Students who enjoy playing soccer will have a new opportunity to compete at the collegiate level next fall.

Austin Linehan, sophomore nursing major from Burleson, and Benjamin Johnston, sophomore advertising and public relations major from Aledo, are two students helping to start a men’s soccer team on campus this year.

“We felt it was important to bring this team back to campus because there was not an opportunity for guys to play, and that is why we’re reviving the club that used to be on campus years ago,” Johnston said.

The idea to start this club came up last year when the two spoke with Mark Jackson, associate director of student organizations and programs, about the possibility of getting a men’s soccer club started. Further planning entailed setting up an interest booth up at this year’s Backyard Bash during Wildcat Week.

The team is comprised of 40 practicing members and 22 competing members. Linehan added that the team started out small with only 15 members, however, it has recently exploded to 48 thanks to the influx of freshman.

With the predicted start season being fall 2016, the team is going to start playing scrimmages against other colleges such as Texas Christian University and University of North Texas once they receive funding.

“We’re trying to provide an opportunity for the men of ACU to play soccer at the intercollegiate level,” said Johnston.

The team will compete in the Texas Collegiate Soccer League. Johnston said once the team gets funding they will do much more practicing, but at this point, they are practicing every Friday to improve their soccer skills.

“We want to work hard and make a legacy for the club so that it will not die out again in the future,” said Linehan.

Johnston and Linehan said that they want to work very hard for this year and hopefully pass the club on to underclassmen who will then pass it on again.