A collegiate soccer journey that began over two years ago brings Mike Warn home this week for what promises to be one special night.
The Ladner goalkeeper will get the rare opportunity to play in front of extended family and friends Wednesday when Cal State Bernardino University makes a rare trip north of the border to take on Simon Fraser in a NCAA Division II cross-conference men's soccer match-up.
Warn is in his first season with the Southern California school, located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, after transferring from Francis Marion
University in South Carolina. He parlayed an outstanding 2014 season with the Patriots into an opportunity elsewhere with several schools interested in signing him. Warn was named to the Peach Belt
All-Conference Team after registering a 1.11 goals against average with 57 saves and a .731 save percentage.
He led the conference in minutes played and a school record nine shutouts. He was later named to the All-Southeast Region Second Team as Francis Marion finished with a 12-4-2 record after losing in the Peach Belt Tournament semi-finals and narrowly missed earning a NCAA Division II national tournament berth.
The Delta Secondary graduate also thrived in the classroom with a 3.71 grade point average, while majoring in biology. This earned him a spot on the Academic All-District III Team.
Ironically, one of the schools Warn considered transferring to last spring was SFU.
The Clan would eventually hire his longtime goalkeeper coach Pedro De Nobriga who played a large part in shaping his career. However, the Coyotes seemed to be a better fit and his instant status as the team's No. 1 keeper confirms that.
The Coyotes have 12 returning players from last year's squad which compiled a 9-5-2 overall record, marking just the fourth time the team has finished about .500 in the past 21 years.
They opened the with a 4-2 win over Pac West favourite and 19th nationally ranked Azusa Pacific last Wednesday. Warn was credited with three saves in his debut.
Kickoff Wednesday is slated for 7:30 p.m. on campus at Terry Fox Field.
