A History of the Randolph College Soccer Program
Randolph College, a private liberal arts and sciences college in Lynchburg, Virginia, has a rich history, including a successful men's soccer program. Originally founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, the institution became coeducational on July 1, 2007, and was renamed Randolph College. The college's intercollegiate athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III as a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC).
Early History and Transition to Coeducation
Randolph-Macon Woman's College was founded by William Waugh Smith, then-president of Randolph-Macon College, after his unsuccessful attempt to convince R-MC to become co-educational. The college has historic ties to the United Methodist Church and was established in Lynchburg after the city donated 50 acres of land.
In August 2006, Randolph-Macon Woman's College announced its decision to adopt coeducation and change its name. According to former Interim president Ginger H., the decision was driven by the fact that only 3 percent of college-age women were considering women's colleges. The majority of students at the institution were not specifically seeking a single-sex college. The college competed with both coed and single-sex schools, and most students who transferred from R-MWC did so to a coed school.
The decision to go co-ed was not universally welcomed. On July 1, 2007, the institution was renamed Randolph College, marking the beginning of a period of integration. Randolph College is named after John Randolph of Roanoke, Virginia.
The Men's Soccer Program: A Decade of Success (2010-2019)
The men's soccer team at Randolph College experienced a period of significant success between 2010 and 2019. Over the course of the decade, the team achieved an impressive record of 107-66-18 and consistently qualified for the ODAC Tournament. The WildCats won the 2011 ODAC Championship and made two other championship game appearances in 2013 and 2015.
Read also: Comprehensive Programs and Services at Randolph AFB
The 2011 team achieved a program-best 18 wins and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. This era was marked by strong team performances and individual accolades.
All-Decade Team Highlights
Randolph Athletics announced All-Decade Teams in various sports, recognizing former student-athletes from the 2010 through 2019 seasons. Several players from the men's soccer team stood out for their contributions:
Corey Sindle: Sindle is the most decorated player in the history of the men's soccer program. He holds the career records for points (121), goals (51), game-winning goals (15), and starts (79). He is also ranked fifth all-time in assists (19) and second in shots attempted (285), shots on goals (135), and games played (82). Sindle is a four-time ODAC All-Conference honoree, earning three First Team selections and one Second Team selection. He was named Player of the Year twice, in 2011 and 2013. Additionally, Sindle earned three VaSID All-State selections and was named the Player of the Year in 2013.
Brian Jurney: Jurney ranks second in career assists with 23 and fourth in points with 59. His 11 assists in 2015 is the second-most in a season. Jurney is one of two players to score seven points in a game and one of three to net a hat trick. He was named to the 2014 ODAC Second Team and 2015 First Team.
Frank Lusczek: Lusczek is tied with Blake Heatherly for the most assists with 24. His best season came in his senior year, during which he scored six goals and dished out 12 assists.
Read also: A Welcoming College for LGBTQIA+ Students
Michael Brown: Brown scored 18 goals during his time with Randolph, tying him for fourth in program history. His best season was his junior year, when he netted seven goals, including game-winners against Virginia Wesleyan and Ferrum. He was a 2015 Second Team and 2016 All-ODAD Third Team selection.
Jacob Watson: Watson's 27 career goals are the second-highest in program history, and he led the WildCats in goals scored for three straight years. He ranks third in career points with 63 and scored nine game-winning goals. In his junior year, he converted four penalty kicks. Of his three game-winners that season, two were the only goals scored in wins over Emory and York. He scored twice in Randolph's quarterfinal victory over Roanoke. In his 2018 senior year, Watson's 10 goals were a career-high and fifth in the ODAC that season. He was a 2017 and 2018 ODAC First Team selection and a 2016 Second Team selection.
Blake Heatherly: Heatherly spent his first two years as a defender before switching to the midfield. His 24 assists are tied for the most in school history. He also holds the record for most shots attempted (317) and shots on goal (140). He is second in points (66) and third in goals (21). His six game-winners are tied for fourth, as are his five penalty kicks made. His 5,840 minutes played are fourth-most. Heatherly's 2015 campaign saw him tied for second in the conference in goals scored with eight. One of his game-winners that year was in the ODAC semifinals against Roanoke in overtime. He is one of three WildCats to be named All-ODAC for four straight years, garnering three Second Team recognitions and one First Team selection. In 2014, Heatherly was named to the VaSID All-State Second Team, and in 2015, he was named to the VaSID All-State First Team.
Aaron McDougall: McDougall started all 65 games in his four-year career as a WildCat.
Evan Cornell: Cornell's 85 games played are the most in program history. He had six career game-winning goals. His 22 assists are fourth in WildCat history. His sophomore season of 2011 saw him play a crucial role down the stretch for the WildCats. Cornell had eight points in the final four games of the year, assisting on both goals in the ODAC Championship game against Lynchburg. He notched the game-winner against No. 2 CNU in the NCAA First Round and scored twice in a 3-2 win over DeSales in the NCAA Second Round. Cornell finished fourth that season in the ODAC in goals with eight, second in assists with six, and fourth in points. Cornell was a 2010 ODAC Honorable Mention and a 2011 Third Team selection.
Read also: Transformation of a Normal School
Hunter Hood: Hood played in 81 career games for the WildCats, tying for fourth-most.
Adam Songer: Songer's 18 career goals are tied for fourth-most. He played 81 games and started 73. In 2011, he had two assists in the ODAC quarterfinal win over Randolph-Macon.
Troy Adams: Adams' best season was his senior year, when he netted nine goals. He scored the game-winner in a 2-0 ODAC semifinal victory over Washington and Lee. Adams was named to the 2013 ODAC and VaSID First Team, along with picking up NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Second Team recognition. He was also selected to the 2012 ODAC All-Tournament Team. In Randolph's 3-0 win over the Quakers in the quarterfinal round that season, Adams scored the second of three WildCat goals on the evening.
Filip Skaja: Skaja played three seasons for the WildCats after spending his first year at rival Lynchburg. He was a 2013 ODAC Second Team selection. Playing in all 20 games that year with 18 starts, Skaja had an assist on the equalizer against Randolph-Macon in a 2-1 WildCat victory. He scored the first goal in a 3-1 win over Hampden-Sydney.
Michael Vecchietti: Vecchietti helped on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
James Wolf: A two-time captain, Wolf started 74 games to rank second all-time and played 6,326 minutes. He had a knack for coming up big with seven career game-winning goals to rank third. In his junior year of 2011, Wolf scored three game-winners, including in overtime against Randolph-Macon in the ODAC quarterfinals and the ODAC Championship against Lynchburg.
Andrew Watson: Watson was one of the top WildCat defenders during his time and played in a program-record 6,792 minutes. His 70 starts are fifth-most. He was named to the All-ODAC Team all four seasons, garnering three Third Team and one Second Team nod. He helped Randolph to the best scoring defense in 2013, with 10 shutouts giving the WildCats a ranking of 25th in the nation.
Juan Irigoyen: Irigoyen played 5,713 minutes. He was a three-time All-ODAC selection (First, Second, and Third Team). He was also a 2015 VaSID All-State selection.
Brian DiOrio: DiOrio played 5,922 minutes to rank third in WildCat history. He took over the center back position on his first day and never let it go, having started all but one game in his four years with Randolph. He capped off his senior year with an ODAC First Team and USCA All-South Atlantic Region Third Team selection. DiOrio helped shutout opponents six times that year.
Brian Smith: Smith is third in program history in saves with 185. His .794 save percentage is second overall. He posted 34 wins and 14 shutouts, which are both WildCat records. His 0.70 GAA in 2013 is a season record, as are his 17 wins and eight shutouts. He was named to the ODAC Third Team. Smith had a big sophomore season when Randolph won the ODAC Championship.
Corey Humphreys: Despite playing just one year in the decade, Humphreys ranks as the top goalkeeper in Randolph men's soccer history. He holds the career record for saves with 340, and his 21 wins are second. He posted 12 shutouts in his time as a WildCat, which is second to Smith. Humphreys was a 2009 ODAC Honorable Mention and a 2010 Second Team selection.
Recent Achievements
The men's soccer team continues to achieve success under the leadership of Head Coach Bryan Waggoner. With a strong contingent of seniors, the team amassed 9 wins, zero losses, and one tie this season, marking their longest unbeaten streak.
Two recent wins propelled the WildCats into the number 17 spot on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III poll, surpassing the team's previous record of reaching number 18. The team also ranked as the final team on the D3soccer.com top 25, a list compiled from votes by a panel of coaches, sports information directors, and media members.
Randolph College: A Broader View
Randolph College is primarily an undergraduate institution, offering a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The college launched a new curriculum model called TAKE2 in the fall of 2021. Randolph College's Maier Museum of Art features works by American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The rivalry between 'odd' and 'even' graduating classes is a significant part of Randolph College traditions. Since 1968, the college has hosted a study abroad program at the University of Reading, England.
tags: #Randolph #College #soccer #program #history
