MF Darren McAfee, #10

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Major: Engineering science

Position: Midfielder

Two-time All-SCAC team

Two-time Scholar All-American

Two-time All-region first team

Three SCAC Championships

Four playoff trips including 2013 Elite Eight

What were two highlight moments of your athletic career at Trinity and why?

Scoring the penalty against Wartburg was definitely a highlight. There was so much riding on that one shot, and when I initially hit it, I could tell I hit it slightly wider than I had intended. Watching it go and hearing the ping of the ball striking the post and going in was so relieving and incredibly satisfying. The second would be being voted MVP by my teammates this year. Nothing means more than the opinions of my brothers.

Which game was the most heated/intense?

Sweet sixteen game against Wartburg. We went down 1-0, and the whole game was a struggle. After the goal, everyone became totally focused. When every little thing means so much, you have to enter a new level of concentration, and we did. I became so consumed by the game that I didn’t feel any emotion during it. It wasn’t until five minutes after Yuri scored the game winner and the game ended that I realized the meaning of what happened. It was the strangest moment of my life. All of the emotions””misery, gloom, glory and elation””hit me at the same time.

What other organizations were you a part of at Trinity?

Just soccer and engineering. There’s not time for much else.

What is a memorable non-athletic moment of your time at Trinity as a student?

Most of them involve doing ridiculous things with my friends. I only wish I had more time to goof off.

Do you plan to continue playing soccer after college?

I will be playing with Albuquerque Sol FC in the PDL this summer. It is their first year, and I am excited to play with a bunch of fellow New Mexicans that I grew up playing with and against.