Posted: Dec 14, 2023
Jake Gamble’s soccer career ended as most players might dream theirs to end. No one in the history of Penn State Behrend men’s soccer has accomplished what Gamble did for the Lions from 2009-2012. He broke four records in four years: career goals, career points, most goals scored in a season and most points in a season. Gamble also was the first Behrend player to be named an NSCAA All-American. He was a three-time All-AMCC selection and two-time All-Region pick, while earning AMCC Offensive Player of the Year.
Gamble started his career with an ECAC Championship in his freshman year, helping the Lions post a 18-5-2 overall record.
It was in his sophomore year, however, that his teammates would truly get to know this phenom.
Gamble went from five goals and two assists in 2009 to recording 18 goals and five assists for 41 points a year later. He was the team’s Most Valuable Player, an All-AMCC First-Team choice and an All-Region Second-Team selection. He set the record for most goals in a season and led the AMCC in points.
Gamble was a great teammate. He had the assist on the goal that helped Jerry Tortella capture the program’s career goals record. Gamble also was competitive: Two years later, in his junior season, he scored 15 goals and four assists to break Tortella’s record. He also set the record for most career points. Gamble led the Lions to their fifth overall AMCC Championship and a second trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Gamble came back every season to break his own records. He was deadly dribbling at people and scoring goals. Gamble reset his single-season goals record with 22 goals in 22 games to rank fourth in the nation. He set a new school record for most points in a season with 48. Gamble was named an NSCAA All-American, AMCC Offensive Player of the Year, and First Team All-AMCC, while earning the coveted Behrend Male Athlete of the Year award.
After all the accolades, Gamble would say the best part of his career was the relationships and friendships he cemented in his time at Behrend.