Building a bright future at UW-River Falls men’s soccer team

The UWRF athletic program is making exciting strides with the launch of its inaugural men’s soccer team for the 2024-2025 season.

At the helm is Evan Sassano, a coach with a high-level background in playing and coaching. Sassano joined UWRF in December 2023 after a successful period as the assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas. Before that, he was the head coach at Holy Names University in Oakland, California, where he led the team to its most successful season. With a background that spans 13 years, Sassano has demonstrated his ability to lead teams to success.

In discussing his coaching philosophy, Sassano emphasizes the significance of team culture and mentality. He believes fostering a strong sense of community and collaboration among players is essential, especially when coaching a young team.

“My philosophy can be defined more in terms of culture and mentality. I’m more concerned with what kind of people and players we have. Are we team players? Are we hard workers? Do we respond well to adversity?” he explained.

This holistic approach sets the foundation for a program that prioritizes growth and improvement, both on and off the field, according to Sassano.

Despite their youth, many players have stepped up to leadership roles. Graduate student Carson Galla, the team’s goalkeeper, has become a stand-out player in both performance and character.

“He has been very solid as a goalkeeper; in our first game as a program, he made one of the best saves I’ve ever seen as a coach. The way he carries himself is an example for a lot of our players, how he stays humble and modest.” Sassano said in regards to Galla.

Freshman Ben Harris is another player that makes a significant impact on the team’s growth according to Sassano.

“He’s a very good player, he’s smart, he is skillful, he’s also one of the guys on the team that the players look up to. He has a positive attitude and is very encouraging to his teammates. He’s a younger player, and I see a lot of leadership qualities in him,” Sassano stated.

Additionally, sophomore players, like Sorel Richardson and Victor Vancauteren, bring experience from their previous college, Northland, and have stepped up as leaders on a very young team.

Looking to the future, Sassano sees a competitive program that aligns with the athletic tradition of UWRF. “This is a place where very good athletes come and very good teams are. There’s expectations, which I embrace fully.”

Sassano sums up his faith in the young roster, “I like our team; I think we have a great group of guys; I would describe them as brilliant. We’ve got guys in data science and physics who are incredible students, and they’re playing the game at a high level.”

As the UWRF men’s soccer team grows under Sassano’s leadership, the focus remains on the young players and the culture of the program, and with Sassano at the helm, the Falcons are ready to take flight.