Lehigh University Athletics
Final class from 2015 championship team reflect on careers ahead of Senior Night
11/1/2018 9:28:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Lehigh Men's Soccer Class of 2019 will be remembered for a lot of things. Their competitiveness, desire to succeed and support of one another has been visible in all four years of their playing careers. The biggest highlight of course being bringing home a Patriot League Championship back in 2015, the four seniors have played an integral part in raising the bar for their teammates on how to lead and grow a successful collegiate soccer program. The senior class qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in three of the last four years and have a combined record of 39-30-7. This season, the four have helped lead the Mountain Hawks to a tournament berth and a season record of 8-7-2 in overall, 5-3-0 in the Patriot League. Among the four, there have been All-Patriot League selections (Mark Forrest and Oscar Greene) and an Offensive Player of the Year and All-American (Forrest) in 2017. While the void left by these seniors will be felt next season, the legacy they will leave is something special, having shaped the program for future success.
Lehighsports.com caught up with the four seniors ahead of Saturday's Senior Night.
#3 Matt Morana – Defender – Shrewsbury, Mass. – Supply Chain Management
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
MM: My favorite memory with Lehigh Men's Soccer is winning the Patriot League title freshman year because it was the result of being such a tight-knit group throughout the team and playing every game for each other. As the underdog in most games, it brought us even closer because no one else believed in us. That season not only ended with a championship, but created friendships that will last a lifetime. I was so proud to have been part of the second Patriot League championship in the program's history.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MM: This group of seniors have been my closest friends at school since I got here. Not only do we see each other every day in practice, but we also spend a lot of time together hanging out off the field, too. The fact that we're a close group definitely helps us on the field, and I wouldn't have gotten through the past 3+ years without them. I'm extremely grateful and proud to share my college experience with all of them.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
MM: It's hard to believe my soccer career is coming to an end. Soccer has been an integral part of my life the last 16 years, teaching me lessons that apply on the field and in life in general. I'm going to truly miss driving over the mountain to the fields every day, mainly because of the people that are part of this program. My teammates and my coaches have been my second family here, and I want to win a championship in my last year for all of them.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
MM: I'm going to miss the people with Lehigh Men's Soccer the most. My teammates and coaches are the ones who make it worth enduring the grind every day. Practices, workouts in the gym and games wouldn't be the same without my teammates. Not only that, but the coaches have supported me throughout my college career on and off the field, helping me through both good and bad times when I needed it the most. Also, although I've only known him for this season, our trainer Sean has helped me in so many ways this year. His dedication to helping others is a credit to who he is as a person, and I'm so grateful he joined the program this year.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
MM: I am very proud of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken throughout my college career. Just two years before I came, the program won two games all season, and then to see the team win a championship and continually compete with the top teams in the league is something I hope will continue for years to come. Lehigh Men's Soccer is certainly on the rise, and I am proud to be a part of that.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
MM: The legacy I hope to leave at Lehigh and the soccer team is someone who was a good teammate, but most importantly a good friend. Soccer will unfortunately only take us so far, but the relationships I have built with my teammates will last much longer. I hope that the idea of selflessness and being a team player continues to drive the men's soccer program moving forward.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MM: After Lehigh, I plan to get a job related to my major (supply chain management) and eventually pursue a master's degree after a few years of work experience.
#9 – Mark Forrest – Forward – Douglassville, Pa. – Management-Human Resources
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
MF: My favorite memory has to be winning the Patriot League Championship freshman year. To see a full season of hard work come to fruition at the end of the season in the form of a championship is something that all athletes strive for. To actually achieve it freshman year, and to play a major role in winning the championship, made the season that much more special for me.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MF: We have a strong relationship as most of us live together. We are a tight-knit group who understand each other and all bring different attributes to the table. All of us have contributed a tremendous amount to the program and have a lot to be proud of. While we may have lost a few of the members of our class along the way, we have all stayed in touch still and I think that's a testament to the bonds we have made at Lehigh, and will continue to make in life.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
MF: First and foremost, I just can't get over how fast the four years have gone. Going off of that, all of the seniors are eager to go out with a bang. We came in with a championship and we fully intend on doing everything in our power to go out with a championship.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
MF: I think first and foremost I will miss showing up every day and working to achieve a common goal that is much bigger than myself. Additionally, it really is just a great group of guys and I am going to miss every single one of them.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
MF: I am proud in the sense that I think that we have been bringing in talented players every single year. I don't see any signs of that stopping, and I think we are leaving the program in a place where it will be able to consistently compete for a Patriot League Championship every single year.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
MF: I hope to leave behind a legacy of being a winner and a legacy of being a leader. More importantly I hope to leave a legacy of being a part of a transition in Lehigh Men's Soccer. At the beginning of my career, it was not an expectation to be in contention for a championship year in and year out, and that is something that I feel I have helped change. I hope to have left the program in a much better place than I found it in and hope that the culture and expectation is that deep postseason runs aren't just the goal, but also the expectation of the program.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MF: Right now, I am browsing the job market looking at positions within HR in the financial services industry. Additionally, I am considering the possibility of playing professionally.
#11 – Oscar Greene – Midfielder – Flower Mound, Texas – Asian Studies
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
OG: Winning the Patriot League freshman year was definitely the biggest highlight for me. There's nothing better than being a champion. Also, going to France was an amazing experience that I'll never forget and I'm very grateful for being able to go. This was a great test for us to see how we compare to great academies in Europe. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot too.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
OG: The relationship is good. We live together and train together everyday. We've been through so much in our four seasons and hopefully we can get another championship before we leave Lehigh Men's Soccer for good.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
OG: Honestly, I don't feel any different. I don't see this as an end to my soccer career since I will definitely continue to play soccer for the rest of my life. Maybe not competitively, but I've always focused on having fun and I will continue to do that.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
OG: I'm going to miss being part of the team since most of my time these past three and a half years has been going to games, training, traveling, and just hanging out as a team. Although I can still be around the guys, I won't be able to play with them anymore.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
OG: We are a young team this year and many freshmen are starting this year. As these young players get more experience, they will only get better and I can only see more success to come.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
OG: Legacy has never been that important to me. For me, it has always been more important to do the best that I can while I am part of the team. If anything, I hope to be remembered as someone who just loved to play soccer.
What are your postgraduate plans?
OG: I have always loved Japan and hope to move there after college. While I'm there, I hope to start a business. I took up digital art less than a year ago and have just started freelancing which has been an interesting experience. I want to try a lot of things that I've never done and see what happens. I've never been into getting a desk job so hopefully, I can find another way to earn a living. Honestly, I don't have real plans. I just want to enjoy life.
#31 – Paul Steingraber – Goalkeeper – Harleysville, Pa. – Material Science and Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
PS: The trip we took as a program two years ago to Le Havre, France was wonderful and something I will never forget. The 10-day trip was made possible by the incredible generosity of Mr. Vince Volpe '80. While the entire trip was memorable, my favorite portions were having an authentic French dinner with the family of a Le Havre first team player in his home, walking Omaha Beach and seeing the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, watching a Le Havre first team training session, and of course, getting to play a match against the Le Havre reserve team in the Stade Oceane.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
PS: My fellow seniors are excellent people who I have watched grow and mature throughout my time at Lehigh. They adopted me as one of their own and accepted me from the first day I joined the team. Each of us has our own unique interests and talents off the field, but all share a deep love of soccer and a commitment to our teammates.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
PS: My initial reaction was one of disbelief; I cannot believe it is Senior Night already. On a deeper level, it is still difficult to wrap my head around how incredible of a journey soccer has been for me and how privileged I am to have played at this level. I went from playing intramural recreational soccer as a field player my freshman year of high school to a Division I goalkeeper in five years. My freshman year at Lehigh, the only soccer I played was pickup. I am immensely proud of all of the work I have put in to improve myself, with the great help of all my teammates and coaches. Playing college soccer was an experience I never expected to have, but now, three years after walking on (on my third attempt) I simply cannot imagine what my time at Lehigh would have been like any other way.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
PS: I will miss all the little things: team meals, bus rides, nights spent talking to teammates in hotels, working on free kicks with Mark and Oscar, the finishing skills of my fellow goalkeepers and Coach Deming in training, Italian League, and other things too numerous to list. But, what I will really miss the most is the opportunity to play the game I love at a high level, day in and day out.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
PS: I will always be proud to have my name associated with the Lehigh Men's Soccer program and the teammates I have had in my time here. To see the growth in the underclassmen, particularly the freshman, not only on the soccer field, but also in terms of their character and maturity, has been enjoyable for me. I am hopeful myself and my fellow seniors have been examples for them as they seek to incorporate future classes of players and continue to grow the success and notoriety of our program.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
PS: I hope I have served as a model for younger players in terms of my work ethic, accountability and commitment to my teammates. I hope I have helped them to understand to never take anything for granted, the rewards that come with hard work, and to always play with joy.
What are your postgraduate plans?
PS: I am currently working through the job search process; I am pursuing engineering positions in industry relating to materials and processes, metallurgy and failure analysis.
Lehighsports.com caught up with the four seniors ahead of Saturday's Senior Night.
#3 Matt Morana – Defender – Shrewsbury, Mass. – Supply Chain Management
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
MM: My favorite memory with Lehigh Men's Soccer is winning the Patriot League title freshman year because it was the result of being such a tight-knit group throughout the team and playing every game for each other. As the underdog in most games, it brought us even closer because no one else believed in us. That season not only ended with a championship, but created friendships that will last a lifetime. I was so proud to have been part of the second Patriot League championship in the program's history.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MM: This group of seniors have been my closest friends at school since I got here. Not only do we see each other every day in practice, but we also spend a lot of time together hanging out off the field, too. The fact that we're a close group definitely helps us on the field, and I wouldn't have gotten through the past 3+ years without them. I'm extremely grateful and proud to share my college experience with all of them.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
MM: It's hard to believe my soccer career is coming to an end. Soccer has been an integral part of my life the last 16 years, teaching me lessons that apply on the field and in life in general. I'm going to truly miss driving over the mountain to the fields every day, mainly because of the people that are part of this program. My teammates and my coaches have been my second family here, and I want to win a championship in my last year for all of them.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
MM: I'm going to miss the people with Lehigh Men's Soccer the most. My teammates and coaches are the ones who make it worth enduring the grind every day. Practices, workouts in the gym and games wouldn't be the same without my teammates. Not only that, but the coaches have supported me throughout my college career on and off the field, helping me through both good and bad times when I needed it the most. Also, although I've only known him for this season, our trainer Sean has helped me in so many ways this year. His dedication to helping others is a credit to who he is as a person, and I'm so grateful he joined the program this year.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
MM: I am very proud of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken throughout my college career. Just two years before I came, the program won two games all season, and then to see the team win a championship and continually compete with the top teams in the league is something I hope will continue for years to come. Lehigh Men's Soccer is certainly on the rise, and I am proud to be a part of that.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
MM: The legacy I hope to leave at Lehigh and the soccer team is someone who was a good teammate, but most importantly a good friend. Soccer will unfortunately only take us so far, but the relationships I have built with my teammates will last much longer. I hope that the idea of selflessness and being a team player continues to drive the men's soccer program moving forward.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MM: After Lehigh, I plan to get a job related to my major (supply chain management) and eventually pursue a master's degree after a few years of work experience.
#9 – Mark Forrest – Forward – Douglassville, Pa. – Management-Human Resources
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
MF: My favorite memory has to be winning the Patriot League Championship freshman year. To see a full season of hard work come to fruition at the end of the season in the form of a championship is something that all athletes strive for. To actually achieve it freshman year, and to play a major role in winning the championship, made the season that much more special for me.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MF: We have a strong relationship as most of us live together. We are a tight-knit group who understand each other and all bring different attributes to the table. All of us have contributed a tremendous amount to the program and have a lot to be proud of. While we may have lost a few of the members of our class along the way, we have all stayed in touch still and I think that's a testament to the bonds we have made at Lehigh, and will continue to make in life.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
MF: First and foremost, I just can't get over how fast the four years have gone. Going off of that, all of the seniors are eager to go out with a bang. We came in with a championship and we fully intend on doing everything in our power to go out with a championship.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
MF: I think first and foremost I will miss showing up every day and working to achieve a common goal that is much bigger than myself. Additionally, it really is just a great group of guys and I am going to miss every single one of them.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
MF: I am proud in the sense that I think that we have been bringing in talented players every single year. I don't see any signs of that stopping, and I think we are leaving the program in a place where it will be able to consistently compete for a Patriot League Championship every single year.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
MF: I hope to leave behind a legacy of being a winner and a legacy of being a leader. More importantly I hope to leave a legacy of being a part of a transition in Lehigh Men's Soccer. At the beginning of my career, it was not an expectation to be in contention for a championship year in and year out, and that is something that I feel I have helped change. I hope to have left the program in a much better place than I found it in and hope that the culture and expectation is that deep postseason runs aren't just the goal, but also the expectation of the program.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MF: Right now, I am browsing the job market looking at positions within HR in the financial services industry. Additionally, I am considering the possibility of playing professionally.
#11 – Oscar Greene – Midfielder – Flower Mound, Texas – Asian Studies
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
OG: Winning the Patriot League freshman year was definitely the biggest highlight for me. There's nothing better than being a champion. Also, going to France was an amazing experience that I'll never forget and I'm very grateful for being able to go. This was a great test for us to see how we compare to great academies in Europe. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot too.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
OG: The relationship is good. We live together and train together everyday. We've been through so much in our four seasons and hopefully we can get another championship before we leave Lehigh Men's Soccer for good.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
OG: Honestly, I don't feel any different. I don't see this as an end to my soccer career since I will definitely continue to play soccer for the rest of my life. Maybe not competitively, but I've always focused on having fun and I will continue to do that.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
OG: I'm going to miss being part of the team since most of my time these past three and a half years has been going to games, training, traveling, and just hanging out as a team. Although I can still be around the guys, I won't be able to play with them anymore.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
OG: We are a young team this year and many freshmen are starting this year. As these young players get more experience, they will only get better and I can only see more success to come.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
OG: Legacy has never been that important to me. For me, it has always been more important to do the best that I can while I am part of the team. If anything, I hope to be remembered as someone who just loved to play soccer.
What are your postgraduate plans?
OG: I have always loved Japan and hope to move there after college. While I'm there, I hope to start a business. I took up digital art less than a year ago and have just started freelancing which has been an interesting experience. I want to try a lot of things that I've never done and see what happens. I've never been into getting a desk job so hopefully, I can find another way to earn a living. Honestly, I don't have real plans. I just want to enjoy life.
#31 – Paul Steingraber – Goalkeeper – Harleysville, Pa. – Material Science and Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Men's Soccer memory up until this point? Why?
PS: The trip we took as a program two years ago to Le Havre, France was wonderful and something I will never forget. The 10-day trip was made possible by the incredible generosity of Mr. Vince Volpe '80. While the entire trip was memorable, my favorite portions were having an authentic French dinner with the family of a Le Havre first team player in his home, walking Omaha Beach and seeing the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, watching a Le Havre first team training session, and of course, getting to play a match against the Le Havre reserve team in the Stade Oceane.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
PS: My fellow seniors are excellent people who I have watched grow and mature throughout my time at Lehigh. They adopted me as one of their own and accepted me from the first day I joined the team. Each of us has our own unique interests and talents off the field, but all share a deep love of soccer and a commitment to our teammates.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
PS: My initial reaction was one of disbelief; I cannot believe it is Senior Night already. On a deeper level, it is still difficult to wrap my head around how incredible of a journey soccer has been for me and how privileged I am to have played at this level. I went from playing intramural recreational soccer as a field player my freshman year of high school to a Division I goalkeeper in five years. My freshman year at Lehigh, the only soccer I played was pickup. I am immensely proud of all of the work I have put in to improve myself, with the great help of all my teammates and coaches. Playing college soccer was an experience I never expected to have, but now, three years after walking on (on my third attempt) I simply cannot imagine what my time at Lehigh would have been like any other way.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Men's Soccer?
PS: I will miss all the little things: team meals, bus rides, nights spent talking to teammates in hotels, working on free kicks with Mark and Oscar, the finishing skills of my fellow goalkeepers and Coach Deming in training, Italian League, and other things too numerous to list. But, what I will really miss the most is the opportunity to play the game I love at a high level, day in and day out.
How proud are you of the strides the Lehigh Men's Soccer program has taken and continues to take?
PS: I will always be proud to have my name associated with the Lehigh Men's Soccer program and the teammates I have had in my time here. To see the growth in the underclassmen, particularly the freshman, not only on the soccer field, but also in terms of their character and maturity, has been enjoyable for me. I am hopeful myself and my fellow seniors have been examples for them as they seek to incorporate future classes of players and continue to grow the success and notoriety of our program.
What legacy do you hope to leave as you move on from Lehigh and the soccer team?
PS: I hope I have served as a model for younger players in terms of my work ethic, accountability and commitment to my teammates. I hope I have helped them to understand to never take anything for granted, the rewards that come with hard work, and to always play with joy.
What are your postgraduate plans?
PS: I am currently working through the job search process; I am pursuing engineering positions in industry relating to materials and processes, metallurgy and failure analysis.
Players Mentioned
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GK
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