Pomykata opts for Huntington
BUTLER TWP — Longtime collegiate soccer coach David Lewis has been recruiting Madison Pomykata for a while.
He officially landed her earlier this week — but for a different school.
Pomykata, a senior defender for the Butler girls soccer team, signed a letter of intent Monday to continue her academic and soccer career at Huntington College in Indiana.
“Coach Lewis was at Houghton (N.Y.) for a long time and I met him at a camp,” Pomykata said. “He became interested in me as a player. He took the job at Huntington last year and still showed interest in me.
“Everything just worked out from there.”
Lewis won an NAIA record 326 games at Houghton from 2005-14 before the program moved up to Division III. He was 402-122-39 in 28 years at Houghton overall and is one of only 25 college soccer coaches in the nation with more than 400 career wins.
His first year at Huntington resulted in a 4-13 record last fall. The Foresters had only six seniors among their 31-player roster.
“It's a rebuilding situation there,” Pomykata said. “I was told I could start there right away. I feel like I'm walking into a pretty good situation.”
Undecided on a major, Pomykata said she will likely concentrate on the math field.
She has also run cross country, track and field and played lacrosse for the Golden Tornado. Pomykata considered Penn State Behrend before opting for Huntington.
“She's definitely found a good place,” Butler girls soccer coach Steve Perri said. “Maddie is at her best as a one-on-one defender. She wins the ball and is very good at starting the attack.
“She anchored our back line last year. Her position (left back) was the one we lost from the previous year and she filled it. She can play other positions, but if (Huntington) plays her at defender, they've got a good one, for sure.”
Pomykata is the second Butler girls soccer senior this year to move on to college in the sport. Mckenna Robinson signed with St. Bonaventure and Perri expects Maggie Hays to continue on as well.
“Those will be our three this year. We had an excellent senior class,” the coach said.
Pomykata was a three-year letterwinner in soccer with the Tornado. Butler made the WPIAL playoffs in all four of her years in the program, putting together a record of 45-26-5.
“You have to go back to the Meghan Schnur years (nearly 20 years ago) since that happened,” Pomykata said of the playoff run. “We're pretty proud of that feat.”
Pomykata has been involved in musicals since seventh grade. She's played parts in Shrek, Three Blind Mice and will be a munchkin teacher in an upcoming Wizard of Oz production.
“I've enjoyed it,” she said of musicals. “They have a musical program at Huntington and I may look into joining, but not right away.
“My goals for now are to help make the soccer program better and make myself a better player, just like we did at Butler.”
