Troy Nine’s love for soccer began early, but it wasn’t until high school that he found his place on the pitch.
“Eighth or ninth grade is when I really specialized as a goalkeeper,” Nine said. “I always had an interest in playing and always volunteered to go in if they needed somebody. It wasn’t really something that I did specifically until a little bit later.”
Now a junior at Slippery Rock University, Nine has established himself as a key piece of The Rock’s defense.
The Lansdale, Pa. native spent his freshman season playing Division I soccer at Radford University before transferring to Slippery Rock ahead of his sophomore season.
“I really wanted to come here for the smaller environment, something out of the way from all of the craziness that would be in a typical city,” Nine said.
Off the field, Nine is pursuing a degree in health and wellness, an area that has complemented his commitment to staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“I believe that playing a sport is a good way to stay physically active,” Nine said. “One way I found to do that is just playing soccer and enjoying it, so that’s a big part of it.”
That mindset has translated directly to his role on the field.
Last year, Nine started four games and posted a 3-1 record. His role has expanded significantly this season, as he has taken over as The Rock’s primary goalkeeper and has played nearly every minute in net.
With Nine seeing practically every minute of action in goal this season, consistency has become one of his biggest responsibilities.
“I have to be a solid foundation for us in the back of the field and for all of my teammates,” Nine said. “There needs to be somebody who can be there consistently, who can do it day in and day out and handle the workload.”
Head coach Kevin Wilhelm has noticed that development firsthand.
“He’s become a lot more consistent,” Wilhelm said. “You see the way that he’s playing and how his confidence continues to grow.”
Nine’s consistency has been reflected in both his statistics and the recognition he has received throughout the season.
He was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Defensive Athlete of the Week in consecutive weeks, becoming the first player in Slippery Rock men’s soccer history to receive PSAC weekly honors in back-to-back weeks.
“It tells me that I’m doing my job right,” Nine said. “It just shows me that I’m doing a good job of staying consistent with my performances and keeping the level high, which is what we need to win games.”
While the awards have recognized Nine’s performance, his improvement has been a process that began when he arrived at Slippery Rock. After transferring from Radford, he had to adjust to a different system and a different style of play.
“The system was a bit different,” Nine said. “I feel like when I came in, that was the thing that I needed to work on the most. Now, I feel like it’s all kind of coming together.”
That development has allowed Nine to contribute in ways beyond simply keeping the ball out of the net.
In Slippery Rock’s Sept. 16 match at Daemen University, Nine recorded an assist just 31 seconds into the game on a goal by junior forward Kaden Reynolds. The play marked the earliest point scored in a game by Slippery Rock since 2005. The assist also marked the first goalkeeper point for Slippery Rock since Kyle Hoffer scored a 90th-minute game-tying goal against Shippensburg in 2015.
“I recognized that their center backs weren’t expecting a quick ball over the top,” Nine said.
Despite being the one who delivered the ball, he was quick to shift the credit toward his teammates.
“It’s about putting the ball in the area and your teammates do what they can with it.”
His impact on the team, however, extends beyond his play between the posts. When Nine arrived at Slippery Rock, he immediately noticed a difference in the team’s culture compared to his previous program.
“My old team, you could definitely notice that there were some cliques between different guys,” he said. “When I came here, everybody was immediately talking to me.”
That sense of unity has become particularly important during a season that has required the team to spend much of September on the road. While extended road trips can be difficult for a team, Nine views the time away from campus as another opportunity to strengthen the group.
“It definitely works as team bonding,” Nine said. “It’s a culture builder.”
That culture has helped Nine grow into more than just the team’s goalkeeper. He has also emerged as a leader for a group that he describes as a family.
“We have a good family system going on here,” Nine said.
Now, with the season entering its later stages, Nine and The Rock are focused on finishing strong.
“We’re trying to grind out for the rest of the season,” Nine said. “Get some good wins and make something happen.”
