After a stellar freshman season, Cyle Larin decided it was in his best interest to return to the University of Connecticut for his sophomore year instead of heading to the professionals.
“I mean, I guess it wasn’t the right time,” Larin said at the UConn soccer media day, “and I wanted to come back and develop more and just get more training and when it’s the right time I’ll be ready. I guess we will see what happens this year when the time comes.”
As a freshman, Larin started 22 out of 23 games, netting a team-high 14 goals en route to being named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, the NSCAA All-Northeast Second Team, and was named the Freshman of the Year by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Larin really shined in the second half of last season, particularly in the postseason. In last season’s American Athletic Conference Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, Larin scored six total goals, which was a monumental reason that the Huskies reached the Quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.
“I mean, I guess it wasn’t the right time,” Larin said at the UConn soccer media day, “and I wanted to come back and develop more and just get more training and when it’s the right time I’ll be ready. I guess we will see what happens this year when the time comes.”
As a freshman, Larin started 22 out of 23 games, netting a team-high 14 goals en route to being named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, the NSCAA All-Northeast Second Team, and was named the Freshman of the Year by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Larin really shined in the second half of last season, particularly in the postseason. In last season’s American Athletic Conference Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, Larin scored six total goals, which was a monumental reason that the Huskies reached the Quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.
After a summer of training with the Canadian National Team, Larin is back at UConn for his second season and will play a pivotal role for the Huskies this year as he is going to be the centerpiece of the Huskies’ offense.
“We need Cyle to have a better year this year than last year,” head coach Ray Reid said. “He was great for us in the second half of the year, he’s got to be able to go from day one this year.”
His 14 goals last year were seven more than any other UConn player, but this year Larin hopes to surpass his goal total from last year.
“Every striker wants to get passed their goals they had last year,” Larin said. “If I could score more than 20 goals, it’d be good because that’s what we need for the team and if I score a lot, we win.”
This year, Larin is already anticipating a lot of attention and pressure from opposing defenses. As soon as he touches the ball, opponents are going to close him down as quickly as possible and force him to pass the ball. Larin’s ex-teammate at UConn, Mamadou Doudou Diouf, was in a similar situation that Larin is in last year and has offered him advice for the upcoming campaign.
“We need Cyle to have a better year this year than last year,” head coach Ray Reid said. “He was great for us in the second half of the year, he’s got to be able to go from day one this year.”
His 14 goals last year were seven more than any other UConn player, but this year Larin hopes to surpass his goal total from last year.
“Every striker wants to get passed their goals they had last year,” Larin said. “If I could score more than 20 goals, it’d be good because that’s what we need for the team and if I score a lot, we win.”
This year, Larin is already anticipating a lot of attention and pressure from opposing defenses. As soon as he touches the ball, opponents are going to close him down as quickly as possible and force him to pass the ball. Larin’s ex-teammate at UConn, Mamadou Doudou Diouf, was in a similar situation that Larin is in last year and has offered him advice for the upcoming campaign.
“Everything he’s (Diouf) been telling me is just I’m going to have more people on me this year, like him last year he was double teamed a lot because the year before he scored about 15 goals,” Larin said. “He just said be ready, if you get double teamed play quick and just be on your toes every second of the game.”
After three straight exits in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the expectations are much higher for this UConn team heading into the 2014 season.
“To get to the final four, that is always the expectation but it’s going to take work and it starts with the first game,” Larin said. “Once we get the right mentality of the team and we get disciplined and just get the attack right we will score a lot of goals. Our defense is really good so it’s just putting everything together and we will win.”
Larin and the Huskies open the 2014 season against No. 17 Coastal Carolina on Aug. 29.
2014 College Soccer Interviews
Daphne Corboz - Georgetown University Senior
Neil Stafford - University of Cincinnati Head Women's Soccer Coach
Eric Da Costa - Quinnipiac University Head Men's Soccer Coach
Ian McIntyre - Syracuse University Head Men's Soccer Coach
Keidane McAlpine - University of Southern California Head Women's Soccer Coach
David DiIanni - University of Iowa Head Women's Soccer Coach
After three straight exits in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the expectations are much higher for this UConn team heading into the 2014 season.
“To get to the final four, that is always the expectation but it’s going to take work and it starts with the first game,” Larin said. “Once we get the right mentality of the team and we get disciplined and just get the attack right we will score a lot of goals. Our defense is really good so it’s just putting everything together and we will win.”
Larin and the Huskies open the 2014 season against No. 17 Coastal Carolina on Aug. 29.
2014 College Soccer Interviews
Daphne Corboz - Georgetown University Senior
Neil Stafford - University of Cincinnati Head Women's Soccer Coach
Eric Da Costa - Quinnipiac University Head Men's Soccer Coach
Ian McIntyre - Syracuse University Head Men's Soccer Coach
Keidane McAlpine - University of Southern California Head Women's Soccer Coach
David DiIanni - University of Iowa Head Women's Soccer Coach
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