Last spring, when universities across the state were looking to cut back due to budget restraints, UK junior defender Tim Muessig was in a bind.

Muessig, Then a sophomore at Western Kentucky, was one of 15 men’s soccer players who saw WKU’s men’s soccer team get the axe due to a lack of funds.

Muessig found himself without a team and with an unknown future for the fall semester. The Lexington native and graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School thought of his hometown college, UK.

“(WKU) didn’t have funding and cancelled their program,” UK head coach Ian Collins said. “(Muessig) contacted me once they had done that and we got to talking very quickly. I had followed his progress and he’s done very, very well, so we were able to talk with him and get things going. We really wanted to get him here and it was a pretty quick process.”

While at Dunbar, Muessig was unable to attend UK because the Cats had a solid defensive backfield, making Muessig an unnecessary addition at the time. Junior Barry Rice was starting as a freshman at that time, playing with former Cats Nathan Li and Andrew Alexander.

With Li and Alexander gone, UK needed a defender and the experienced Muessig fit the bill.

“He’s made a really good impact. Tim’s an honest guy, works very hard, he’s very coachable, he does what you ask him to do, and he’s got a really big heart,” Collins said. “He’s a good guy, and he’s really made a big impression both on and off the field. His strengths are his work rate and his coachability skills and his personality is fantastic. Guys really like being around him, the coaches really enjoy coaching him, and I think he’s done really, really well since he’s been here.”

During his time at UK, Muessig has played in both the center back position and outside back. Even though he’s new to the team, Muessig has played the most minutes so far for the Cats, becoming a solid partner to Rice defensively.

Muessig is one of two Lexington natives on the team, with the other being sophomore midfielder C.J. Tappel. He frequently has family members and friends in attendance both at home and on the road, providing the UK team with fans at almost every stadium, no matter where they go.

“It’s fun. I really like Tim. He’s a great guy, he’s really interesting, he’s always got a good spirit about him and is always happy. It puts everybody in a good mood,” Rice said. “I think his energy on the field is really good. He’s a very excited player and he really works hard all the time and he really wants to do his best.”