TACOMA, Wash. - Throughout the academic year, GoLutes.com will profile the Pacific Lutheran University senior student-athletes that are embarking on their final collegiate season. Today's installment features PLU men's soccer student-athlete Sam Ebner.

Sam Ebner is an athlete through and through. With one soccer season left before graduation, Ebner plans to make the most of his last year in Lute athletics.
 

Hometown: Puyallup, Wash.

Highlights: Three-time NWC Champion Two-time NCAA Qualifier 40 games played 26 starts 38-16-7 Record at PLU

A Business Management major, Ebner believes his experience as a Lute soccer player has prepared him with many different tools to utilize in his future career. His teammates and coaches supported him in chasing leadership roles at PLU and pushed him to be a better athlete and person.
 
"They have had a great impact on me through these last four years," Ebner said.
 
His favorite soccer memory was during his sophomore season, when the team played in Minnesota in the NCAA tournament. Being able to travel with his teammates and play in a high stakes tournament was a great experience.
 
Ebner is the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at PLU, and Vice President of the Northwest Conference SAAC. Ebner's involvement in SAAC shaped his career as a Lute, and gave him valuable experience as a leader which will stay with him after graduation.
 
"He's grown immensely as a student-athlete leader over the last three and a half years. He's gone from coming in and being a great team guy and having a smaller role as a first year to having a more significant role both on and off the field as a senior," said Head Coach John Yorke.
 
On the pitch, the defender and Puyallup, Washington native appeared in 40 games over the past three seasons, starting 26 games. He's helped the Lutes win three straight Northwest Conference titles and make two trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Ebner has helped PLU post shutouts in 20 of the 40 games he's appeared in, while scoring his lone career goal on Oct. 14, 2018 on the road against George Fox University. Heading into the 2021 spring season, Ebner has helped the Lutes to a 38-16-7 record while on campus, including a 29-7-6 mark in conference action. 
 
"He's a team-first guy and really the definition of a servant leader in that everything he does is for the men's soccer team, putting himself second. We're really proud of him being our SAAC President and part of the NWC leadership team and everything that he does that represents both men's soccer and PLU athletics. On top of it all, he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. We really enjoy having Sam a part of our team and we're a better team for it."
 
Ebner is also heavily involved in intramural sports, and is a proud back-to-back champion of the badminton and pickle ball intramural tournaments. 
 
After graduation, Ebner plans to get his Master's in Business Administration.