Montgomery County Community College Mustangs men’s soccer has a big reason to celebrate, as the team recently won the 2023 Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championship following a 4-1 win over last year’s EPAC champion Northampton Community College.

The Mustangs squad holds a 10-1-2 record and has its sights set on the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 19 Division III title. Seeding is scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18.

“It’s been a lot of hard work to get to this point,” said Head Coach Tom Haney. “We’re second in the region; we’re about a half a game out of first behind Camden County College. So, we’re hanging in there at the top.”

The team’s success has been in many ways due to Haney’s work recruiting and developing the program over time.

“Soccer is doing really well,” said Kelly Dunbar, Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation. “Tom Haney has done a really good job recruiting athletes to the College. Many are coming here to play soccer.”

Student-athletes playing for the Mustangs come from countries including Germany, France, Albania and Sudan, to name a few.

“I give credit to my players,” said Haney. “Building team chemistry at a junior college is challenging. Most of my players never met prior to the preseason training in the middle of August. They came together, hung out together outside of soccer and quickly became friends.  That is no easy task and I totally credit my players for making this happen.”

“The team is super diverse. International players, local players from local high schools, transfer students,” said Dunbar. “We encompass different ‘How Do You Montcos,’ who have come together to form a team.”

The diversity of the team has only been a strength, said Haney.

“My teams are always like that,” said Haney. “I don’t have any conflict. These guys have been absolutely tremendous year after year of coming together as a group. These guys are not only playing soccer and going to school but many of them are working. It’s a tough schedule. It’s grueling.”

Haney, 65, first joined the College in 2009 as coach of the women’s soccer team. In addition to playing the game all his life, he has coached both men’s and women’s soccer for 48 years, as well as the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association's Olympic Development Program for nearly 20 years. Several of his players have been recruited by NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III schools. Among other coaching licenses, Haney holds a USSF C License and an NSCAA Advance National Diploma. He completed a 42-year career in law enforcement.

He’s supported this season by Assistant Coaches Kim Gerhart and Bert Gottbrecht.

A major key to the 25-man-squad’s success this year comes down to Haney’s ability to put a solid structure in place, find the right pieces to form a team and win.

“I call it a NCAA Division I support program at a junior college,” said Haney of his Division III team. “It’s something my coaching staff and I have worked hard to achieve. Our goal is to have our players complete their associate degree and continue their education and soccer experience at a four-year university. Two players from last year’s team are currently studying and playing at Lock Haven University.”

His coaching staff brings a lot of experience to their roles. Gerhart coached soccer at Pennridge High School for more than 20 years and has been an assistant soccer coach for the Mustangs for 10 years. Gottbrecht is a November 1978 Soccer Player of America recipient, a four-year starter at Lock Haven University (three-time PSAC champion and 1979 All-American), member of US u16 World Cup team, member of San Jose Earthquakes, member of Tulsa Roughnecks and member of San Francisco Fog. He also has coaching experience at United German Hungarian, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, Germantown Academy, and Lock Haven University.

“We call ourselves the three old guys coaching the youth,” Haney quipped.

The program also benefits from the training facilities in the Health Sciences Center on Blue Bell Campus.

“The support structure within the Athletic Department is paramount to our success,” said Haney. “Josh Walters, St. Luke’s Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer, and Zach Hoffman, as our strength and conditioning coach, help keep our athletes on the pitch. In addition, access to a state-of-the-art fitness center provides a proper environment to prepare our athletes to compete at a high-level of play.”  

He also gave a special recognition to Supervisor of Grounds Phillip Capinski and his team, for ensuring the fields are in great condition.

This season, said Haney, feels like the first since before the pandemic where the team has been able to have some momentum in terms of recruitment. Many of the players on the team this season are first-year students, who have been playing for Haney since mid-August.

Since taking over the men’s team, Haney has worked aggressively to recruit athletes to play for the Mustangs, said Dunbar.

“When I recruit, I really push the quality of our education here, and the quality of our classrooms, and the quality of our teachers,” said Haney. “That’s the number one thing I push first to get the interest of my players and soccer is secondary. We are just a tool to help them do something they really like, to stay focused and be part of the community here in Montgomery County. Then be successful and move on to a four-year program.”

Haney also attributes the team’s success to the work of faculty mentor, Psychology Professor Steven Baron, and Baron’s son, Michael, also a Psychology instructor at MCCC, who works with the team too.

“They both love the game, having both played and coached for years. Dr. Baron was a Mustang soccer player while a student at MCCC,” said Haney. “Dr. Baron works on the mental aspects of the game through his sports psychology background. He relates dealing with pressure on the pitch, classroom and work as all intertwined. I have him talk to the team several times a week and prior to our games. His message to the team is always spot on.”

Lastly, Haney has also worked hard to build a fan base by reaching out to populations both on and off campus, said Dunbar.

“I think for us it’s really finding the right coach that fits our mission. He does that. He puts in the effort and has the success,” said Dunbar. “He’s constantly recruiting and created a culture change for the men’s soccer program. He is approaching 50 wins. He’s been here since the inception and has been able to adapt for Montco’s niche for men’s soccer.”  

Haney said right now the team’s focus is making it into the NJCAA Region 19 National Tournament this year.

“Our region is tough,” he said. “Camden is in our region. Twenty-six of the 28 players on that team are recruited international players. We compete with them, but we seem to fall short by a goal a lot. We’re hoping we can get over that hump.”

The Mustangs next take on the Roadrunners of Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland, Monday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m.