BADGERING... A.J. COCHRAN »» MEN'S SOCCER
A native of St. Louis, A.J. Cochran played with the U.S. National U-20 team this summer, where he played in both South America and Europe. Cochran returns for his sophomore season after starting in 18 games last year in the backfield. In those 18 games, he recorded one goal and three assists, leading all defenders on the team in points.
What was the highlight of your trip to Europe with the U-20 team? "It probably had to be the second day we were there when we got to train at Liverpool's reserves' complex. It was pretty phenomenal. And then, I didn't know when we got there, but we were fortunate enough to play against the Liverpool reserves. They were awesome — they were probably the best team I have ever played against. It was a cool experience knowing that those guys were pros and are probably going to be in the English Premier League one day."
What did you take away from your experiences with the U-20 team? "When you go and play against international competition, you can tell that it's year-round for them — they don't take a day off. Soccer is their religion, and for some of them it's a way for them to get out of their country. I just wanted to bring that attitude back here and know that, everywhere else in the world, people are working every day, and if you're trying to be as good as them and eventually compete at that level, you need put your best effort every single day and continue to work hard."
What are you most looking forward to this year with the Badgers? "We have a great team. We have a lot of kids coming back. We're going to go out and fight for every game. I have a feeling that we're going to do really well this year."
20 » VARSITY AUGUST 9, 2012
