Time is running out on the collegiate soccer careers of the seniors on the Eastern men’s soccer team, including midfielder Jordan Collins.

Collins is having the best year of his two-year Eastern career after transferring from Iowa Central Community College in 2010, having scored two goals this season.

But the Panthers aren’t having the greatest season — with only two wins, sitting in last place in the Summit League.

Even so, Collins is comfortable with his collegiate career, knowing the friends he made.

“There are a lot of guys on this team I really, really like and really respect and sometimes the seasons and wins don’t come down to it,” Collins said.

Collins said he thinks making life-long friendships is more important in the long run than winning games in college.

Some of his closest friends on the team include red-shirt freshman forward Garet Christianson, senior goalkeeper Evan Turner, red-shirt sophomore midfielder Colin Rook and senior defender Ian McCausland, he said.

“We come out here every day and do what we can to represent the university in a positive light and sometimes results just don’t go your way,” Collins said.

Soccer is well-known as the world’s most popular sport and the internationality of it, Collins said, lends itself to building great friendships.

“If you can play soccer well and get along, you can make a lot of friends through that,” Collins said.

Collins came into Eastern as a transfer student, in a similar situation as the freshmen come into their first years on campus.

He said he’s always going to be a “new guy” on the team, only having been on campus for two seasons; however, he’s also a senior leader.

“I’m looking for him to make some contributions down the stretch,” Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said. “As a senior, he knows there are five games left and everyone is getting closer to playing in the final game of their soccer career.”

This late in the season, Collins said he is trying to make an impression on the new freshmen. He said he’s trying to help them adjust to college life.

“My role is to just tutor the freshman and help them grow up as players and people,” Collins said. “I’m a big brother.”

Collins has started two games this season, scoring a goal in one of them—against Dayton. He scored another goal early this season against Lipscomb, coming off the bench.

Collins said he plans on trying out for semi-pro soccer teams after getting his communications degree from Eastern. Then, he said he’d like to get into coaching.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-2812 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.