Towson University Athletics

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Men's Soccer 9.18.2009

MEET THE TIGERS: Junior Defender Scott Horta

TOWSON, Md. – As Scott Horta tried to finalize his college plans, he got a valuable piece of advice from his mother – take a look at Towson. Fortunately for the Tigers, he did and now, the Lawrenceville, N.J. native is a two-time captain who is trying to lead the team to a Colonial Athletic Association championship.

While he was looking at Towson, Horta knew that he belonged there. He was also looking at other schools near his hometown like Saint Joseph's and Seton Hall, but Horta knew had a feeling.

“It just felt right,” Horta said about going to Towson. “You can just tell when you walk around campus that this is a good place to be. Coach [Olszewski] was very eager to tell me about the campus and he was very aggressive with e-mails and phone calls. It just felt like I wanted to be here and needed to come here.”

After joining the Tiger program in time for the 2007 season, Horta made an immediate impact by playing in 20 games and helping the Tigers reach the CAA Championship match. He started the last 14 games and earned third team All-CAA honors.

Horta saw his freshman year as a learning experience and has used that to his advantage.

“It was amazing,” he says. “I was real encouraged to contribute and it was very exciting to be on that team. I thought we had a real chance to win the CAA title that year.”

When Coach Frank Olszewski named him as a team captain the following year, he was encouraged. But, according to Horta, he knew that he needed to improve on being a leader.

“It was enlightening,” he explains. “I saw that I needed a lot of work in terms of being a leader. I tried a little too much and did some things that I shouldn't have done just because I was a captain.

“It was to get that experience though,” Horta adds. “It was a great thing for me and it is going to help us going forward.”

Horta went on to start 15 games as a sophomore and earn third team All-CAA honors for the second straight year while leading the Tigers to an 8-5-4 record.

In 2009, Horta has been named as a captain for the second straight year and he already has a vision for the Tigers.

“I can definitely see us with a CAA Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament,” he explains. “We've talked about it all summer and now, we have to 'walk the walk.' If we want to do these things, we are going to have to work for it.”

According to Coach Olszewski, one of Horta's biggest qualities is that he is a team player, putting the team's goals in front of his own.

“Scott recognizes the big picture and understands how important the details are,” Coach says. “He is a very loyal teammate and extremely dedicated to team accomplishments. Scott never puts himself above anyone else on the team.”

While soccer plays a very large role in his life, Horta knows what his primary objective at Towson is – to get a degree. He is studying for his degree in Sport Management and knows that if he doesn't become a professional soccer player, he needs to have something to fall back upon.

“I promised myself that school has to come first,” he explains. “Even if we have a big game, if there is something due the next day for a class, I have to get it done. Otherwise, I will be thinking about during the game. That's the last thing I need for the team is to not be focused on the field.”

If Horta continues to be a strong leader, there is no doubt that he could become the first player to be a three-year captain since Richie Moller wore the armband from 1996 to 1998. But, there is also no doubt that the Tigers could win the CAA title and make a return to the NCAA Tournament.

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