NORTHEAST MEN’S SOCCER LOOKS TO BUILD ON 2023 SEASON TO FIND SUCCESS IN NEW YEAR

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College men's soccer team found themselves ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the 2023 season, but they know that 2024 is a new year and they will have to push every day to be in a similar position this year. The Hawks are ranked No. 3 in the 2024 NJCAA DII Men's Soccer Preseason Poll and are ready to begin their quest to defend their Region 11 crown.

Adam Potter is beginning his third season as the head coach for the Hawks after winning both the Region 11 Championship and the Plains District Championship during his first two seasons. When he first met with his 2024 group he kept his address simple.

"My message to the team was to be different," Potter said. "In everything that we do. Be different in the classroom, be different in how we approach a training session, be different in how we approach every single day. What are you doing to set yourself apart from every other team in the nation? We also talked about that expectations are external, but standards are internal. We have to control what is going on today."

No men's soccer team in the history of Region 11 has ever won three-straight title, a trend that Northeast is looking to throw to the wayside. Non-conference play is up first, however, and the Hawks will compete in a heavyweight showdown with No. 6 Prairie State College to begin the season.

"I'm very excited to get going," Potter said. "I'm very excited about the entirety of our group. What better way to start than against the No. 6 team in the country? Going against Prairie State, a team we are very familiar with and a team that won the national title two years ago. They are historically a top-10 program every single year. These are the games you live for. We are itching to make some noise again."

Having a team ranked No. 1 last year could give coaches and players a sense that last season will be easy to repeat, but Potter knows everything must be earned and nothing will be given.

"Each year is a new year," Potter said. "You have to reset and reteach. You have to understand that this is not a four-year school and you don't have seniors. We have to reteach the basics and become a unified group again. We have to rely on our guys who have been through it and can put a loving arm around guys to help bring them along."

When Potter inherited the men's soccer program at Northeast there weren't many teams in the nation who feared the Hawks, but after back-to-back trips to the national tournament Potter knows the Hawks aren't the underdog anymore.

"It's a totally different mentality than when we took over this program," Potter said. "You have to walk in and have a chip on your shoulder because you have a target on your back. We are no longer the hunting. We are the hunted. Everyone is going to give you their best punch. Every program wants those games on their resume. We have to be different and have hunger. We have to have an edge. When we have those things, it's going to be hard to stop us."

Edouard Nys (Dottignies, Belgium) was named Region 11 Player of the Year in 2023 and was also named an NJCAA First Team All-America. He joins an impressive group of sophomores back for their final run in a Hawks uniform.

"Edouard is one of our captains and is one of the guys that we are leaning on to make an impact both on the field and off the field in our locker room," Potter said. "Mathias Kristoffersen (Skovby, Denmark) was a vocal catalyst in the back for us last season and is another captain for us. Luca Rosen (London, England) is also a captain and was a Second Team All-Region player last year up top. We have a lot of our attacking power back and it's time to take the next step by using the experiences we've had."

Kristoffersen joined Nys as an All-American as he was named Second Team All-American while Lewis Rourke (Nottingham, England) was named Third Team All-American at the conclusion of 2023. Potter is confident that a strong class of sophomores mixed in with an exciting crop of freshmen can create a special recipe for success.

"Hugo Munter (Roskilde, Denmark) has stepped in and made some exciting noise," Potter said. "He plays on the backline and we are excited about the presence that he will bring back there for us. Tobias Gerber (Weiden, Germany) in the central midfield is another guy we are excited about and he is growing every day. He was a physical presence against Creighton. Keigo Yoshida (Yokohama, Japan) fits our style of wingers with his speed and ability to put pressure on right away. He has an exciting personality and is one of those guys that you will recognize when you go to a game."

Northeast had the opportunity to face NCAA institutions Drake University on August 10 in Des Moines, Iowa and Creighton University on August 14 in Omaha, Nebraska in scrimmages to prepare for the season ahead. Potter has seen plenty of action that he's liked from those matches and fall camp as a whole.

"A lot of these guys are willing to be fearless and have the itch to get better," Potter said. "They want to lean on each other. Everyone wants to be selfless in finding success."

Adriano Coppolecchia was added to the Hawks coaching staff in the offseason and has an ample amount of collegiate experience as a former goalkeeper under Potter at Casper College and then at Wayland Baptist University.

"Coach Adriano has been a great presence to have on our staff and he has helped tremendously," Potter said. "He has added a whole new dynamic to our goalkeeper trainings and our team overall."

Come November, there is one thing that Potter wants to see from this group to consider the season a success.

"I want to see this group making selfless plays," Potter said. "Making the three-yard runs back defensively. Doing the hard things, because when we do those things, we will be holding trophies at the end of the year. I want to leave the year knowing that we did the little things right."

The Hawks will begin their 2024 journey with a top-10 clash against No. 6 Prairie State College at 1 p.m. Friday in Ottumwa, Iowa. They will compete in their home opener at 12 p.m. Sunday in a matchup with South Suburban College at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Field.

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