By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s the end of the line.

In August of 2015, Qua Tucker arrived on the LaGrange College campus, ready to join the soccer program after an exceptional athletic career at LaGrange High.

Now, three years later, Tucker is preparing to don the LaGrange College soccer uniform for the final time.

Tucker will be a senior leader for a LaGrange College team that will be under the direction of a new head coach in Ryan Dickson, who has taken over for Matthew Evans.

“It’s been a long ride, coming up through LaGrange High, and now I’m coming up on my fourth year here,” said Tucker, who is helping out at the Jeff Geeter youth soccer camp this week.

Tucker is coming off a 2017 season where he started all 17 games while helping lead the Panthers to their first-ever appearance in the USA South conference tournament.

This season, Tucker will not only be counted upon to get it done on the field, but he’ll occupy a key leadership position as a team captain.

“I’ve been promoted to captain, so I’ve got that to look forward to,” Tucker said. “It’s voted on by the teammates, and then the coach makes the final call.”

Tucker is grateful to have the confidence and support of his teammates and coaches.

“It’s good to know going into it that I’ve got them behind me, both the team and the coaches,” Tucker said. “That means a lot to the player to have that faith.”

The Panthers will be looking to build on what they accomplished last season.

Although the Panthers finished with a losing record of 5-11-2, they qualified for the USA South tournament, something they hadn’t done since joining the conference in 2012.

The Panthers lost four seniors, but it’ll be a talented group returning.

Among the players coming back is junior Errick Sturm, who was second in the USA South with 17 goals last season.

“We’re bringing back a bunch, and I think we’ve narrowed it down to a group where we’re committed, and we’re ready to do whatever it takes,” Tucker said. “I’m really excited. I can’t wait.”

Tucker said he and the other players are grateful that Dickson was tasked to be the new head coach.

“That’s one thing as a team we were really adamant about,” Tucker said. “When he left, we really wanted coach Ryan to step in, and they were able to make it work.”