ELON, N.C. - Former Elon men's soccer midfielder Daniel Lovitz entered his seventh season as a professional soccer player in 2020. Like many others worldwide, what he faced throughout the year was unlike anything anyone had ever experienced in the past. Due to the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lovitz and his squad, Nashville SC, were forced to make adjustments to their normal training regimen. 

“Covid’s impact on our day-to-day routine was felt most significantly in the Spring and Summer," Lovitz explained. "Having to shut down everything was surreal in a lot of ways and to have to get ourselves back into some type of a routine was pretty strange given all of the restrictions we had to operate under. We had months where we didn’t see anybody and we were getting creative with going on runs in different areas of Nashville, finding ways to share equipment responsibly, and adhering to scheduled workouts being mandated by the club from a distance. But, for the vast majority of the time, we were alone. Eventually we moved from solo training sessions with just you and a ball to gradually integrating limited numbers of teammates. We eventually were able to get a few weeks of training in before the season started up again after the break. It was a great feeling to be back at the facility and to see people again. ”

Lovitz and his teammates made the most of the time they did have though, as they finished the season with a 8-7-8 overall record and earned a berth into the MLS playoffs as a 7-seed. In the playoffs, Nashville SC won its opening two games against Inter Miami CF (2-0) and Toronto FC (1-0) before falling to Columbus Crew SC (2-0) in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

Despite his many successes post-graduation, Lovitz credits his time at Elon for giving him the confidence to continue moving forward and eventually reach these heights. 

“I was incredibly lucky to go to Elon," Lovitz stated. "Being there forced me to be the best version of myself on and off the field if I wanted to be successful. From an educational standpoint, the coordination between the athletic and academic advising departments made getting my degree possible when lots of athletes at other schools are forced to choose between their sport and their degree. Having that piece settled gave me a ton of confidence to begin my professional career knowing I had a strong foundation for life after soccer. Most importantly, my time at Elon provided me with friendships that will last a lifetime."

Although he made countless great memories throughout his years at Elon, Lovitz remembers one specific moment as his favorite from his four years. 

Reflecting on how he got to this point, Lovitz shared some advice with the next generation of athletes who want to follow in his footsteps. 

A standout during his time with the Phoenix, Lovitz graduated in 2013 as the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year. Following his time at Elon, Lovitz was drafted by Toronto FC, where he appeared in 41 games throughout three seasons. After competing with Toronto FC from 2014-16, Lovitz signed with the Montreal Impact where he played in 84 games (76 starts) from 2017-19. Additionally, Lovitz competed in 13 contests as a member of the U.S. Men's National Team in 2019. After spending three years with Montreal, Lovitz was traded to Nashville SC this past season. 

--ELON--