Senior defender Taeyoon Oh was born in Seoul, South Korea, and has been playing soccer for over a decade.
While attending Incheon Hitech High School in South Korea, he received the Excellent Player award. Before transferring to Winthrop last year, Oh attended universities in both Texas and Ohio.
“When I spent my first year in Texas, I went to Korea for a short time during winter break, when Kyle, a coach of Winthrop, came to Korea. I talked to him a lot then, and I had a good memory of Winthrop. Since then, I [was] thinking of transferring to Winthrop,” Oh said.
At Lakeland Community College in Ohio, Oh started all 13 games he played. He scored his only goal of the season in a win over Michigan Lake College on Sept. 29, 2019.
Moving to the United States for college was a tremendous adjustment for Oh, learning not only how to balance the simultaneous athletic and academic lifestyle but also learning how to communicate in a foreign country.
“Even though I still lack English, [it was] very difficult because I couldn’t speak English at all when I first came to America,” Oh said.
During the 2020-2021 season, Oh led his team in assists and was one of three players to play in and start all nine games for Winthrop.
Last Thursday, Oh played the entire season–opening game against Stetson in Deland, Florida, where the Eagles walked away with their first win since the fall of 2019 with a final score of 4-3.
“I’m looking forward to the game against Campbell University the most. We were beaten by them last season, and I really want to pay them back with a good game this year,” Oh said.
Oh is striving for good grades in the classroom and wants to help bring his team to the Big South Tournament in November.
“There are bigger goals, but I look forward to every moment,” Oh said.
After many years on the field, Oh can confidently walk into a regular-season game, but larger competitions occasionally bring on the nerves.
“When I’m too nervous, I have a habit of chewing gum and a habit of holding water in my mouth and then spitting it out,” Oh said.
Oh finds inspiration in his favorite athlete, former footballer Nemanja Vidić who most notably played for Manchester United.
“He was more combative and one of the best defenders, I think, and he hated giving goals to his opponent even if his nose was broken. [He is] one of the players I want to resemble the most,” Oh said.
Planning to graduate in the fall of 2022, Oh hopes to continue living in the United States to see what opportunities arise.
