Everyone has a routine. A dozen or so times a week, you walk to the same classes, cross the same streets, pass the same buildings and along the way you probably see a few familiar faces. After a whole semester of these seemingly mindless interactions, it’s fair to wonder more about those people and what’s unique about their story. For me, this person was Colin Muller.
Muller, 21, is a junior Management major at West Chester and he also happens to wear the captain’s armband for the men’s soccer team. While his attire typically sports the purple and gold, it’s not exactly where he began.
Muller’s first semester started at Monmouth University. It didn’t take long for him to realize it wasn’t the place for him. During the winter of 2016, he decided to move on and join West Chester in their pursuit of similar objectives.
You typically see a captain as someone who developed within the program since freshmen year, but Muller’s attention to detail and willingness to listen in such a short time has been rewarded.
Muller was able to redshirt his season at Monmouth, which meant that his time as a Hawk did not count against his eligibility. Despite not playing for Monmouth, he still found ways to make himself and the team better.
“At Monmouth, about halfway through the year I realized I was going to redshirt, so my role became pushing my teammates to get better. I worked twice as hard to make my friends better, and while doing that, I made myself better.”
Transferring from one school to another is very difficult, especially when you’re playing a sport. There are many processes that require patience and discipline to see out. Some of these things include social integration, learning the team’s style of play and being able to handle all the academics that take place outside the field.
One of the most admirable things about Colin was his immediate contributions. It takes some people years to acclimate themselves to a new environment, but Colin has taken a very proactive approach. He is consistently one of the first ones down to training every day. You can see him going for runs around campus before practice and even hitting the student rec center for some extra technical work when he finds spare time.
Muller has only been a Golden Ram for two years, but he’s put together an impressive resume. This long list includes 22 starts and multiple appearances in the PSAC Tournament as well as the NCAA Tournament. In his most recent season, Colin was a key component of the squad that won the Atlantic Region en route to the National Final. His goal in the PSAC Championship remains one of his premier accomplishments.
His teammates can attest to his leadership and consistency. This spring semester, his teammates elected him as a team captain. You typically see a captain as someone who developed within the program since freshmen year, but Muller’s attention to detail and willingness to listen in such a short time has been rewarded.
“In my first years here, my locker was between two of our team’s leaders so that helped because I was always able to ask questions and learn more.”
Muller holds himself to a high standard and remains confident the team can build off their successful 2018 campaign. Muller reiterated how team culture can make or break a season, and reminded me that if you believe in yourself and work hard, it will all pay off.
Nicholas Meola is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies. NM851689@wcupa.edu