By: Will Pantages '13

BEREA, OHIO -  Four years ago, Carlin Vandendriessche scored a goal in each of his first two collegiate soccer matches as he led Baldwin-Wallace College to the title at the Penn State Behrend University Tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the beginning of a solid first three seasons for the Yellow Jackets.

Now, fast forward four seasons and the six-foot and two-inch senior striker enters his final season in Berea as team captain and unquestioned leader of the B-W offense, and with an opportunity to end his brilliant career as the school's all-time leading scorer. Vandendriessche also would like to lead the Yellow Jackets to their first-ever Ohio Athletic Conference title in men's soccer.

"The records would be nice, but that's just not my or our team focus at all," said Vandendriessche prior to the team's first preseason practice on August 22. "We want to win the OAC title and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament.  It was why I came here four years ago -- to win an OAC title and go to the NCAA tournament.  That is our goal and our focus."

10th-year Head Coach Reid Ayers knows how valuable the senior striker is to his program.

"Carlin has been the heart and soul of our offense for the past four years," said Ayers, the winningest men's soccer coach in school history." You always knew what sort of effort you were going to get every day - a strong effort and at least two or three solid scoring opportunities.

"The B-W program has had some outstanding forwards in its history, including a few guys that Carlin has had the opportunity to play with, such as [2011 graduate] Tyler Leister," continued Ayers. "So, for him to have the chance to be our all-time leading scorer is saying a lot."

As a freshman, Vandendriessche played in 19 matches, scored nine goals and added an assist for 19 points as the Yellow Jackets finished 12-6-1 overall and 2-6-1 in the OAC.  His best season was as a sophomore when B-W was 13-7-1 overall and he scored 13 goals (tying the school record for a single-season) and had four assists for 30 points. The 30 points ranked fourth in a single-season. Last year, he was utilized more as a midfielder, and still tied for second in goals with eight and had 16 points as B-W finished 12-6-4.

"I didn't have a problem being moved to midfield," said Vandendriessche.  "Coach Ayers told me if I switched, it would give us a better chance to win, so I was happy to do it. Whatever he feels will help the tea win, I am all for doing."

Although the school records are not his main priority, Vandendriessche is cognitive of where he stands in school history.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't know how far away I am from these records," said Vandendriessche. "It would be a great honor to both score enough points and goals to be atop the rankings.  Again and obviously, the team goals come first. To be a member and contributor on the team that helped B-W win its first OAC title would mean more than any individual record I attain."

Ayers and Vandendriessche have worked well together.

"The type of relationship Coach (Ayers) and I have is special," said Vandendriessche, an international business and finance major. "He is the head coach and there is no question about that.  He also is a close friend who knows the game very well and only wants to see us succeed in the classroom and on the field. Coach Ayers is very smart tactical coach who knows how to get the best out of each of his players, especially me."

Vandendriessche, a Medina High gradute, enters this season ranked seventh in B-W all-time scoring with 65 career points. He is 27 points shy of Hall of Famer Jeff Schenk's (1983-86) school-record of 92 points. He stands fourth in goals with 30, six behind Schenk. He needs one goal to tie Pete Angelokostopoulous (1997-2000) and three to tie Leister.

"Carlin can score both via a set piece and is adept at creating his own shots and offense," said Ayers. "He has outstanding foot skills and a knack of forcing a defender to commit one way and then he goes in the other direction. When he creates that opening, albeit brief, he has the power in his foot and leg to make his shot count."

Serving as team captain for a second consecutive season means a great deal to him.

"It places great responsibility on me," said Vandendriessche.  "The rest of the team looks to me for guidance and to do the right thing both on and off the field. I know it is important for me to set an example for the incoming freshmen and show them the Yellow Jacket way."

The way last season ended also has had an effect on Vandendriessche.  B-W suffered a heartbreaking, 2-1 loss in the OAC semifinals to top-seeded Ohio Northern University after leading 1-0 at halftime.

"That loss has given us great motivation to work extremely hard during this past offseason so we can achieve our ultimate goal of winning an OAC championship," said Vandendriessche. "We look at the experience and know that we don't want to feel that way again." 

This fall, Ayers and Vandendriessche both agree that the Yellow Jackets will be in the hunt for the 2011 OAC crown.

"We return a solid nucleus of student-athletes and we have an outstanding recruiting class coming to camp who will compete with our veterans," said Ayers.  "We have the talent and ability to contend."

"We have great team chemistry, which I think really helps a team succeed," said Vandendriessche. "Even though we  lost a few of our top players to graduation, I feel we can still win a lot of matches and achieve all our goals." 

Off the soccer field, Vandendriessche carries a solid 3.0 grade-point average. While he does not know what career opportunities await him after graduation, one oppurtunity he continues to ponder is to go on to law school and become a lawyer. But that is still a year away and he knows one thing for sure, he plans to be involved with soccer in any way he can.

"Right now, I'm thinking about law school, but that seems so far away," said Vandendriessche, who also coaches a U-9 team in the Strongsville Rec League/ Strongsville Soccer Association, and I am enjoying that very much.

"Right now, my focus is on helping the Baldwin-Wallace College Yellow Jackets win a first-ever OAC men's soccer title," said Vandendriessche. "It is as simple as that."

Ayers, Vandendriessche and the Yellow Jackets open the 2011 season on Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4 at the annual Penn State Behrend University Tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania. On Sept. 3, B-W opens its season against Elizabethtown (Pa.) University at 12:30 p.m. with the consolation and championship game following the next day. The home opener is on Tuesday, Sept. 6 against traditional nonleague rival Oberlin College at The George Finnie Stadium in Berea at 7:00 p.m.  The OAC opener is on Saturday, October 1 against Marietta College in Berea at 3:30 p.m.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.