TicketsOct. 12, 2010
By Dave Malaska
GoBEARCATS.com
His father is a longtime University of Cincinnati business professor. His oldest brother was a standout on the UC soccer team. For a long time, Dan Dywer seemed destined for Gettler Stadium and a Bearcats uniform.
Dwyer, the youngest of the three sons of Bob and Kathy Dwyer, grew up watching his older brothers play. While he was making a name for himself at Summit Country Day High School, earning Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Year honors and state accolades, there were countless nights spent watching Mike, his oldest brother who was a key component of UC's NCAA run in 2006, take to the pitch for UC. Dan was often there in the Gettler stands as Mike, who lettered from 2003-06, helped UC to two conference championships and two NCAA appearances, in fact.
At the time, it seemed Dan was just biding his time until he too, would take the field for UC.
"Cincinnati was home, and I had a lot of special memories of UC," says Dwyer, "and I would be able to play in front of my parents and my friends."
That plan got sidetracked, however, when another former Bearcat came calling. While UC showed tepid interest during his senior season ("The way we were set up, we weren't sure Dan was a good fit," explains UC head coach Hylton Dayes), former Bearcats keeper John Adams, his brother's friend and teammate who by then was an assistant at Houston Baptist University, lured Dwyer to play for the Huskies. There, he went on to start 14 matches as a freshman and earn second-team all-conference honors.
Despite the personal success, the Huskies finished a disappointing season with a 6-11-0 record and, Dwyer says, he began to think about Cincinnati again.
"I was a little homesick, but more than anything else I thought we underachieved at Houston. It was a hard decision to make. Houston was great, but I really wanted to play for UC," he admits.
So, a year after he spurned the Bearcats' recruiting advances, he made a call to UC. A year after not being sure if he'd fit into the program, the Bearcats welcomed him with open arms, and Dywer joined the team in time for the spring season.
He didn't have any delusions about his new role, though.
"My friends were asking if I was going to come in and start and I'd tell them I was planning on it," he admits, "but I knew that I had to prove myself all over again, like I did in Houston. I wasn't going to show up and just be handed anything."
Since then, Dwyer has established himself as an integral part of the Bearcats' midfield rotation, starting three matches and adding an assist through UC's first 11 contests.
"When he came back home, he wasn't promised anything," says Dayes, now glad the Bearcat legacy has returned home. "We had a very deep midfield with a lot of guys pushing for playing time, so it was up to him how much he was going to play. Everything that Dan's gotten, he's earned it."
WILD RIDE TO THE END
Wednesday night's tilt between UC and Louisville, tied atop the Red Division standings, could serve as the starter's pistol to a wild final two weeks of the BIG EAST season.
With only six conference contests remaining in the regular season for UC, those last two weeks will include three matches against possible BIG EAST title contenders.
The match vs. UofL might be the biggest test for the Bearcats. Louisville (8-0-2 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST) enters the match ranked No. 2 in the nation by College Soccer News. With 19 goals this season, the Cardinals' offense will push UC's defense, which is ranked fifth nationally by allowing only five goals through 11 matches for a 0.43 goals-against average.
Meanwhile, though UC's offense has struggled to score this season, the Bearcats are coming off a 2-0 win over another ranked opponent, No. 22 St. John's, last Saturday. Also at stake: UC's home unbeaten streak, which has reached 13 games.
From there, the season's final weeks are a roller coaster ride. After traveling to play Seton Hall (3-7-1, 1-2-0 BIG EAST) on Saturday, the Bearcats have to regroup to host perennial power South Florida (6-2-3, 1-1-1 BIG EAST) next Wednesday. Villanova (6-4-2, 2-0-1 BIG EAST), which trails close behind the Bearcats and Cardinals on the Red Division leader board, awaits UC next weekend.
UC faces DePaul (3-6-3, 0-2-1 BIG EAST) and Syracuse (2-5-4, 0-1-2 BIG EAST) to close out the season, looking for a spot in the BIG EAST Tournament and postseason play.