for soccer as well.”
The Women’s Soccer team, known to the players as Woco Woso, ventured all up and down the eastern United States from Massachusetts to Florida to recruit the new class of student-athletes.
Lucy Etro, a junior currently, remembers what National Signing Day meant for her.
“My National Signing Day was probably the most exciting and relieving day I have experienced so far,” says Etro. “I felt really relieved because I knew my next step after high school, and I would be playing soccer.”
Etro sees the addition of this large class as something to be very excited about.
“I’m pretty excited about the incoming freshmen,” says the junior. “I can’t wait to see the impact they will have on the team.”
Lots of excitement by the current players and coaches has this fall looking very promising for Wofford’s fall sports.
—Kyle Hofmann