SPOKANE, Wash. – The 2022 Whitworth men's soccer season officially kicks off this week with home matches against NAIA opponents Walla Walla University (Thursday) and Carroll College (Sunday). Both matches will provide live streaming and live statistics.
Check the Whitworth men's soccer schedule for the links to follow the action.
The Pirates: Whitworth had a competitive and challenging August training session, which included scrimmages against CC of Spokane and Columbia Basin College. Andyn Maldonado will anchor the central defense, as expected.
Jaime Rodriguez and Beckett Arthur will roam the midfield for the Pirates and both are returning starters and All-NWC honorees.
Dynamic Dominic Gusman and transfer Sterling Eaglin will man the attacking wings.
Jeremy Payne enters his third season at Whitworth, the first under more normal circumstances. The Pirates hope that a strong mix of returning experience and incoming talent will lead to a run at the 2022 NWC title following an 8-8-2 record in 2021.
Dynamic Duo: Beckett Arthur and Dominic Gusman became the most dynamic scoring pair in the Northwest Conference last season. Arthur led the league in goals (11) and in total points (23). Gusman tied for second in goals (7), finished fourth in points (19, including five assists) and tied for the lead in game-winning goals (4). Each was named the Northwest Conference's Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week once last season – Gusman on September 20th and Arthur on October 4th – and both claimed first team All-NWC recognition. The conference coaches selected Arthur as the 2021 NWC Freshman of the Year.
The Opponents: Walla Walla University is hoping to improve on a 1-12-1 season in 2021. The Wolves are members of the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference. Senior Pedro Reyes returns after he scored two goals and had an assist last fall. Whitworth last played Walla Walla in 2018 and defeated the Wolves 5-1 in Spokane.
Carroll College is also a member of the NAIA CCC. The Saints are coming off a 5-8-2 record in 2021, including a 5-6-2 conference mark. Senior forward Rory Bloy scored 11 goals and tallied two assists to claim All-CCC recognition. Carroll has won the last three matches against the Pirates, all by one goal. The Saints won the most recent contest 2-1 in Spokane in 2019.
The Coach: Jeremy Payne, a talented and highly accomplished young coach, is in his third season as men's soccer coach at Whitworth University in 2022.
Payne is a graduate of Messiah College (Pa.), where he was the NSCAA Division III Player of the Year in 2012 and 2014. Following graduation from Messiah, Payne became a graduate assistant coach at Eastern University (St. David's, Pa.) in August of 2015 and served in that role for two seasons before he was promoted to head coach in March of 2017. He led the Eagles to a 42-17-5 record and two Division III tournament appearances over those three seasons.
Coming up: Whitworth will head southeast to Atlanta where the Pirates will play non-conference NCAA Division III contests against Covenant (Ga.) and Oglethorpe (Ga.) on September 10 and 11.
