Temple University Athletics
Hard Work Leads to Success for Senior Keeper Morgan Basileo
10.11.19 | Women's Soccer
In many sports and with many positions, it is not just the starters who get playing time. However, a starting soccer goalie will normally play 90 minutes in every game. This can be incredibly difficult for the person who holds the backup position. They are expected to practice hard, lift hard, and do everything right, but they do not get the reward of being in the game. For Temple women's soccer senior Morgan Basileo, losing motivation was never an option.
Basileo, a Philadelphia native, had a very successful high school and club career prior to joining the Owls in the fall of 2016. She led her team to the 2015 Eastern Pennsylvania State Championship. Throughout the recruiting process Basileo "did a lot of searching with parents going from school to school." She, in the end, decided on Temple because "the school offered [her] a lot academically" and "the team was going to push [her] limits, physically and mentally."
The transition was not easy, from star keeper in high school to spending time on the bench her first year at Temple. Basileo said that "it was a wakeup call" moving into the backup position. After that fall she knew that it was time to put the nose to the grindstone for a long offseason to earn the starting position.
"Spring of my freshman year I realized if I wanted to make an impact on this team, I had to step up" said Basileo. After a great spring of work, Basileo knew that she has a shot at the starting position with a good summer of work. Basileo shared that she "spent that summer putting in the work because I wanted to come back in the best condition possible." This hard work never went unnoticed by teammates. Fellow senior KJ Waghorne said "She is one of the hardest workers I know…her schedule is one of the busiest on the team, yet she never complains and always puts her full effort into practice."
The stress of battling for a starting position is not something that creates a contentious relationship between the keepers at Temple. It creates a unit. "The goalkeeper unit is very close because we have a different view of the game… you just click a little different than anyone else" added Basileo.
The work paid off. The fall of her sophomore year, Basileo became the starter for the Owls. There has been no looking back as she has been dominant ever since. In 2018 she started 17 games and racked up 98 saves and a 0.831 save percentage.
It has been a career year for the senior keeper in 2019. So far this season, Basileo has racked up 97 saves, ranking third in the nation, posted two shutouts and compiled a 0.822 save percentage. She currently sits fifth all-time in save percentage and third all-time in goals against average for the Owls. There is still time left in the season and there is a lot of work to be done.
For Basileo, it has never been about the individual stats. "It's nice to see the stats you are putting up, but all I care about is the number in the win column" added Basileo. She added that she really wants this season to end with a spot in the conference tournament.
On-field success is not the only achievement Basileo has obtained in her time on Broad Street. After forming a connection with a professor, Basileo received an internship at PPL Electric Utilities. Following a "wonderful" summer, she received and accepted an offer for an entry-level position with the company. With soccer nearing its end, the senior engineering major is looking forward to continuing her role in the Temple Prosthetic and Orthotic Club.
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Basileo, a Philadelphia native, had a very successful high school and club career prior to joining the Owls in the fall of 2016. She led her team to the 2015 Eastern Pennsylvania State Championship. Throughout the recruiting process Basileo "did a lot of searching with parents going from school to school." She, in the end, decided on Temple because "the school offered [her] a lot academically" and "the team was going to push [her] limits, physically and mentally."
The transition was not easy, from star keeper in high school to spending time on the bench her first year at Temple. Basileo said that "it was a wakeup call" moving into the backup position. After that fall she knew that it was time to put the nose to the grindstone for a long offseason to earn the starting position.
"Spring of my freshman year I realized if I wanted to make an impact on this team, I had to step up" said Basileo. After a great spring of work, Basileo knew that she has a shot at the starting position with a good summer of work. Basileo shared that she "spent that summer putting in the work because I wanted to come back in the best condition possible." This hard work never went unnoticed by teammates. Fellow senior KJ Waghorne said "She is one of the hardest workers I know…her schedule is one of the busiest on the team, yet she never complains and always puts her full effort into practice."
The stress of battling for a starting position is not something that creates a contentious relationship between the keepers at Temple. It creates a unit. "The goalkeeper unit is very close because we have a different view of the game… you just click a little different than anyone else" added Basileo.
The work paid off. The fall of her sophomore year, Basileo became the starter for the Owls. There has been no looking back as she has been dominant ever since. In 2018 she started 17 games and racked up 98 saves and a 0.831 save percentage.
It has been a career year for the senior keeper in 2019. So far this season, Basileo has racked up 97 saves, ranking third in the nation, posted two shutouts and compiled a 0.822 save percentage. She currently sits fifth all-time in save percentage and third all-time in goals against average for the Owls. There is still time left in the season and there is a lot of work to be done.
For Basileo, it has never been about the individual stats. "It's nice to see the stats you are putting up, but all I care about is the number in the win column" added Basileo. She added that she really wants this season to end with a spot in the conference tournament.
On-field success is not the only achievement Basileo has obtained in her time on Broad Street. After forming a connection with a professor, Basileo received an internship at PPL Electric Utilities. Following a "wonderful" summer, she received and accepted an offer for an entry-level position with the company. With soccer nearing its end, the senior engineering major is looking forward to continuing her role in the Temple Prosthetic and Orthotic Club.
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Players Mentioned
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