Senior forward Bryan Wager celebrates after a Geneseo goal against Clarkson University. Wager is set on leading his team to the NCAA Tournament after the Knights have won their first four games of the season (courtesy of Bryan Wager).
Bryan Wager is a major reason the Geneseo men’s soccer team started the 2019 season 4-0, the team’s best start to a season since 1989. Wager has already scored two goals on the season, bringing his career total to ten.
During his senior year, Wager does not care how many goals he scores as long as his personal and team goals are met.
Wager is one of only a few senior players in the starting lineup each night for the Knights, thrusting him into a leadership position each time he steps on the pitch. His leadership is evident through his personal goal for the 2019 season.
“My personal goal is leading the team to a SUNYAC final,” Wager said. “I know it’s not a very individual goal.”
When asked about his team goals, Wager doubled down and said, “A bigger team goal is to get into the NCAA tournament. Either winning the SUNYAC and getting in that way or getting an at large bid by being second or maybe third in the conference.”
Clearly, Wager is focused on leading his team deep into the postseason regardless of what his individual stats read at the end of the season.
Wager is no stranger to postseason soccer. In 2013 and 2014, he was a member of the Fairport Boys’ soccer Section V Class AA State champion team. He remembers those times fondly, but one instance sticks out; “My favorite high school soccer memory would be scoring the goal to send the sectional final to overtime my senior year,” he said.
When he is not scoring meaningful goals in postseason play, Wager is notching some impressive highlight reel goals as well.
“I once scored a goal in high school that was from the end line on a windy day,” Wager said. “I curved the ball into the goal … from the corner flag.” Despite that impressive goal, Wager still cherishes headers more than any goal he scores with his feet.
“I think there’s benefits to both, but I prefer headers. There’s something about it … it takes a lot of athleticism, coordination and timing,” he said. “When you can get it right, it’s really successful and awesome.” Wager has demonstrated his ability to score with his head several times throughout his career, including one of his goals this season.
Wager’s talent on the soccer field can be credited to his dedication to the sport from a young age, playing soccer since he was five years old to maintain his family’s tradition of playing the sport. However, Wager also recognizes other factors playing a role on his soccer skills.
“I ran track and played basketball in high school,” Wager said. “Running track, I learned how to run and developed some speed. Playing basketball, there is so many quick movements all over the court that translates to quick movements on the soccer field.”
If his soccer career does not pan out, Wager jokes that he dreams of being an NBA point guard. “I think that’d be awesome,” he said.
At the end of this season, Wager will have to move on from Geneseo, to potentially play basketball for the Knicks or to pursue some other endeavor with his Geneseo degree.
“I’ll miss my teammates the most,” Wager said. “Over the last four years I’ve been able to play soccer with my best friends … [I will miss] being part of a team.”
Before graduating and leaving his friends and teammates, Wager and the Knights still have some unfinished business regarding their team’s goal of making the NCAA tournament. Wager wants the campus to know this isn’t the same Geneseo team of years past. “We’re very different than past soccer teams. We have a new coach in his second year, we have a young team and we’re really talented,” he said. “This is the first time we’ve been 4-0 in over 30 years. There is a new atmosphere with the program, hopefully we’ll have some success.”
Geneseo students and fans can catch Wager and the Knights in action on Saturday Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. when they take on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at College Stadium.
Other places students may run into Wager are his favorite study spot, the top floor of Milne Library, or Mama Mia’s on Main Street, which he swears is much better than Pizza Paul’s.