Podcast: UNH’s Marc Hubbard on the 2023 season and being a national contender

New Hampshire men's coach Marc Hubbard joined 'The Goal.' (UNH Athletics)

The latest guest on New England Soccer Journal’s “The Goal” podcast is University of New Hampshire men’s soccer coach Marc Hubbard.

Hubbard, a New Hampshire native, is in his ninth season at UNH. Under his leadership, the Wildcats have recorded 10-plus win seasons in each of his first eight years at the helm, which is the first time that has been done in program history. He also has brought the school its first four America East tournament championships (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022) and six straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

The Wildcats begin the 2023 season ranked No. 23 in the national preseason Top 25 and will open the campaign on Aug. 24 at Virginia Commonwealth.

Hubbard joined host Matt Langone to preview the upcoming season and discuss how UNH has become a national soccer powerhouse.

The full podcast can be accessed below and is available on all major platforms. If you enjoy it, please leave a rating and a review.

Here are some highlights from our discussion with Hubbard:

On being nationally ranked:

Hubbard: “I don’t put any stock in it. They just, basically, take how the last season finished and replicate it. What’s funny is that, they do change it a little bit and every single year we’ll drop a couple spots from where we finished in the previous year, which I think goes to show still kind of where we are as a program and how we’re respected nationally. So, we use that as motivation with the guys to talk about that and sort of the challenges and obstacles that we face here at New Hampshire and in our conference.”

On winning recruiting battles in New England:

Hubbard: “It’s everything. You want to protect your home, your homeland, your backyard, per se. We will always — being a state institution — we always want to have New Hampshire guys and homegrown guys that are in the program. I think our bread and butter has really been getting guys in the New England/Northeast region that are untapped, that have a certain ethic and character and potential about them, and really bringing them into our system, and growing them as people and as players.”

On the rivalry with Vermont:

Hubbard: “We want every team in our conference to do well. It builds up our conference RPI and makes a stronger chance of achieving our team goals in the national tournament. The Vermont one is obviously special. (Vermont head coach) Rob Dow was there when I first got to (Southern New Hampshire University), Rob was my first assistant there for four years, and that helped him get to Vermont as an assistant. He’s done wonderful things there. His assistants have been former players of mine, as well, over the past couple years.”

On what makes a successful season at UNH:

Hubbard: “There’s still more to achieve here. That’s always the message. It starts with winning the regular season in our conference and then winning the (America East) tournament title and then winning the national championship. Those are the three championships we set out to win every single year. When it gets into the NCAA Tournament, obviously being able to host — get a bye and host and be a top-16 seed is the goal.”

The Goal” podcast is brought to you by the New England Revolution.

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