The University of Wisconsin Platteville’s men’s soccer team finished the regular season with a 14-3-1 record and won two games in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament.  Leading the team to victory has been Pioneer goalkeeper Ian Christensen.

Christensen, junior industrial engineering major, has played soccer since he was a young boy.  Both his father and his older brother played, and he wanted to follow in their footsteps.

Christensen chose UW-Platteville because he had previously met the team’s head coach, Enzo Fuschino, and because it was the closest school for engineering to Oregon, his hometown.

As goalkeeper, Christensen acted as a verbal leader.  On the field and before the game, he talked to the other players to organize and encourage them.

“It’s a group effort between all of us,” Christensen said.

“Ian came in big,” senior forward Brandon Chmiel said.  “In past years, our team wasn’t as successful, and he was a backup goalie.  This year, he started and has led the team to 14 wins and 10 were shutouts.”

Christensen is one of two team captains.  As both captain and goalie he often lends support, encouragement and instructions to his defensive line and the rest of the team.

“Ian’s best attributes include being a good leader, knowing what we need to do to win and his mustache,” Chmiel said.

As a goalie, Christensen said, “You can’t think about the pressure.  If you make a mistake you have to move on quickly and keep going.”

Fuschino said he believes as a team captain, Christensen is a good role model and carries the responsibility well.

Christensen was voted first team all-conference and ranked in the top 20 keepers in the nation for goals against average.  His shutout percent rate ranks in top the top 12 percent in the country.  Ten shutouts set a record at UW-Platteville, and Christensen was the goalie for every shutout game this season.

“He didn’t play much for two years, but he worked extremely hard,” Fuschino said.  “He is a very physical and technical player and played a very important role in keeping the defense on track.”