PirateQ 
There will be a lot of local flavor on the inaugural Pensacola State College women’s soccer team, which begins its first season of play in August.
The first four players signed to the Pirates team are all high school and club standouts from Santa Rosa County.
PSC’s first soccer coach, Mark Yepishin, promises more local talent will be signed.
“We’re going to bring more local players to the team because we have so much talent in this area,” he said. “This allows the players in the area to continue playing after high school. We’re excited about getting started.”
The College introduced Yepishin, his assistant coaches – former Pensacola High School head soccer coach Paul Fernandez and Valentina Duque, a former member of the Columbian National Team – along with the signees during a press conference on Wednesday, March 29, in Hartsell Arena.
The soccer team signees are:
- Maddison Laina, a Navarre High School and Bayside Rush player specializing in the center back position. She will study nursing at PSC.
“Maddison’s unique talents, including her quickness and exceptional game-reading ability, make her an outstanding player who can provide an immediate impact for the Pirates right from the start of the season,” Yepishin said.
- Maddie Motes, a defensive midfielder for Pace High School and West Florida Soccer Club. A varsity team member for four years, Motes was instrumental in guiding the Lady Patriots to the regional quarterfinals. She will enroll in the College’s Pharmacy Technician program.
“Maddie’s primary responsibility on the pitch is to impede the opposing team’s attack, and she is widely regarded as one of the top performers in the region in her position,” Yepishin said.
- Paige Phillips, a Milton High School and West Florida Soccer Club forward. Phillips played four years for the Milton High Lady Panthers, where she scored 74 goals and provided 21 assists. She will study business at Pensacola State.
“She has quick feet and excellent finishing skills. We expect her to carry on her impressive scoring record for the Pirates,” Yepishin said.
- Sidney Roest, a Pace High School and West Florida Soccer Club goalkeeper. In high school, she made a total of 184 saves. She will study nursing at PSC.
“During her three years on the varsity team, Sidney conceded only 38 goals, which is a testament to her exceptional goalkeeping skills,” Yepishin said.
The team will have a roster of about 20 players.
PSC home games will be played at Ashton Brosnaham Sports Complex for the inaugural season. A practice field will be built on the Pensacola campus next to the tennis courts. The College will eventually construct a permanent soccer complex and field to host home games.
A seasoned and accomplished soccer player, the Russian-born Yepishin began playing soccer competitively for Pensacola Futbol Club in 2005 under local legend coach Peter Stephens. In 2014, he started coaching at the Jackson (Mississippi) Futbol Club while playing at Mississippi College in Clinton. He moved to Pensacola with his family from Karachayevsk, Russia, in 2005.
A 2009 Booker T. Washington High School graduate, Yepishin was the volunteer assistant coach for the University of West Florida women’s soccer program from 2019-2022. He also was head coach of the girls soccer program at Pensacola Catholic High School from 2013-2023 and led the Lady Crusaders to postseason play eight out of the 10 years he was there.
He was one of 32 volunteers selected from 600,000 applicants to help as a Team Services Volunteer at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Russia and the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. He worked with national teams and was a Russian translator for the players and coaches.
In 2018, Yepishin was a Team Liaison Officer for the National Lithuanian team in its friendly match against Iran. He holds a U.S. Soccer “D” Coaching License and a Youth Diploma 1 from Coerver Coaching.
Yepishin and his wife, Anastasiia, live in Pensacola with their sons, Luka and Vinny, and husky, Mufasa.
“Recruitment is continuing, and we’re hoping interest in the soccer program will pick up with this announcement. We’ll also hold tryouts for those interested in joining the team,” said Pensacola State Athletic Director Bryan Lewallyn, who added walk-ons will be accepted.
PSC President Ed Meadows said the new soccer team will allow the College to widen its service to the community.
“There are literally thousands of high school players and other youth league players in our community,” said Meadows, whose grandchildren play soccer. “This team will allow some of our local players to continue playing after high school.”
Lewallyn agreed, saying soccer is the biggest sport in the community right now.
“This gives PSC another connection to the community that wasn’t there. Our area has a huge soccer community, so this is certainly a positive move,” he added.
Four other Florida College Systems (FCS) institutions ─ Eastern Florida, Daytona, Polk and Pasco-Hernando state colleges ─ have women’s soccer teams. Lewallyn said the Pirates will compete against those FCS schools and colleges in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee.
In 2022, Pensacola State received a $2,000 NJCAA Sport Opportunity Grant ─ available for NJCAA-member colleges to apply as they expand sports offerings while increasing student-athlete access and achievement. The grant funds were used to purchase soccer balls for the program, Lewallyn said.
The soccer team is the second women’s athletic program PSC has added in the last few years. In 2019, a women’s cross-country team joined the athletics roster.
Mary Murphy, head coach of the Milton High School girls soccer team and a West Florida Soccer Club coach, was one of the local coaches who attended the press conference.
Three PSC signees – Motes, Phillips and Roest – played for the West Florida Soccer Club under Murphy.
“It’s exciting to know that my players that I coached right down the road will continue playing at the college level,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier. There’s so much talent in this area, so this will be a big boost for players wanting to continue playing after high school.”
Pictured are, from left, Head Coach Mark Yepishin; Assistant Coach Paul Fernandez; signees Maddison Laina, Sidney Roest, Maddie Motes and Paige Phillips; Assistant Coach Valentina Duque; and PSC President Ed Meadows. PSC Athletic Director Bryan Lewallyn is on the second row.