STORY: Price signs with Pfeiffer

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 17, 2017 9:59 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Throughout his high school career, Skyler Price kept a watchful eye on soccer programs at different colleges -- particularly on the Division II and III levels throughout North Carolina.

He constantly followed their progress.

William Peace University? Barton?

Big cities didn't appeal to Price and neither campus felt like "home."

The search continued and carried the Rosewood senior farther toward the western part of the state. That's when he noticed one program that had started an unprecedented meteoric rise which seemed to have occurred overnight.

Pfeiffer University.

A program mired in mediocrity for a number of seasons had all of a sudden risen to prominence among the Division II ranks. The Falcons reached the mountain top of men's soccer when they claimed the national championship in 2015.

They ended the season 25-0-0.

"They had a jump in their level of play," said Price.

Price produced a video from different games he played and mailed it to Falcons head coach Bob Reasso. The two communicated through email and when Price visited, Reasso offered him a spot.

He didn't say "no."

"I was really happy...love the college. Everything about it felt right," Price said. "(I) watched a training session. I was impressed with how he ran the practice and how professional it was. When he offered me the spot, I thought there is a good chance I will be playing there."

But not without challenges.

Rosewood head coach Eddie Maldonado, who played at the University of Mount Olive, spoke with Price about his decision. Maldonado warned that playing soccer becomes a "job" because his teammates and coaches will push him to his limits on a daily basis.

Everyone is there to earn a starting position.

Price does have an advantage. He's added a technical side to his game through travel ball with Wayne County United and Wilson Youth Soccer Association. He's primarily worked from the midfield and improved his decision making after he played more of a defensive role for Rosewood, which had talented and quick strikers up top each of the past two seasons.

"I usually do pretty well with creating chances once I get a first touch on the ball," Price said. "I just have to keep my head on a swivel, not get frustrated. I definitely have to get faster and stronger because everybody there is going to be faster and stronger.

"There are no bad players in college."

Pfeiffer has appeared in the last three NCAA D2 tournaments, but school officials decided two years ago to begin a transition to Division III. The Falcons will become the 17th member of the USA South Conference this fall.

Their transition period officially ends in 2019.

"I think any time a player has the opportunity to go to the next level, it's exciting," Maldonado said. "Every player on that roster is going to be the best player coming out of their high school or another country. The competition you're going to see will be good competition every day.

"It's going to be an exciting experience."

And an opportunity to help keep Pfeiffer rising among the elite teams in the country.