MILWAUKEE - To any local soccer fan, it probably feels like just yesterday that Evan Conway and his Whitefish Bay High School teammates were walking off the field at Uihlein Soccer Park with the gold ball following a 1-0 victory in the 2015 state championship game.
 
Fast-forward to November 16, 2019, when he stepped onto the field on a cold day in Chicago to play his final game as a Panther.
 
As they say, time flies.
 
Conway was named First-Team Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association All-State after leading the Blue Dukes to a 23-2-1 record that fall, scoring 25 goals and adding four assists, repeating as a First-Team North Shore All-Conference honoree.
 
As a little kid growing up, Conway used to come to games at Engelmann Stadium to watch the Panthers play. He chose Milwaukee as the place he wanted to spend his collegiate career and made an impression from day one.
 
"My whole childhood, I always came to the Milwaukee Cup games with my youth club and even was a ball boy in a couple of games," Conway said. "So, I think part of my decision was growing up around the program and knowing what to expect."
 
He showed up on campus the next year and adjusted quickly to the college game. First start? Season opener against Eastern Illinois. First goal? Two of them – in a matchup he would come to appreciate even more every season – that same "Milwaukee Cup" derby against Marquette.
 
Down 3-0 before the first 30 minutes had even elapsed in that 2016 clash, Conway put the Panthers on his back and struck for his first collegiate goal in the 34^th minute. He was at it again in the 61^st to make it 3-2 and nearly had the hat trick in the 74^th minute, denied on an impressive save. Milwaukee did find a third goal and forced overtime, settling for a dramatic 3-3 draw.
 
Three straight Panther victories followed in the "Milwaukee Cup" for Conway over the years, never losing to his crosstown rival in his college career in one of the biggest rivalries on the schedule. His 3-0-1 mark will always be something to look back on.
 
"After having a good game against them my freshman year and some interesting spring games, it was definitely a game that everyone knew I wanted to win whether it was in-season or not," Conway said. "Ending the MKE Cup this year with a win was a great feeling and I have a scar above my eye to remember it by."
 
He was named Horizon League Freshman of the Year after an impressive debut campaign, leading the team in points (15) and goals (6) while playing in all 19 games on the season, making 18 starts.
 
He went on to become the first MKE player to record at least 20 points since 2012 as a sophomore, leading the team with 20 on eight goals and four assists.
 
After postseason losses in the semifinals on a pair of occasions, Conway put it all on the line his final season, helping the Panthers to an impressive end to the 2019 campaign that took them all the way to the Horizon League Tournament Championship … and nearly beyond.
 
Conway netted the game-winner on a field covered in snow in Detroit in the first round of the postseason and then helped Milwaukee topple the top-seeded UIC Flames in a penalty-kick shootout in the semifinals. It came up just short of a complete fairy-tale ending, falling in penalty kicks to Wright State in the championship after a 1-1 draw following 110 minutes of thrilling soccer.
 
"We had been right there the past couple years and we were especially close this season, a couple thing go differently and we would have been through," Conway said. "All I know is the guys are going to remember this last postseason campaign and hopefully will come out on top next time they get the chance."
 
In the end, the team went 10-6-4 overall this past fall, which included a near-unbeaten 11-game stretch (6-1-4) from October 1 through the end of the season – with no losses over the final eight contests of his collegiate career.
 
Conway wrapped up his college stay in impressive fashion, earning First-Team All-Horizon League honors as well as a spot on the Second Team United Soccer Coaches All-North Region squad. Conway finished 10^th in the league with a team-best 17 points, coming on six goals and five assists.
 
He concludes his career just outside of the Top 10 all-time in program history in each of those categories with his 71 points, 27 goals, and 17 assists. His 214 career shots tied for fifth in program history and he tallied 11 career game-winners. With all of the success on the field, what will he remember most?
 
"Definitely this past season's playoff run … that I will remember for a while," Conway said. "Playing in the snow in the quarterfinal against Detroit and then beating UIC at their home field was more than I could have asked for in my last season."
 
A very successful student in the classroom, Conway became just the second student-athlete in program history to be named to the prestigious CoSIDA Academic All-District Team three times in a career. The finance major, who carries a 3.72 GPA, was also tabbed for the Horizon League All-Academic Team each time he was eligible (2017-18-19).
 
So what does the future hold?
 
"I am currently in the process of trying to land a contract to play professionally after I graduate," Conway said. "It can be a struggle to get that first contract, but I think I'll get my shot and definitely won't let the opportunity pass."
 
For Conway, playing the game of soccer started when he was young. The thought of not playing competitively … well, that has yet to enter his mind.
 
"I think I started playing around when I was five or so," Conway said. "It is a pretty popular first sport in the U.S., so I think that helps with development and getting used to having a ball at your feet."
 
The game means a lot to him and has already brought so much into his life.
 
"It started really just as a hobby and a way to release some energy, but I ended up meeting some great people throughout the years and am glad to have the chance to turn it into a profession," Conway said.
 
Stay tuned for the next step, he will be sure to impress wherever that takes him.