Oct. 14, 2015
- By Miranda Kulp, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Most students at this university can always remember when they visited the university and experienced Happy Valley for the first time. However for Penn State men's soccer player Sam Bollinger, Penn State has been within five minutes from his house since he was a toddler.
Originally born in Boston, Bollinger moved to State College before he was one when his dad became a chemistry professor here at Penn State.
Born and raised Nittany Lion fan, Bollinger reflects on the journey of being a fan to making the men's soccer team in his sophomore year.
"It's honestly a dream come true, I've been coming to these games since I was five and I've always wanted to play on the team," stated Bollinger. "My freshman year I was on the club team but then I walked on this year and it's been great achieving that dream of mine."
Although Bollinger played club his freshman year, he was determined to make his dream of playing Division I soccer a reality.
"Sam is a great story about someone who is following his dream, who trained to make his dreams a reality," said Head Coach Bob Warming.
"He fits in great with the team; he also stands as a role model for everyone. He's a perfect example of someone who is playing Division I soccer but is also dedicated to his studies. Through his actions he demonstrates that he's at Penn State to play soccer but also because he loves the school," continued Coach Warming.
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