TicketsSept. 28, 2005
In just eight games, junior forward Omar Cummings has made some major contributions to the University of Cincinnati men's soccer team. The Jamaica native and transfer from Cincinnati State was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals in the Bearcats' 2-0 win over No. 1-ranked Connecticut.
Being from Jamaica, what made you choose to come to Cincinnati? "I had a scholarship. Of course, being able to get a free education is nice. I'd be playing soccer too, so that was easy."
What is your favorite thing about Cincinnati? "It's inexpensive, especially for college life. It's great. It's not as expensive as other places, so I would say that's a bonus."
What are you looking forward to the most in your first year at UC? "My first year I want to help the team be noticed as one of the best teams and the best schools, soccer-wise, in the region. We're in a new conference so we need to establish ourselves. Academically, I want the same thing. We have a rule on the team that we want to be one of the best sports academically in the whole school and even the country; 3.0 GPA or better for everyone on the team. That's what we're aiming for."
What was it like beating UConn? "It felt great, awesome. For me, scoring the two goals was an added bonus, but I think everyone worked really hard. It was great."
What are your early impressions of the BIG EAST? "Definitely, it's physical. I haven't really played in other Division I conferences. I have only played for Cincinnati State, which is a junior college. Compared with Cincinnati State, it's a lot more physical, a lot more running. It's more technical. It's a whole different ball game, so you have to step up."
How does it feel to be UC Soccer's first BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week? "It was great actually. Someone called me and said, `Hey, congratulations.' I was like, `Congratulations, what?' They said, `You didn't hear it? You got BIG EAST Player of the Week.' I said, `Yeah? Great!' I was laughing. I couldn't even believe it. I wasn't even looking for the award. It was absolutely great to do something and actually get acknowledged for it. I was happy."
What are some of the team's goals for the season? "Our team goals are definitely to make the conference tournament. We want to win the conference and do the best we possibly can all the time. We always wanted to win-out, not lose a game. Unfortunately, we've lost two games so far, but that's our plan still. We don't plan on losing any more games and just move from there, a game at a time, of course."
What are some of your personal goals? "For personal goals on the field, I want to help my team play the best. If I could stand out personally and happen to establish myself as one of the best players in the region, or in the BIG EAST, or in the country, great. But team will always come first. Off the field, I would like to complete all my classes and get good grades, of course, so I can move on to next year so I can even finish early if possible. Differently from academics, I just want have a great time and have fun while in college because it's a one-time opportunity. I want to go back to Jamaica sometime this year, too."
What is your favorite soccer memory? "I have a couple. The UConn game will definitely be in my memory now, but I can remember when I was playing in high school in Jamaica. I was playing in a semifinal game. My uncle was behind the goal and my cousin was taking a free kick and he shouted out, `This one's for you!' My cousin scored that ball, headed it in. That was one of the best memories. The other one was when I was 17. The score was 1-1 and I had a bicycle kick that won the game. That was really great."