Bay Port’s Griffin Pecore recently committed to play soccer at Limestone College in South Carolina (Paula Mellberg-Pecore photo).
BY RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT
SUAMICO – Bay Port’s Griffin Pecore will be continuing his academic and soccer career at Division II Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina, next fall.
Pecore, the Fox River Classic Conference player of the year last season, will be heading to the Saints after ending his senior year with 13 goals and 9 assists.
He ended his four-year varsity career with 40 goals and 31 assists.
“I pretty much went all over the country looking for the best fit for me,” said Pecore, who also got serious consideration from Eastern Illinois before deciding on Limestone, which is a private four-year liberal arts college. “When I went on my visit to Limestone I trained with the team and really liked the coaches. I got along with them well. I also like the smaller size of the school and classes. The whole athletic program is held to a high level and I really like that.”
Limestone soccer has been highly successful in recent history. The Saints made the NCAA Tournament in 2006, 2008 and 2013-2017. They also made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2006 and 2014, and have won the Carolinas Conference regular-season championship four times.
“I am going to a proven winner in Limestone and I think they are on the verge of winning a national championship,” said Pecore, who will study sports management or exercise science. “I know it’s a long ways away from Green Bay, but I usually don’t get too homesick. It’s a pretty small town, so it won’t be a big change from what I’m used to – except it’ll be warmer.”
Pecore noted that even though Limestone is a Division II school, they routinely play friendly matches against Division 1 opponents in the area.
“The coaches will tell you that when we get there for tryouts, whether you are a freshman or a senior, everyone will be given the same opportunity,” he said. “It’s a clean slate and I like that – I can prove myself. I’ve been given no indication that I’ll be redshirted … I prefer to play right away.”
Pecore also said the college has a reserve team, so even players that might not make the first team get plenty of chances to play in games with the second squad.
Up until he leaves at the end of July, Pecore will try to help his FC Wisconsin team make it to nationals, train and try to hook up with men’s league team later in the summer to play with bigger players to prepare himself for the rigors of college soccer.
