When junior midfielder Kevin Reiman transferred to MSU from Maryland after last season, he expected to fit right in with the Spartans' starting unit.
After all, he has a national championship under his belt, having played 10 games with Maryland, last year's NCAA men's soccer champions.
But after tearing muscles in his abdomen this preseason, Reiman hasn't seen the field yet.
"I got cleared to play yesterday, so I'm kinda getting back into things," Reiman said Wednesday. "I'm trying to get back into shape for the weekend."
Reiman's transfer is an unusual case. He left Maryland for MSU without having to sit out a year before playing, as most transfers usually do. A special exception in the NCAA rule book allows players to start immediately after transferring, pending the certifying school's permission.
"When Ryan McMahen graduated, we needed one more attack player," MSU head coach Joe Baum said. "We had recruited a couple of attack players that decided to go elsewhere. So I called his coach at Maryland and said, 'Hey, I need an attack player, how can you help me?'"
Reiman, whose playing time at Maryland dropped significantly last season, was looking for a fresh start.
"It was a numbers issue, I guess," he said. "I wasn't getting the playing time I wanted there. I have nothing against Maryland, it's a great place. I won a national championship with them. But I took a visit out here, fell in love with it. Love the guys and haven't looked back since."
The 5-foot-7 New York native and two-time NSCAA/adidas high school All-American has some large cleats to fill. He's one candidate to replace McMahen, a second-team All-American who led the Spartans in scoring last season with 19 points.
"(Reiman) is going to give us a dimension that'll be exciting," Baum said. "He's got some cleverness that you can't coach. It's just natural soccer ability. It's going to be fun to watch it come together."
Although his time on the field has been limited, Reiman's sense of humor has helped him mesh with the team.
"I'm a goofball, but there are a bunch of other guys who are breathing down my neck for the title of biggest idiot on the team. We're a fun group of guys," Reiman said. "They embraced me and I embraced them the second I got here. It's been a really easy transformation."
Reiman is anxious to get over his injury and hit the field as a Spartan. He's hoping to make his first appearance when MSU plays Virginia Commonwealth on Friday.
"I'm gonna do the best I can," Reiman said. "I think I kind of know what it takes to win after being with Maryland. I think I can bring a little of that here. Hopefully, we can get a real good season out of it."
