A chip off the old block or, like father like son – either expression describes Reed Sothoron and his dad, John, a couple of former Tiger goalkeepers who are about to make athletic history at Towson.
Along with Mindy Bean (softball), Stan Eisenhooth (football), Christina Ghani (gymnastics), Christie Landi (soccer) and Brian Matthews (basketball), Reed will be inducted into the Tigers' Hall of Fame Friday, October 21st at the 58th Annual Induction Banquet at the Delta Hotels Baltimore Hunt Valley, 245 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley, MD. The 1971 Men's Lacrosse Team will be honored as well as the Team of Distinction. Tickets are available by visiting https://towsonuniversity.regfox.com/towson-athletics-tiger-honors-hall-of-fame-induction-2022
Reed will become the first son or daughter to follow a parent into Towson's Hall of Fame. John was a four-year (1969-72) starter in the nets for the Tigers who posted a combined 42-14 record over that period. He earned Little All-America honors in 1972 and was inducted into Towson's Hall of Fame in 1989.
An aspiring attackman early on, Reed honored his father's request to play goalie. "I was an attackman on the jayvee at St. Mary Ryken but in my sophomore year my dad, who was the varsity coach, asked me to step into the goal when our goalie became ineligible," Reed recalls. "I really didn't want to but after a week I accepted it and the rest is history."
After a year at Bridgton (Me.) Academy Reed transferred to Towson. He shared net duties in his freshman year but won the job outright as a sophomore. During his time the Tigers were 38-21, a record that included three Colonial Athletic Association titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. Reed was chosen first team All-CAA twice and second team once. A two-time honorable mention All-American, he was one of five Tigers selected to the CAA's 25
th Anniversary Team. As a captain in 2005 he was named to the Tewaarton Watch List.
Reed's .608 save percentage in 2005 remains a single season program record. His 578 career saves rank him in a tie for third with, who else but his dad, John. Reed's career goalkeeper save percentage of .561 remains second on the all-time career list.
After three years on the pro circuit playing for the now defunct San Francisco Dragons, the Denver Outlaws and the Baltimore Bayhawks, Reed put the stick down to focus on fitness.
"I started with 5k's and steadily built up to the marathon level," says Reed, who, by banquet time, will have competed in the challenging Ironman Maryland triathlon inclusive of a 2.4-mile swim in the Choptank River, a 112-mile bike ride around Dorchester County and a 26.2-mile full marathon run. "It's been a 10-year buildup. This is my world now – endurance training and endurance sports."
In 2013 Reed competed on the reality show, American Ninja Warrior. "I didn't get as far as I would have liked but I enjoyed the experience," says Reed who was the first former Tiger student-athlete to appear on the show. The following year former Tiger gymnast Kacy Catanzaro made national headlines when she became the first woman ever to successfully complete the ANW finals course.
Reed is currently an outside sales representative for Clark Machine.
