By Nicholas Slepnikoff
In the first days of the New Year and new semester, a new face has joined the many engineering students in Shiley Hall. Unlike his math-intensive colleagues, however, Connor Barbaree is the University of Portland's newest soccer transfer.
With a love of cars and a hope to master the intricacies of mechanical engineering, Barbaree, a transfer student from Clemson University in South Carolina, is now the newest face on the Pilot soccer pitch.
He brings a wealth of experience, as well as an open mind, a love of the small Portland atmosphere, and a genuine pursuit of his dream to become a professional soccer player.
"When I was four, I started playing and my dad has been telling me ever since I was eight I've told him, 'I want to play professional soccer,'" Barbaree said.
Although he played a lot of other sports as a child, Barbaree says he has alwaysloved soccer.
Playing for club team Concorde Fire Elite, based in Atlanta, and attending Walton High School in Marietta, Ga., Barbaree continued to hone his skills.
With help from Barbaree, Walton High School won two state championships in 2006 and 2008. In 2008, Barbaree was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Georgia and was named a NSCAA Adidas High School All-American player.
As a freshman at Clemson University, Barbaree played all 17 games with 13 starts for the season.
By the end of the season, he finished with three assists. As a sophomore, he started 15 of 17 games.
In this season, he managed to secure three assists. Barbaree continued to push himself to do better.
"After I'd established myself, I just wanted to try and be a leader and be somebody who is on the field almost all the time," Barbaree said.
"That's the only way you're going to get better, if you're playing against good people or playing a lot of minutes."
He hopes to help Portland in the future.
"I want to see the team do well," Barbaree said. "And just do as best as I can to represent the school."
In terms of both his major and the school itself, Barbaree said he loves the atmosphere, classes and the team members.
Having already practiced with the team several times, Barbaree thinks the Portland squad is a great group and looks forward to getting to know them better.
He also said that he is glad that Portland's coaches gave him the opportunity to play here.
"The school and the coaches did a great job of getting me in here," Barbaree said. "Probably wouldn't have happened anywhere else. I'm really appreciative for the opportunity."
With the 2010 season approaching, teammate and goalkeeper Austin Guerrero has recently been practicing with Barbaree in preparation for the fall.
Guerrero said Barbaree has a lot of talent and potential. Guerrero also feels he will have a lot to contribute, given his experience with Clemson.
"He really has the ability to be a utility player which is something that could help our team a lot," Guerrero said. "He's a good player, very creative, and good on the ball."
But despite Barbaree's accomplishments, the Georgia native continues to have a modest outlook about his success and focuses his energy to improving with with the help of Portland's coaching staff.
"They (the UP coaching staff) are very respected in the soccer community, and I'm really just looking forward to learn as much as I can from them as a player," Barbaree said.
