Simon Megally knew much would be expected of him as he navigated his first season of college soccer at DePaul in 2013.
The Maine South graduate was the Blue Demons’ only freshman to start regularly, and he looked to create chances. Megally, a forward, led the team with 24 shots and ranked second with nine shots on goal.
His play was even better in his second year at DePaul. As a sophomore, Megally led the team in shots (36), shots on goal (16) and points (11), which earned him the honors of Offensive Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Performer in the program. He finished with four goals and three assists.
“I think both years were breakout years,” Megally said. “Just coming in and starting as a freshman in the Big East is a big thing. And sophomore year I made a name for myself as well. I went onto the field knowing I could do a lot more during my sophomore year. I knew that I could take the shots I wanted.”
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With so much achieved in his first two years of college soccer, the stakes are even higher as he prepares for his junior season, which kicks off Friday, Aug. 28, against Elon in the John Rennie Nike Invitational at Duke.
“Simon has really separated himself as one of our premier players,” DePaul coach Craig Blazer said. “The guys named him a captain in the winter and he continues to mature. The guys are willing to follow his lead because he leads by example.”
While scoring goals, being the team’s top player and being a leader are impressive accomplishments, Megally is looking for more.
He wants the team to win more, especially in the Big East, which had three of the final eight teams in the NCAA Division I tournament last year.
DePaul was 5-11-2 overall and 1-7-1 in the Big East during Megally’s freshman year, then was 4-10-4 and 1-6-2 last season.
This summer Megally is playing in the Premier Development League for the Des Moines Menace and Megally has been taking notes he hopes to use on campus.
“Everyone is fighting so hard here,” Megally said. “You’re not just going to come here and knock the ball around in practice. It’s just as competitive as a game and that makes everyone around you better.
“If we can go into our first practice [at DePaul] the same way and be strictly focused on soccer, we’re going to be better. We have to set the tone that when we’re on the field we have to be going 100 percent.”
Megally, who was born in Mobile, Ala., and moved to Park Ridge when he was 3, never played for Maine South’s soccer team. Instead, he spent his time with Sockers FC. His younger brother Aidan Megally is entering his senior year of high school and following the same path.
Never getting to play high school soccer was a disappointment, but Simon Megally believes he might not be where he is now if he didn’t commit to playing club soccer year-round.
“I definitely looked back after talking to people who played high school soccer and I wished I could have experienced it,” Simon Megally said. “You have your friends coming to games, but given the opportunity to do it again I’d play with Sockers every time. It’s a higher level and it prepared me better.”
Rob Valentin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @chicagolandprep