The University of Mississippi Athletics
Catching Up With Coach Mott
7/14/2010 | Soccer
July 14, 2010
With the dog days of summer moving closer and closer to the fall, it means Ole Miss sports are not far away. We caught up with new Rebel soccer coach Matthew Mott this week and talked with him about his first two months on the job, and of course, the World Cup.
Q: How have your first two months at Ole Miss been?
A: The first two months on the job have been a whirlwind. The first step was getting here and meeting a lot of the players. Getting to know the Ole Miss family has been really fun and exciting. My family is getting settled into Oxford, and they love it so far. It's been great to get my staff, Becky (Fletcher) and Rob (Thompson), here. Our summer camps have been really well-received, and the campers have had a good time. Honestly, one of the best things so far has been visiting all of the great restaurants here in Oxford. It's been a whirlwind, but a fun one, so far.
Q: How have you spent your time on the coaching front?
A: We've been out recruiting a bunch. Becky, Rob and I have been on the road a ton through the month of June and into July. I just got back from Region III ODP camp, working as the assistant head regional coach, and I'm heading to nationals next week. We've been really well-received and have gotten a great response from a recruiting standpoint, so we're excited about that.
Q: What do you think about the Rebels' outlook for the upcoming season?
A: I think there is a general excitement around the team and the program. Whenever you have a new coach come in, it's new and exciting and there is a lot of energy. I know the girls have been working hard this summer, and many of them have been out at our camps. I'm certainly excited for the season to get here and to see what kind of team we have. I've been very impressed with the talent level of some of our newcomers that I've seen out on the recruiting trail. We're excited for August 4 to get here and to start training.
Q: How can this team build on its success (NCAA Tournament appearance) from last year?
A: I think there's great momentum going into the fall. I think the girls are excited. They had a great year last year and are excited to get back out on the field. Every team every year is different. We lost three great seniors that we will need to replace, but I think the team is excited and ready to get here and get to work.
Q: How might the World Cup impact U.S. college soccer this fall?
A: First of all, it was a wonderful World Cup, one of the best World Cups I've ever been able to watch. I thought it brought a lot of excitement to soccer in the U.S., and ESPN was a big part of that. Their coverage was fantastic. The games were always exciting. I hope this increased excitement about soccer will spill over into the fall. I thought it was a great tournament and something we hope will bring people out to our games on campus to see high-level women's soccer.
