Sept. 29, 2012
By: Shon Purdy SEATTLE - Dylan Tucker-Gangnes, the Huskies starting center back from Bainbridge Island, is one of the captains for the Washington Huskies men's soccer team. Being a senior, this is his fourth year as a Husky starter (he had to redshirt his sophomore year due to back injury). Tucker-Gangnes has always played a huge role on the soccer field. His work ethic from the beginning of his freshman year has always been strong, which led him to a well-deserved starting spot on the roster. Tucker-Gangnes said from the start he has not changed his approach for improving and enhancing his game, but has become more experienced and has created a strong leadership role, both on the field and in the locker room. "This is my last season as a Husky. I'm going to give it my all and leave nothing on the table," said Tucker-Gangnes. His leadership is extremely important. Younger players on the team can learn from him to better themselves in all aspects of the game. Having a strong leadership presence such as Tucker-Gangnes helps the team tremendously. It allows others to feed off his on-the-field intensity and his work ethic at practice. In addition to being an outstanding leader, his soccer skills fall nothing short of how a captain should play. In the nine games so far this season he has accumulated seven goals. His seven goals lead the team this season; all while playing defensive center back. Besides being the Huskies scoring phenom, he also makes his presence felt on defense. This year he and his defensive teammates have had shutout games against Cal Poly, Memphis, and Seattle University. "My individual goals match the team goals, which is to continue to win and fight for the top spot in the Pac-12," said Tucker-Gangnes. He also mentioned how the coaching staff has contributed to the success this season. The new addition of assistant coach Craig Waibel has helped a lot because he brings in professional experience to the college level. Waibel is a University of Washington Alumni and played professional soccer for over 10 years. His experience and knowledge of the game can really give the Huskies the edge they need to compete for a Pac-12 title. The coaching staff since day one has preached how important set pieces are; which is a reason why the Huskies have been so successful with them this year. They are a very underrated part of soccer, so the team works on them during practice because they know how set pieces can be a game changer. The Huskies are looking to build a winning streak off their win against Seattle University last week. This weekend the Huskies can really showcase that they are a legitimate contender for the Pac-12 title. A win against Oregon State would be a great start to the Pac-12 season. It would get them one step closer to the team's goal: a division title. The Huskies host Oregon State this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. Pack the house or watch it on the Pac-12 Networks. |
