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PHS Alum Levine In Top Gun Role For Undefeated Emory Soccer
By Bill Alden
When Matt Levine headed to Emory University in the fall of 2000, he was determined that soccer wouldn't be the main focus of his college years.
The Princeton High grad, who had been a star forward on three state playoff squads during his days with the Little Tigers' soccer program, has indeed broadened his horizons in college. Levine is majoring in economics, working part-time at a hedge funds company, and sampling the other options on the liberal arts menu at Emory. But making time for soccer and steadily improving each season, Levine has developed into the main focus of the attack for a sizzling Emory squad that is 11-0-1 and ranked No. 3 in the nation among Division III teams.
Levine, who started the season by scoring at least one goal in each of Emory's first 10 games, is the team's high scorer with 13 goals. In addition, he is now ranked third all-time in Emory in career goals (47) and points scored (116).
The 6'3, 195-pound Levine is pleasantly surprised by how things have turned out. "I wasn't shooting for records, I didn't even know about it until last year when they told me I was moving up the lists," said Levine, whose goal totals went from 6 to 12 to 16 in his first three years of college.
"I didn't choose Emory because of soccer. I viewed soccer as just an extracurricular activity, I wasn't going to college just to play soccer. I focused on academics and what the school had to offer. I've had the chance to study a variety of things, it's not been difficult to branch out."
Levine did acknowledge that he had some initial difficulty adjusting to college soccer. "It took me a month to get adjusted to the speed and physicality of the game at this level," explained Levine. "You need to learn when to attack and when to stay back. If you make a bad touch here, you're going to lose the ball."
In the view of Emory head coach Mike Rubesch, Levine has rarely made a bad touch. "When he came here, he had the intangibles, he scored some fantastic goals as a freshman," said Rubesch, who is in his 16th year heading the Emory program.
"Matt is what I consider to be the prototypical striker. He has size, good feet, and the instinct of putting the ball into the back of the net. He's got the mentality of a striker in that he feels he can score at any time. That's an attitude that can't be developed by someone else, that has to come from within."
Rubesch believes that Levine's development has put him in an elite status in the annals of Emory soccer. "I have had All-Americans and a player taken in the first round of the MLS (Major League Soccer) draft but Matt could prove to be one of the finest strikers we've ever had here," asserted Rubesch.
"I don't think we've ever had anyone who scored in the first ten games of the season. Matt has elevated his game as the team has reached a higher level."
Levine credits his hot start this season to playing on a better team. "I would say in general things are easier for me with this team," he added. "We are moving the ball up the field with more numbers. The ball is coming across to me which is making things much easier since I'm not having to take it and turn on it as in the past three years."
As Levine winds up what he believes will be his final season of competitive soccer, he is looking to get back to post-season play for the first time since his days at PHS.
"Making the NCAA tournament has become my single goal, we have yet to make it in my three years here," said Levine, who plans to travel in Europe and Asia after graduation and then find a job in the finance field.
"I made the state tournament three times in high school but that's not like being in the NCAA tournament. I'm so happy with the team's performance so far this year. We had a winning record the last three years but we struggled to win going down the stretch. We are winning the wishy-washy games this year."
Levine, though, is not wishy-washy when he reflects on how playing soccer has enriched his college experience. "While the first three years of soccer may not have been the most rewarding in terms of wins, I love the guys on this team," maintained Levine.
"All my best friends are on the team. We've had great road trips, getting to fly to places like Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, and New York City. It's fantastic that we've done so well so far this season. We've really bonded, we have some new characters on the team."
With a well-rounded character like Levine at striker, Emory could be a force if it makes it into the post-season.
