NASHVILLE - Before Chris Douglas was No. 21 On the Hill for the Trevecca Trojans, he was a young soccer player from Antigua making his way in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. He came to the United States to play at The Webb School, carrying his game into a new country and a new chapter of his life.
This September, midseason in his already-worth-talking-about Trevecca season, he was called up to play for his country in the CONCACAF Nations League. In his week with the team, he gave Antigua and Barbuda a reason to join the conversation.
Less than a minute into his second CONCACAF Nations League match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, a ball arrived from the right. Douglas met it with his head and put his country in front.
The stage changed. The finish familiar.
By halftime, the Benna Boys had five goals against Anguilla. Douglas had scored two goals and assisted on two others. Four of the five goals in a 5-0 victory carried the contribution of a college junior whose journey had taken him from Antigua to a Tennessee boarding school, then to Trevecca in Music City, through an injury-shortened season, and then back onto the field in his nation's colors.
For one September evening, supporters in Antigua, Bell Buckle, and Trevecca Trojan Nation had the same reason to celebrate.
Three nights later, Trevecca would need him again.
Douglas' American soccer story began at Webb, the boarding and day school in Bell Buckle. By his junior year in 2023, he had earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state recognition in Division II-A. He was also keeping his connection to Antigua and Barbuda's national program. In February 2024, while still a Webb student, he was named to his country's squad for CONCACAF Under-20 qualifying.
He was building a life in Tennessee while continuing to represent his home country.
On April 25, 2024, Webb celebrated his signing to play soccer at Trevecca Nazarene University. The next stop was Nashville and a place in Danny Leavy's program.
Douglas made himself known quickly. As a freshman, he appeared in all 17 matches and led the Trojans with six goals and 15 points. The Gulf South Conference named him Freshman of the Week twice, on September 10 and September 24. The Tennessee Sports Writers Association followed with Player of the Week recognition that November.
Then the climb was interrupted.
Injury limited his already promising sophomore season in the Purple and White to nine matches. He still led Trevecca with five goals and 11 points, but his year ended with plenty of the schedule remaining. A promising college career had met one of the game's hardest demands: getting healthy enough to continue it. His fellow Trojans pushed through to make the postseason. Setting the table for his return in 2026.
That gives this fall a weight beyond the scoring totals. A year after an injury shortened his season, Douglas is back helping decide matches, chasing records and contributing to the senior national team of Antigua and Barbuda.
His return began with goals against King and Thomas More. On September 8, he scored twice against Johnson University. Four days later, he supplied the equalizer at Montevallo. Five goals in five appearances had already matched his total from the previous season.
On September 19, he scored twice more against Mississippi Christian and added an assist in Trevecca's 6-2 victory. The Trojans were unbeaten through seven matches, and Douglas had seven goals. He earned consecutive TSWA Player of the Week awards on September 15 and September 22, bringing his collegiate weekly honors to five.
His country was paying attention, too.
Before the international trip, Antigua and Barbuda head coach Jacques Passy described Douglas as "one of those strikers that you know will give you at least two to three goal-scoring opportunities every game."
There was good evidence for that in Nashville. Douglas soon supplied more in Antigua.
On September 26, the forward from St. Johns was wearing the colors of his country's senior team against Anguilla. He opened the scoring in the first minute and scored again in the 21st. His two assists helped teammates share in the night's work.
Trevecca had sent one of its own into international competition. Antigua and Barbuda had welcomed one of its own home.
The boy who left home to play in Tennessee was now helping his country win on the national stage, while also helping Trevecca toward what might be its best season in program history.
When he returned to Tennessee, the goals didn't get lost on the way back.
At Freed-Hardeman on September 29, the Trojans trailed 1-0 at halftime. Zion Jones pulled them even early in the second half, and Douglas gave Trevecca a 2-1 lead. The Lions answered with two goals of their own. Trevecca was behind again.
Douglas brought the Trojans level at 3-3 in the 68th minute. With 1:07 remaining, he scored once more, completing the first hat trick of his collegiate career and delivering a 4-3 road victory.
Zion Jones scored a goal that got it started, assisted by Chris Douglas. Douglas, on an assist by Daniel Shiel, provided the finish that sent the Trojans home with a win.
Five goals and two assists in four days, spread across two sides of the ocean and two uniforms. He had helped Antigua and Barbuda win on the national stage, then helped Trevecca rally on the road in his first match back.
His third goal at Freed-Hardeman was also his 10th of the season with Trevecca, matching Jonathan Baskin's 2012 total atop Trevecca's NCAA-era single-season goals list. Douglas reached that mark in eight appearances.
Through October 12, he has 10 goals and four assists in 10 matches. His 24 points are second in Trevecca's NCAA-era season history, two short of Jeremiah Wright's record of 25.
The latest NCAA Division II statistical rankings place him No. 4 in goals per match at 1.00 and No. 3 in points per match at 2.30. He is No. 12 in total goals, No. 16 in total points, and No. 15 in game-winning goals with three.
Across 36 career appearances, Douglas has 21 goals, seven assists and 50 points. He stands third in NCAA-era program history in goals and points, and fifth in both across Trevecca's NAIA and NCAA history. One more goal would draw him level with Nicolas Reinhard's 22. Wright's NCAA-era career record of 25 is four away.
Trevecca is 9-1-2 overall and 4-1-2 in the Gulf South, with four consecutive victories. Picked eighth in the preseason coaches' poll, the Trojans stand third on the GSC table with 14 conference points, one behind UAH with a match in hand.
In the first NCAA Division II men's soccer NCAA Power Index rankings released October 12, Trevecca stands No. 21 nationally. A day later, the Trojans broke into the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Top 25 for the first time in program history at No. 20.
That is a team accomplishment, and there are plenty of names behind it.
Daniel Shiel followed Douglas' hat trick with one of his own against Delta State on October 3, then scored the winner at Union four nights later. Douglas assisted on a goal in each victory. Judah Jones has seven assists, matching Wright's NCAA-era season record, and ranks second nationally in assists per match. Hunter Walker has five shutouts, tying his own NCAA-era season mark from last fall. Haden Brown scored the winner at Carson-Newman and has five assists.
While Douglas was away playing for his country, Walker and Zion Jones helped deliver a 1-0 victory at Christian Brothers. The team kept moving forward.
Trevecca's 31 assists rank sixth nationally, and its 2.58 per match rank fifth. Nine victories have matched the NCAA-era season high set in 2012. The all-time program mark of 10, set in 2003, is one win away with three regular-season matches remaining.
There are still goals to chase for Douglas and the Trojans. There are still teammates to help and matches to win. Douglas and the Trojans have their sights on extending a Trevecca men's soccer program further than any team in program history.
The next chance at building toward that goal comes Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 PM when Spring Hill visits the Trevecca Soccer Pitch for another GSC Kickoff. Links to live stats and the FloCollege stream are waiting on the Trevecca Men's Soccer Schedule Page.
Come see the young man who left Antigua to play in Tennessee, right here on the Hill, helping his No. 21 Trojans write a new story in Trevecca Trojan history, one that makes the people of Antigua, Webb, and Trevecca proud.
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