For the vast majority of high school athletes, competing at the collegiate level is nothing more than a pipe dream. A nice thought, but just not realistic.
According to ncca.org, only about 1.3% of high school soccer players go on to play Division I soccer, which includes major collegiate athletic powers with large budgets and more athletic scholarships. Further, only about 2.7% play Division III, which are smaller schools that typically are unable to offer full or partial athletic scholarships.
Despite all the statistics, Dylan Groeneveld and Nick Lorr of Coronado High’s boys soccer team were determined to receive that elusive, yet crucial, ‘yes’ to play at the next level.
After successful high school careers as Islanders – careers that included a 17-2-2 season where the Islander’s finished ranked 79th nationally in 2022 – both Lorr and Groeneveld received and accepted scholarships to play college ball at the University of Chicago and Stanford, respectively.
With star forwards Groeneveld and Lorr, the Islanders followed up their magical campaign last season with a successful 9-3-1 record as of Jan. 30.
By nature of playing the same position, Lorr and Groeneveld are very familiar with each other, and the two had much to say about their respective college bound teammate.
“He’s the best player I’ve played with…”
Coronado soccer player Nick Lorr talking about teammate Dylan Groeneveld
“He’s the best player I’ve played with, and his potential is through the roof,” Lorr said, “Trust me when I say you will not beat this kid one on one”.
Groeneveld echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Lorr’s defensive capabilities and fundamentals as key to his success.
“U of Chicago is getting a very talented defender that is flexible and capable of playing different positions due to his advanced technical ability,” Groeneveld said.
Although both Groeneveld and Lorr have been gifted with athleticism fit for NCAA soccer, the pair of teammates each expressed that the academic prestige of the universities they committed to played a significant role in their decision to attend.
Lorr cited that his ultimate verdict came down to the University of Chicago being the reigning DIII national champion for men’s soccer and that its Booth School of Business, where he wants to study, has one of the top academic ratings by U.S. News & World Report.
“UChicago is the perfect combination of academic rigor and high level soccer,” he said. He said.
Although the paths these two soon to be Coronado High graduates took to achieve their dreams were different, Groneveld said he knew he would play collegiate soccer when he excelled at playing in an older age group. Lorr, meanwhile, said the process was more gradual when he realized he was capable of playing college soccer.
