Wake Forest Athletics
Keeping up with the Deacs: Brian Carroll
2/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Feb. 25, 2014
By Jenn Leser, WakeForestSports.com (@WakeMSoccer)
During his time at Wake Forest (2000-02), Brian Carroll played a key role in the men's soccer program, serving as a team captain during his sophomore and junior seasons. The Springfield, Va., native was named to the All-ACC Second Team in 2001 and the All-ACC First Team in 2002, as well as being a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy award given annually to collegiate soccer's top player. Carroll is tied for fourth on the all-time assist list with 27. After leaving Wake Forest in 2003, Carroll was drafted 11th overall in the MLS Draft by D.C. United, where he won the MLS Cup in 2004 as well as the Supporters' Shield in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Carroll was traded to the Columbus Crew and in 2008, the midfielder won another MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield. Carroll was traded to the Philadelphia Union in 2010 and recently played in his 300th career match.
What has your career been like since leaving Wake Forest?
"I didn't play a minute my rookie year but was involved with some of the Olympic team stuff, but unfortunately we didn't qualify. Essentially from my second season until now, I've gotten somewhere around 30 games a year and won two MLS Cups and four Supporters' Shields, which is the regular season championship in Major League Soccer. I played five years with D.C. United, three years with the Columbus Crew and this is my third year with the Philadelphia Union. I didn't graduate [from Wake Forest]. I transferred to George Mason University and finished my degree in political science while playing for D.C. United."
What do you miss most about Wake Forest?
"I miss the relationships that were built up there. My friends on the soccer team, friends from some other sports teams, the coaching staff that was in place when I was there and just the overall feel of being around a student-athlete atmosphere that Wake Forest provided, which is second to none in my opinion."
What has been the biggest transition since leaving Wake?
"Just being away from those relationships that I had built up over the previous three years and not having success right away. That was kind of a difficult portion in my career. Once I was able to overcome that, I really haven't looked back. I'll always miss the relationships and the memories that I was able to create there. The biggest thing for me is just not really having the opportunity to go back. Obviously I could go back in the offseason but that would be a December-January time frame. There's some basketball games but besides that there's not really too much going on. It's also winter break for a lot of the people down there. I miss just not being able to go back and talk with some of the people and spend time with them during my time there."
What was your greatest Wake memory?
"I would have to say just playing in the league that the ACC provided. Winning regular season titles, consistently being ranked in the top five for a good portion of my time there and just the journeys that we had my freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. Looking back, it's the journey and the process of starting the season and getting through the end of the season that you learn to appreciate the older that you get."
Do you keep in touch with former teammates?
"I do keep in touch with some of the guys that were in my class and with some guys that were a little bit older than me, like the junior and senior classes from when I was a freshman. It's not consistent and it's not a whole lot, but every once in a while, we'll have an e-mail thread going or text or phone calls going. We haven't seen each other in a while, but I know when we do it'll be picking up right back where we left off as if we were at school. I do keep probably closest in connection with Will Hesmer, who I was also able to play with professionally while I was with Columbus. We had a little bit of a carrying-on in the soccer sense after Wake Forest. Besides him, everyone else I keep in touch with is on a limited basis but it is still quality."
Given the number of Demon Deacons playing professionally, what do you think that says about the strength of the Wake Forest program?
"Obviously it speaks volumes to how the program has been successful. It shows the quality of the school, the quality of the staff, namely Jay [Vidovich] who has been there since before I was going there. It just speaks to the atmosphere and the relationships that they have been able to create. It's just a place that when you visit you feel comfortable and you want to be a part of the good things that they have going on down there. It's really hard to beat the strength of the academics but also the strength of the athletic programs at Wake Forest. That's really what drew me to that place. The people and the location and just how great and comfortable you feel being a part of that."
What is the most important lesson you learned at Wake Forest?
"I just think the people there and the school created a certain confidence to be had. I think the more you believed in yourself, whether you were playing a professional sport or you were going on and doing whatever your career develops into, whether in business or sports or whatever it may be. Just the confidence and believing in yourself to go out and do a good job, do your best, everything is attainable."
What advice would you give to a Wake Forest student?
"Just enjoy your time there as much as possible. Obviously do the schoolwork and compete at a high level on the field, on the court or whatever it may be. Even if you're not an athlete, do well in school, enjoy your sports and enjoy your extracurricular activities because all of those things play a role in shaping you as a person and preparing you for the real world."
Coach Jay Vidovich on Brian Carroll:
"What a special guy. As a freshman coming here, he already acted like a captain. First into practice, last one out, always working, doing extra stuff. He started from his first game to his last game with us. He was the first player we had that was able to leave early into the MLS. To see his career there just from his rookie campaign at D.C. United, where he didn't get a minute of play, to his next year when he was the ironman and played every minute, to seeing him go and get a MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield with Columbus. I know he's just instrumental with everything they're doing up in Philly. Brian, he's just one of the favorites and I have the utmost respect for what he's done as a player and a person."
