RE LAND COMES rhc 2016-2017 Harding men' soccer team sLartcd out the ~ra on beucr than any othrr Harding men's soccer team since the program's start, thanks to head coachjon Ireland. Ireland was a part or thc first men's soccer team at Harding from 2000-2003. Ireland \\'as also a ,·olunteer coach from 2003-'.2005 for both men and women occer teams at Harding. In 2005. he left t.o coach soccer at Faulkner CniYersity, Lip comb niversity and York College, but said coaching at Harding was always his dream job. '·It is ,·cry special for me to be back,'' Ireland said. "I understand the culture and mission that HONIE B)' Parker .Uurrou· concerned w1th his player finding th ir niche within the team. ·'Our goal wa very imple: get better each day and focus on what \\"C' can control," Ireland said. "Tr we did this. the re ults would come. And they did.·· Alongside Ireland was assistant coach Kevin Pineda. who was also a former Harding sLUdent and player. He said it was extremely special for Ireland LO return LO lrad the team. ''It's amazing to see hm\· much he puts into this program and how he makes the ream a top p1i01it(' Pineda said. Harding is aiming for. It is a great place LO be at, and it is our soccer team's mission LO focus on the here and no\\·. Coming back home is a great opportunit). ,'\lso to come back and help build the program I ,ms a part of at the beginning ris a great opportunity]." "It is very specialfo r me to be back. I understand the According to Pineda, Ireland had a great work ethic and expected the same from his players. He said Ireland knew how \'aluablc the program \n.t and planned to help the program succeed. The Bison ' (l.J.-6- 0 m-crall) fi nishcd the season as the 2016 Great American Conference Tournament champions. The team defeated second-ranked Ouachita Bapti ·t U nive rsity 2-0 in th<' semifinals - a team they had not m·ercom si1ice 2013- and O klahoma Baptist University 2-0 in the final.. culture and mission that Harding is aimingfor. )) -Jon Ireland) head men)s soccer coach "He has brought ne\l· methods and I ha\'e learned a lot already," Pineda said. "The players seem to b really moLi\'ated and inspired by him. They respect his new system and what he is doing to help thi program accomplish something that this program has never done before.·· They ended their r cord-breaking regular season with a l2-6-0 record and entered the GAC tournament eeded third. Senior defender Phillip \\'hite, captain of the team, believed that since Ireland was part of the stare 16 years ago, ha,ing him a head coach was a big advantage and brought a new ense of pride to the progr<;lm. "To finish with l.J. wins after only \\~nning four the year before was a huge turn around," Ireland . aid. "\ Ve never set out to break record or even have a winning season.'' ''\ Ve are doing things other teams aren't doing, by basically ha,i ng the whole team defend," vVhite said. "This n<'w approach is really showing results. I think [Irelandj really bring something new to the table. He demands a hard work ethic and brings a new system to the program." Ireland is no stranger to succes ·, but remained humbled and SCOREBOARD Oklahoma Baptist Cnivmil)' I 2-0 JI' Ouachita BaptiJt Cnirmi(J' I 2-0 11' .\lissiJsijJ/Ji College I 0-1 L Ouachita Baptist L ·niversity I 0-2 L Christian Brothers L:niversi~v I 2-3 L Central Baptist College I 5-0 11" Oklahoma Baptiit L'niversi(Y I 4-3 IV Southern .\·a::.arene L'nivmi{)' I 3-2 IV 011/hwest Baptist L:nirmif;)· I 2-0 II' Ouachita Ba/1/ist C11ivm1()' I 0-2 L 11 "illiam Jewell College I 2-0 IV Southern ]\a<arene University I 4-2 W Oklahoma Baptist Universi~)' I 2-./ L Hendrix College I 2-0 II ' Delta Stale Universitr I 1-0 II" ll"illiams BaJ;tist Co-liege I 3-0 II" Oklahoma Christian Cniversi(Y I / -0 I I" Union Unir:enif;)· I / -0 II ' Dallas Christian College I 4-0 II ' Da/laJ Baptist L'ni1•ersi()' I 0-1 L
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