Ask anyone who knows the score, and you’ll quickly learn that Pierce Gallaway BS ’22, who has earned a place on the NCAA Division III First Team All-America, is considered the heart and soul of Willamette’s men’s soccer.
The team captain’s winning record and inspiring leadership have also gained him the title of Offensive Player of the Year in the Northwest Conference — and a place in Bearcats history.
You can ask Head Men’s Soccer Coach Sam Adelman BA ’16 for starters. “He has been exemplary as a Bearcat and has set the standard for what it means to be a part of this program,” Adelman said. “Everyone will be chasing him for years to come. He's one of the best men's soccer players to ever play at Willamette."
Adelman, who played on the team as a student and has now coached for 10 years, says Gallaway is the gold standard for what it means to be a Willamette men’s soccer player: “Everything he’s garnered is well-deserved. All of these accolades came his way for us and for him after four years’ worth of work, and yes, a phenomenal season,” he said.
For his part, Gallaway, who graduated in December, has found being named to the All-American team a little surreal. “My goal the whole season was to win a conference championship, and I knew if I played a prominent role in that, the individual awards would start coming. However, winning All-American was never on my radar," he said.
Originally from Carmel, California, Gallaway is first and foremost a team player. “I want to be an example for players coming to this program about what is possible, and where this team can go.” He also said being on the team has helped him learn how “to be able to chase my dreams,” so that he’s ready for what comes next.
“I will miss the team collective and culture that makes our group special, which was the reason I chose Willamette,” Gallaway adds.
Adelman credits Gallaway’s “vision, insatiable hunger to be successful, competitive drive, and how friendly he is to teammates,” for his successes. “Pierce is a leader: He has pursued greatness with every step, never wavered in that vision, never wavered in that direction,” he adds.
Willamette earned a 14-3-3 overall record this season as the Bearcats won the Northwest Conference Championship at 11-2-1 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
In the 2022 NCAA Tournament, the Bearcats defeated the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the first round, 3-1. Willamette lost to #2-ranked University of Chicago, 4-1, in the second round after battling the Maroons to a 0-0 tie at halftime.