Nov. 1, 2001

Stony Brook, N.Y. - It takes more than a broken foot to stop Stony Brook goalkeeper Dan Ferrin.

Two weeks ago, the Seawolves were told they had lost their sophomore captain for the rest of the season.

However, as Stony Brook prepared to take the field last Friday against archrival Hofstra in a critical America East Conference game, a familiar sight wearing his game shorts and No. 1 jersey was unloading his gear on the sideline and then racing to the goal to warm up.

It all began a year ago on Oct. 25, 2000. As the rest of the team danced in celebration after a 3-2 overtime victory against regional foe Adelphi to improve to 11-1-2, Ferrin was being whisked away to Stony Brook Hospital in an ambulance. As it turned out, he had suffered a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot.

But Ferrin has never been one to give in easily to pain or injury, or even broken bones. He played the remaining four games of the season and underwent surgery Dec. 1. Months of rehab followed, and Ferrin finally started playing again in August. But, although the fracture had seemingly been healing steadily, at some point it started to get worse instead of better.

However, Ferrin elected to play this season anyway and worry about his foot later. The Seawolves were entering their first season of America East competition, and based on last season's 12-4-2 record and returning players, competing in the conference tournament for the chance to qualify for the NCAA College Cup seemed like a very attainable goal.

The season didn't exactly get off to the start that Ferrin or his teammates anticipated. The preseason honorable mention All-America suddenly faced an unexpected task in 2001--a defense without the services of 6-5 NSCAA All-Region defender and 2000 MVP Jermaine Wright, and a midfield without Hector Dillon and Juan Serna.

Gone were the days of shutting out opponents and coasting to victories behind the scoring prowess of striker Shane Arikian and key midfielder Everett Watts. Instead, with Arikian out since game two with a dislocated foot and Watts, who was second on the team in scoring a year ago, hard-pressed to find the net, the Seawolves offense struggled to score. Meanwhile, their young and inexperienced defense was giving up 16 goals--the entire total for their opponents in 2000--in the first seven games.

Ferrin was also having to adjust to a different team and an increased role. Last season, he posted a school-record 10 shutouts and recorded a goals-against average of just 0.81, 13th-best in the country. His performance earned him Atlantic Soccer Conference first team and SoccerAmerica All Freshman Team honors.

Repeating that success this season would be next to impossible, and although his numbers aren't the same as a year ago, the Grosse Point, Mich., native continues to prove his mettle again and again.

"Eventually, you have to assume more responsibility," Ferrin says. "I think we are finally starting to realize our potential. I guess it's better late than never."

The sophomore captain got the devastating news the week after a 2-2 overtime tie with Delaware on Oct. 14--he was done for the season. X-rays revealed the fracture had increased to between 80 and 90 percent. Ferrin made that weekend's road trip to Boston, but watched the games from an entirely new standpoint--the sidelines. "I've never felt so helpless in my life," he says. "I don't like being in that position. It seemed like everything was spiraling out of control."

The Seawolves fell 5-0 to Northeastern and 6-1 to Boston University, slipping to 1-5-1 in the conference for ninth place. The hope for postseason play seemed dim.

But another twist came when Dr. Chris Zingas, the team doctor for the Detroit Lions and Ferrin's doctor at home, took a look at the X-rays and cleared Dan to play. However, playing would not come without risks.

"I've always said I wouldn't 'black flag' myself," Ferrin says. "If it's up to me, obviously I'm going to play, no matter what they say. If I have to sign a waiver, so be it. I want to be out there."

That's exactly what he did last weekend, and the 5-10 sparkplug came through as usual. Ferrin made five saves against Hofstra in a 1-0 upset of the Pride for his third shutout of the season. He left the game on crutches with his foot in a medical boot, but he was back on the field less than 48 hours later to lead Stony Brook against Drexel.

In another must-win game, the Seawolves rallied for a 2-1 overtime victory against the Dragons. Ferrin made six saves, including tipping away a potential gamewinner with just minutes remaining in regulation, to post his sixth win of the season. The two victories renewed the Seawolves' hopes for a postseason berth as they head into this weekend's games against Vermont and Hartford. The outcome will determine if the Seawolves' comeback is happening just in time.

"If we don't make the conference tournament, even if we win the next two games, we did it to ourselves," Ferrin says. "But if we do make it, everyone starts back at zero, and we could really make some noise."

When Ferrin made the trip to Boston knowing he wouldn't play for the first time in his Stony Brook career, he handed his captain band over to senior Jamie Gaither, a quiet leader who has played nearly every minute of every game this season. Gaither has stepped up even more since, scoring both gamewinners this past weekend.

With renewed confidence and a shot to play in the postseason for the first time in school history, Gaither and Ferrin will lead the Seawolves into their final and pivotal weekend of America East Conference play. The Seawolves need more than just two victories for everything to fall into place. Six teams are battling for the final two spots, and it will take some luck for Stony Brook to qualify for the tournament's first round of play on Nov. 7.

"I don't want to say I hurt myself for nothing," Ferrin says. "So I'm going to play like I have nothing to lose."

Ferrin had scheduled a Nov. 5 date for surgery with Dr. Zingas in Michigan. However, if he and his teammates can step it up just one more time, Ferrin won't be able to make it back for that appointment.

He'll be setting his crutches aside and getting ready to realize what it's like to play for a conference title.