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Tuesday, March 19
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Seniors reflect on career, prepare for last dance

Some may look at the four Final Four appearances and two national championships the men's soccer team has produced during the past four years and speculate that the squad's senior class must be spoiled rotten. \nBut backs Josh Rife and Ryan Hammer, midfielders Bobby de St. Aubin and Tyler Hawley and goalie Colin Rogers have paid their dues, and they do not take anything for granted.\n"What makes this group (of seniors) unique is that all five of them had to prove themselves here," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "They didn't come in as stars."\nRife and de St. Aubin both put in time at smaller, less successful college programs before transferring to IU for the 2000 season. Rife made the move from Texas Christian University while de St. Aubin relocated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Both said the move was because of the desire for a challenge.\n"TCU was a good opportunity when I started out, but I was looking for a higher level," Rife said. "Indiana just came off winning back-to-back national titles, and I had played against them. They were kind of familiar with me, so it seemed like a good fit."\nAs soon as Rife obtained his release from TCU, he was picked up by the Hoosiers and added immediate depth to their defense. Although he had been a midfielder for most of his career, he was shifted to sweeper and achieved All-Big Ten second team last season.\nDe St. Aubin said he felt like he was in a "stalemate" at UW-Milwaukee. He credited his move to IU to the program's winning tradition and dedication to excellence. \n"(At IU) you have to prove yourself every day, and that's why guys decide to come here, because they want to get better," de St. Aubin said. "They want to be the best player they can be, and it helps having people push you everyday."\nHammer and Rogers redshirted their freshman years at IU. Although this is their fifth year on the roster, neither of them saw significant action until last year.\nRogers backed up T.J. Hanning his sophomore and junior years and played in only four games. He acquired the starting goalie position in September of last year after Hanning sustained a season ending injury. He went on to post a 9-2 record with a .72 goals against average.\nThis season he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice, improving his GAA to .40. He said his time on the bench has helped him to value his current starting status.\n"It's made me appreciate my playing time now a lot more," he said. "Every game that I get to play now I go out and play as hard as I can, because I had to work so hard to get to where I am."\nHammer participated in only three games before the 2000 season, in which he made 14 appearances. This season he is a consistent starter.\nYeagley said although Hammer and Rogers did not play regularly until last year, they never became discouraged.\n"Hammer and Rogers definitely paid their dues for a long period of time, and they worked hard and stayed focused and didn't get disgruntled," Yeagley said. "That's very gratifying for me to see (players) who have had to take the tough route and can raise their game, and they have."\nHawley has seen his playing time escalate in each of the past three seasons. As a redshirt freshman, he played in 14 games, starting in five; as a sophomore he appeared in 24 games with 17 starts; last season he saw action in 20 games, making 16 starts. \nYeagley said Hawley has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Hoosiers.\n"(Hawley) has played up top, he's played in the back, he's played in the center of midfield and he's played wide at midfield," Yeagley said. "He's made the adjustment each time and done what's best for the team."\nThese seniors are now nearing the final chapter of their collegiate soccer careers. All that is left is the Big Ten Tournament, which takes place this weekend at the University of Wisconsin, and the NCAA tournament. \nAlthough they are nearing the end of their final season, they say it is not something they've spent a lot of time thinking about.\n"I guess, just like everyone, you want to take it a game at a time and just enjoy every game, every minute, every second you're out there, because you never know if it could be your last," Rife said. "So you just enjoy the moment."\nHammer said his accumulated experience over the past four years would benefit him in his final postseason.\n"The difference from the (previous) postseasons is that I'm more experienced," he explained. "I still get the butterflies going into it, but I think with more experience I'm more confident and know what's expected, what it takes to win."\nHawley said only one thing will make his last postseason completely satisfying.\n"I think the saying goes, 'You always want to win your last game.' If I can win my last game I'll be happy," he said. "That will be another national championship"

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