WPIAL Alum Q&A – Evan Augustine

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, October 17, 2016 | 9:46 PM

At a glance, the Penn State Behrend’s men’s soccer roster could easily be confused with a travel club of former WPIAL notables. With 25 players who hail from the district on a very successful Lions team, many could be candidates for the WPIAL Alum Q&A. Former South Park standout Evan Augustine, a senior defender, is among the very best for the squad, though. As such, he’s the focus of this week’s installment.

In his time with the Eagles, Augustine was twice named South Park’s defensive MVP. As a junior in 2011, he helped guide the team to a mark of 16-1-1, including 10-1-1 in section play of Class AA. The Eagles finished third in the WPIAL playoffs, gaining a consolation bid to the state playoffs courtesy of their victory against Ringgold. In the Class AA PIAA bracket, the Eagles won their first-round match before bowing out.

During the 2012 campaign, Augustine and the Eagles posted a perfect record, 18-0, in the regular season. After earning the top seed, South Park was eliminated in a shootout decision in the quarterfinals. Augustine, though, earned All-Section and All-WPIAL honors for his performance.

He joined Penn State Behrend in 2013, and played in 22 games on the back end as a freshman. In that season, the Lions went 16-4-2, winning the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship. As a result, PSU Behrend made an appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament, falling in a shootout in the first round.

In 2014, Augustine ascended to one of the top players for the Lions, and earned Second-Team All-Conference accolades, He started in all 22 games, netting three goals and one assist. His defensive performance also aided in PSU Behrend recording 14 shutouts. The Lions compiling a record of 18-4, again winning the conference but dropping a first round match of the NCAA Division III tourney, despite an assist from Augustine.

Last year, Augustine elevated his game even more, as he was named to the First-Team All-Conference, and also garnered the co-MVP award for PSU Behrend. He again played in all 22 games, notching four goals, as the Lions went 17-2-3.

In his senior season, Augustine has scored two goals through the first 16 matches. The Lions again are off to a strong start to the campaign, producing a record of 12-1-3, including 5-0-1 in conference action.

Evan took time while away from the pitch to discuss his team’s outlook this season, what training methods he uses, and which super power he would select.

Q: You were an All-Conference player and team MVP last season. How are you trying to build upon those accomplishments now in your senior season?

A: I’m hoping to have a similar season as last year. Being that it’s my senior season, I want to go out with a bang. The most important accomplishment that I want to achieve this year is to win our conference championship and receive another NCAA berth. Winning some NCAA tournament games would be the cherry on top of a successful collegiate career.

Q: As a defender, offensive stats are rarely a great indicator of your level of play. What is the best way to judge if you are performing well?

A: Being a centerback, I’ve always loved to go up for corners and free kicks to try to score a few goals, but man is it tough. The ultimate way of knowing if you performed well is if you kept a shutout and helped the team to a victory. Defense involves a lot of teamwork by the way we move and have each other’s back. If I get beat, I know my other defenders are there for me.

Q: What are the team’s goals this season?

A: Our team goal is to go undefeated in conference play and get home field advantage for playoffs. Competing for an AMCC championship on our home turf, with the fans that we have, will be tough to beat.

Q: What type of exercises do you utilize to prepare you for the season?

A: As a defender, its tough to think of workouts that I can do that would prepare for games. So instead of working on finishing and footwork skills, I workout with a trainer to make myself stronger, faster, quicker, and able to jump higher. I feel that these workouts are more realistic for the position I play.

Q: Your team is loaded with fellow WPIAL athletes. Does that help create a more welcoming environment for players from that region?

A: Oh absolutely – since the majority of us are from the WPIAL, we have great team chemistry. In one way or another, we have either played with or against almost every player, through either high school or club, on our team, so we know each other’s game very well.

Q: What led to your decision to attend Behrend, and was playing collegiate soccer always a focus?

A: Staying close to home had a big impact in my decision. My family has always been my biggest supporters and have made it to almost all of my games my whole soccer career. Of all the schools that were recruiting me, I felt that I fit in best with Behrend’s team. When I met the team, I realized that I played with a lot of them through club soccer. I figured it would have been fun if we got back out there together as a team again, and I was right. So yes, collegiate soccer was the ideal focus from day one.

Q: What is your major and ideal future profession?

A: I’m double majoring in Management Information Systems (MIS) and Supply Chain Management. I want to be a business analyst, where I would look at a company’s processes and find ways on how to improve them. Pretty interesting stuff, huh?

Q: What’s your favorite class thus far in college?

A: I’d have to say my systems analyst class. I think this class has done a good job of getting me prepared for my career. I am currently in a couple other MIS classes this semester that are teaching me useful information that will help make me successful in my career.

Q: Are the winters considerably worse near Erie as opposed to Pittsburgh. And if so, have you adjusted now after several years at Behrend?

A: The winters in Erie are brutal. Snow, wind, and more snow from every direction from October to April. After a few years, I have adjusted to the Erie weather. It makes Pittsburgh’s weather seem a lot warmer than it should.

Q: What was your fondest high school memory?

A: My fondest memory would probably be when I scored a hat trick in the first half my senior year on homecoming day. It was a good start to what was a great night.

Q: Do you still follow South Park soccer or any Eagles athletics?

A: I try to as much as I can. I used to keep up with them regularly, but now that I am four years out of high school, I don’t know the current players as well as I have in the past, so it’s hard to keep in touch.

Q: What is your favorite social media outlet?

A: I’m not huge into social media, but I would have to say Snapchat. Snapchat is an easy and quick way to keep in touch with all your friends.

Q: Is there a movie from which you can recite most or all of the lines?

A: Forrest Gump is my all-time favorite movie. I could watch that movie everyday for the rest of my life.

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

A: I think the superpower I would want to have is the ability to fly. It’s a pretty generic response, but being able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, would be a pretty amazing feeling.