From navigating a position change mid-way through his sophomore season to being the leading goal scorer on one of the top teams in the country, Declan Rhatigan ’23 has found the confidence he needs to succeed on the pitch by leaning on those around him.

Overcoming Expectations

Ranked 7th in the NEWMAC Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, external expectations for the Wheaton College Men’s Soccer team were low entering the 2025 season. Internally, however, the team knew they were capable of much more: “Being picked 7th in the conference, it lit a fire in a lot of people, especially the upperclassmen,” said Declan Rhatigan ’23. “Last year, we lacked unity. I think that was the biggest difference between this year and last year. We put a lot of time and attention into getting everyone on board and playing together.” 

Inspired by watching his brother Liam’s run with Babson College to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament in 2024, Declan entered his junior season determined to prove the preseason ranking wrong. A hat-trick in the team’s first game of the season earned him NEWMAC Men's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week and jump-started an 18-game unbeaten run and an undefeated regular season, the first in program history.

Finding Success in a New Role

Declan attributes the foundation of the team’s success to the coaching staff. Connor Cushing, son of legendary Wheaton Men’s Soccer Coach Matt Cushing, joined the Lyons as an assistant coach for the 2025 season: “He brought a bit of the history back into the coaching role, and I think it invigorated us to want to do well for him,” said Declan. Named Head Coach of the Lyons in 2018, Bryan Waggoner has played a large role in Declan’s development: “His tactics are the best I've seen, and he just infuses guys with confidence.” Asked to change positions mid-way through his sophomore year, Coach Waggoner’s trust was crucial to helping Declan find success in his new role: “I came to Wheaton as a center defensive midfielder, which is what I played at Holderness and what I had been playing my whole life. It was a very competitive position within the team, so about halfway through my sophomore season, they moved me to striker. I talked with Coach Waggoner a lot as I was making the transition and knew he trusted me. He trusted me to lead the guys. I just took that and ran with it.” Declan's brother Liam was also influential in helping him learn the striker position: “He talked me through it the entire time. He played striker, so we talked a lot about our respective seasons.” 

Throughout his soccer career, Liam has been a role model for Declan:

“We both didn't play club soccer, which is unusual. We learned the game in the backyard, playing against each other. The biggest impact on my soccer career is my brother.”

Family is at the center of Declan’s success: “Thank you to my mom. She came to every game that she could. She makes me play better. That was a big part of this season’s success.” 

As Wheaton entered the NCAA tournament, their undefeated regular season earned them the right to host their first two matches. Shutout victories over Neumann University and Middlebury College sent the Lyons to Northfield, Minnesota for a matchup with Macalester College. With a spot in the Elite Eight on the line, Declan netted his team-leading 11th goal of the season in the 24th minute. His goal would stand as the decider and earned Wheaton their first National Quarterfinals appearance since 2003. While the Lyons ultimately came up short, losing 2-0 to St. Olaf College in the next round, their tremendous season had catapulted them from 7th in the NEWMAC Conference preseason rankings to 7th in the NCAA Division III Final National Rankings. 

Finding Direction at Holderness

Now a solidified starter on one of the top teams in the country, Declan reflected on a time when his soccer future was uncertain:

“ I wasn't planning on playing soccer in college when I got to Holderness. I didn't have a direct plan for my life. Coach Houseman was the first one who said, ‘I believe you can play at the college level.’ That gave me the confidence that I needed to pursue playing at the next level.”

Looking ahead to his senior year, Declan is confident the team can continue its momentum: “It’s a really big season to build off of. We've proved to ourselves that we can go far in the tournament and that we know how to play in the tournament. Our biggest focus is on winning the NEWMAC Championship and then moving on to the NCAA tournament.”