Hinterleitner Focused on Leading MSOC to Another Deep Run

By Francisco Claudio

Entering his fourth season as a Warrior, senior and captain Janis Hinterleitner is prepared to lead the team for another strong push at the national level.

Hinterleitner has been a crucial player in the men's soccer program since it joined the NAIA and has been instrumental in the significant improvement the Warriors have achieved each year.

They went from 13 wins in their first year as a member of the NAIA to their most successful season last year, ending with an 18-2 record and an 11-1 conference record, ultimately securing the Cal Pac Regular Season title.

The Warriors made their NAIA Championship debut and took down No. 11 Rio Grande in the second round which earned them a spot at the final site in Wichita, Kansas.

In the round of 16 matchup, the Warriors battled hard against the reigning champions Bethel (IN) as their historic season came to an end following the 2-0 loss.

A major contributor to the success has been Hinterleitner's leadership and support in developing a national-level defensive end. Last season, the team only conceded 16 goals in 20 games, placing the Warriors among the top 11 NAIA schools for defense.

He's a great example of the success that international athletes can achieve by competing in the NAIA while pursuing their education.

The Warrior traveled from Germany, pursuing his passion for the sport and overcoming the highs and lows of being a student-athlete.

"My experience so far has been incredible," Hinterleitner said. "I faced several challenges. First, soccer here is different so I had to adapt. Also adapting to a new culture and different mentality was interesting and something I learned a lot from.

"On the student side, I probably have to say that time management was one of the biggest challenges since practicing every day and being a full-time student can be a lot sometimes. However, learning how to manage and master everything is a skill that will help me in my future career and life, which is great."

One of his favorite parts of being a student-athlete at Westcliff is connecting with incoming Warriors from all over the world and adding them to the extensive group chats.

But the results on the field, such as the Cal Pac Tournament title and competing at Nationals, are what drive Hinterleitner and push him to improve every day.

He's a vocal leader who sets an example with his daily approach to the game. "I'm a very competitive person and I hate losing so my clear goal is to make it to nationals again and hopefully get even further than last season even though I know it's going to be tough," Hinterletiner said. "I expect the same effort from everyone in the team that we had last year, and yeah let's see where it brings us.

"I think with the same mentality we went into last season we are going to be successful in the upcoming season as well. Obviously, a lot of high-quality players left recently but I trust the coaches and the recruiting process to bring in new quality players. I'm sure we will have a good team and continue the way we ended last season. Also, I think having the target on our back is just an appreciation of what we have achieved last year but that means nothing this season. Our goal now is to prove it again and don't do less."

As the 2024 season is about to begin, Hinterleitner knows that this may be his final season as a college athlete, and getting off to a strong start is important.

His consistency has earned him high regard from his peers and coaches. He has played and started every game in the last two years, so we can expect to see the defensive specialist giving it his all on the field from day one.

The Warriors will have their first scrimmage on August 12th and their first non-conference home opener on Saturday, August 24th against Missouri Baptist.

This game will be held at the Orange Coast College Soccer stadium with a start time of 5 p.m.

Westcliff's first conference opponent will also be a home game against Simpson University on Sunday, September 29th, at 2 p.m.

The game against the Red Hawks will be played at the Orange County Great Park which has been the usual home ground for the Warriors the last couple of years.

Other notable nonconference opponents for the Warriors this season will be The Master's, La Verne, South Oregon, and Justice College.

"We have to grow together as a team support each other on and off the pitch and have a high intensity," Hinterleitner said. "If we manage to do so that will make us automatically one of the favorites for winning Cal Pac and reaching the national tournament, and I'll expect nothing else from the team.

"I think you have to have high goals to achieve them. Our goal now is to prove it again and don't do less."