Bulls have a good time breakout soccer season on ESPN

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing

Josh Lefkowitz didn’t plan to make a grand entrance — but it surely by some means match.

A longtime USF fan, he likes to say he’s at all times among the many first to reach at Raymond
James Stadium for Bulls dwelling soccer video games.

So, after all, the USF sophomore confirmed up early when ESPN’s “SportsCenter on Campus”
broadcast from outdoors the Marshall Student Center on Thursday afteroon to advertise
the group’s nationally televised dwelling sport in opposition to the University of Texas at San Antonio.

As Lefkowitz strolled towards the stage practically two hours earlier than the cameras began
rolling, the “Rocky” film franchise’s inspirational anthem, “Gonna Fly Now,” blared
from close by audio system.

He nodded his head on the symbolism.

It was an acceptable soundtrack for the second — a seminal one for USF soccer.

“We’ve been ready for a second like this, for ESPN to come back to our campus and promote
our group and our followers,” Lefkowitz stated. “To lastly have it looks like a very massive
deal.”

 

 

This certainly felt like one other of this season’s coming-out events for the soccer
program, an opportunity to indicate the nation they’re not a future powerhouse, however a
present one.

 “USF football has arrived,” USF junior Ari Thibeault stated.

Moments earlier than taking heart stage for the printed, ESPN anchor Matt Barrie voiced
that perspective to the media.

“USF got this attention themselves, getting some upsets in the early part of the year,”
he stated. “And so, they’re sort of culminating right into a day with ‘SportsCenter’ on campus.
This is a very massive day for the college.”

And Barrie expects Bulls fever to proceed to develop, particularly with the addition of
an on-campus stadium.

“Everybody that’s here,” Barrie stated, pointing to the group of about 1,000 followers. “How
energetic is that this?”

Both earlier than and in the course of the broadcast, the followers matched the power of a group ranked
among the many nation’s greatest going into the sport — No. 6 in scoring and No. 7 in complete
offense — behind quarterback Byrum Brown, who sits fourth nationally in each complete
offense and complete factors generated.

“This is great exposure for our team and our campus,” USF junior Braden Hart stated.
“As fans, we want to show our support.”

Philanthropist and outstanding Tampa Bay restaurateur Richard Gonzmart stood simply toes
away from a shirtless fan decked out in a golden lucha libre masks and green-and-gold
physique paint. He was joined by his daughter, Andrea Gonzmart Williams, a USF graduate
and fifth-generation proprietor of the household enterprise, as the printed highlighted their
Columbia Restaurant’s iconic dishes — the 1905 Salad, Cuban sandwich and paella.

 

 

The crowd’s indicators captured the spirit of the season  — one declared the followers the group’s
“12th man,” one other proclaimed Brown the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, and one learn,
“Green and Gold ’till I’m Old and Dead.”

“The college football world has been watching us,” junior Dylan Baez stated. “They know
we’re the subsequent massive factor and have the most effective followers.”

As the USF spirit squads and Rocky the Bull swayed to the Herd of Thunder band’s stay
performances, followers competed in a pull-up problem — the excessive mark being 27 — whereas
cheering on dignitaries as they arrived.

They chanted the title Rob Higgins, the first-ever CEO of USF Athletics, like he was
a conquering good man WWE wrestler from one of many two WrestleManias he helped deliver
to the world whereas beforehand serving as govt director of the Tampa Bay Sports
Commission.

And the followers erupted as soccer head coach Alex Golesh stepped onto stage for his
stay interview.