A season of UNITY and LEADERSHIP: NGU men’s soccer
Blythe Barrineau, Sports and Visual Arts Editor
Photo Courtesy of Andrew Aulick
A simple handshake interaction is how every member of the North Greenville University men’s soccer team is greeted. Each time a player walks into the locker room area, he greets anyone out in the lobby and shakes the hands of his teammates and coaches.
The culture and respect this team has created for each other speaks for the season they have created.
The 2025 season for the NGU men’s soccer team has been one for the books. Under the leadership of head coach Andrew Aulick, the Trailblazers have set a new record for program wins, shutouts and overall team performance. More importantly, they have built a lasting culture of unity, resilience and family.
“Its been a phenomenal season,” said Aulick. “The guys have set history in terms of statistics and number of shutouts and we just had the most number of wins in the regular season.”
Beyond their statistics, Aulick says that his team is very hard-working, positive and united.
“Its not only been a successful season in terms of results, but also the culture and the way the guys are together,” he said.
While the Trailblazer’s 9-5 record speaks for itself, it was the resilience and toughness that truly defined their season.
Many of their victories came from hard-fought, close matches.
“I’m most proud of their will to find a way to win. We haven’t had blowout wins, it’s been a lot of tough, challenging games and they’ve been mentally tough to withstand some hard moments and get the results,” said Aulick.
Their perseverance was tested early. The team faced adversity before the season even began, losing key players to injuries and eligibility setbacks. Instead of folding, the Trailblazers adapted to their new circumstances.
“We were shorthanded but guys stepped up,” said Aulick. “There are guys who have learned new positions that have really helped us get over humps throughout the season.”
“There’s been ups and downs for sure, but more ups than downs,” said Cooper Tyler, senior psychology major. “At the start of the season we played well but didn’t get the results and now we’re starting to get both. We’re getting to the peak at the right time.”
“It’s been very promising to see how we can move into the next step. Now we have almost everyone that’s going to be in the starting lineup and contributing back on the field,” said Bhassakon “Mac” Songvejkasem, a grad student. “It will be exciting to see how we can combine all the qualities we have and how it impacts the chemistry on the team.”
Ironically, some of the team’s turning points came from their setbacks, not their wins. Losses throughout the season because lessons in resilience and helped strengthen them.
“They’ve shown us some areas that we need to improve and I think the guys have responded really well when situations don’t go well,” said Aulick.
The chemistry the men’s soccer team built this year is one reason they believe they were able to be successful, but this chemistry wasn’t built in a day. In fact, it was the result of nearly two years of intentionality and culture-building.
“Its been a long process of what I would say of growing together as a family. We do things together outside the field, whether it’s volunteer events, going to the waterfall. Things like team bonding activities,” said Aulick.
The players echoed that sentiment.
“Creating a culture and building on it is hard,” said Songvejkasem. “College soccer has so much turnover every year, but with this team, we’ve been able to keep the same core together for a while. I want to leave the program in a better place than when I came — and I think we’ve done that.”
Tyler said, “I think we’ve all merged together really well. Everyone is a good bunch and they work pretty well together.”
When reflecting on what has made this team so special, Aulick emphasized one word: leadership.
“Good teams are built on great leadership,” he said. “Our captains and older players have brought a lot of value to who we are as a team. They have really helped make this season what it is.”
Aulick hopes to continue the legacy of greatness and culture that this team has created.
“When we recruit players, we tell them they’re joining a family,” he said. “If you’re not someone who wants to invest in that family, you won’t fit. But when you do, you become part of something special — and that’s what this season has been all about.”
