Sept. 10, 2009

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - USC Upstate men's soccer defender Nick Buxton is playing his final season in a Spartan uniform. The Towcester, England native scored two goals last week in a thrilling game with Davidson. Buxton's goals came in the second-minute and the 90th-minute.

Buxton and the rest of his Spartan teammates will host Wofford on Friday night at County University Soccer Stadium at 7:00 p.m. This will be the second straight season the Spartans and the Terriers square off after taking a 20-year break in the series.

Buxton sat down recently with Alex Edwards of Upstatespartans.com to discuss his time at Upstate as well as goals when his career is over.

What attracted you to come to Upstate from England?
I came to Upstate because of the opportunity to play soccer as well as further my education.

You played two seasons while Upstate was still a Division II institution, in your opinion, what is the biggest difference between playing soccer at the D-I and D-II levels?
Teams in D-I seem to be a lot more organized and in better playing shape. Because teams are more organized, you have to give it your all until the final horn sounds.

What is your most memorable moment as an Upstate student-athlete?
There are several moments, but probably the most memorable would be when we beat Lees-McRae. We scored very early in that match and then we defended very well and held on for the 1-0 victory. After the game, we were singing and chanting, it was a great experience.

Do you have any pregame superstitions?
Since I was little, I have always put my left shin guard and left cleat on first. There isn't a real significance to it, it's just something I have always done.

What are your plans when your collegiate career ends?
I would like to get into coaching. I have spent time coaching with some local club teams lately and it has been a very rewarding experience.

What has been your favorite part of playing for head coach Greg Hooks?
It has been a rewarding experience and he gave me the opportunity to come to the U.S. to play soccer, which I am grateful for. I also admire his desire to win.

If your teammates were to describe you in one word, what do you think it would be and why?
Well I have been around the program a while, this being my fifth year, so they would probably use veteran to describe me.

If you were not a soccer player, what sport would you participate in and why?
I would likely choose rugby. I grew up playing the game in England and I was decent at the sport.

When you are not in the classroom or practicing, what are some hobbies you find yourself doing?
I really enjoy playing tennis and golf, as I have found myself playing the two sports recently.

If you could spend the day with any athlete, who would you choose and why?
I would like to spend the David Beckham. He is my idol and I would like to spend the day with him just to see how much hard work he puts in for the game he loves so much. I think it would be a wonderful experience just to be able to interact with him, even for a short period of time.