College years present a perfect opportunity for talented players to showcase and grow their soccer skills. The best in the field transition to play professional soccer and represent the country in the process. For such winning players, college becomes a nursery for them to grow their skills and transition to club football.
Over the years, the college league has produced some of the brightest talents in soccer. College years offer a student the chance to practice more while still pursuing his academic goals. Here are some of the best soccer players who have come off the college league to become the most accomplished professional players.
1. Zack Steffen
Zack is a former Terrapin. He demonstrated his brilliance on the field by starting all 48 games in his two years at College Park. He also recorded 17 shutouts during these two years. Athletes can buy nursing essays online to create more time to practice on the field, as well as attend tournaments that they can use to capture the attention of scouts looking for professional players.
Zack showed his brilliance right from freshman year. He helped the Terps to hit 11 consecutive wins during the season. Because of this exploit, they made an appearance in the College Cup. Only 5 goals went past him during this winning streak. He transferred to Columbia Crew SC and later moved to England to play for Manchester City.
2. Matt Hedges
Matt arrived in North Carolina as a transfer. He had been named the Defender of the Year twice before he landed at Chapel Hill. At UNC, he helped the team to win the 2011 national championship. He was listed on the All-American first team.
Hedges was named the youngest captain for FC Dallas in history. While playing for the club, he won the Defender of the Year for the MSL league. He made it to the All-Stars team in the three seasons that followed. There is no denying that Matt Hedges is one of the best defenders to come out of college soccer and make such major strides.
3. Tim Ream
Tim played for Billikens for four years. He demonstrated diligence and continued improvement over these four years. As a freshman, he made 17 appearances in the 20 games that his college team played. He played in every game that followed, accumulating a total of 19 points by the time he was leaving in the final year.
Ream earned honours three times during his time at the all-conference games. He broke into the third team of All-American players during his senior year. In each of the four years he played, he reached the NCAA tournament in all of them.
In 2010, Tim joined the New York Red Bulls. He later transferred to England, where he played for such teams as Fulham in the EFL Championship. His journey to MSL and EPL demonstrates the possibilities of college leagues and the opportunities students have to exploit their talents.
4. Sacha Kljestan
Sacha is a legend at Seton Hall. He is the hallmark of an offensive defender. He spent three years at Seton Hall but left an indelible mark. He supported the Pirate’s attack with 28 assists. In 2005 alone, he made 15 assists, a record that few midfielders can match.
Sacha earned his All-Big East badge for each of the three seasons he was at Seton Hall. He was also named twice to the All-American team. All three seasons, his team reached the NCAA tournament. He crowed it all with a Big East Offensive Player of the Year award. He played for the US in the 2008 Olympics games. He signed for Anderlecht, where he spent five years. Later, he returned to the US to play for Orlando City.
5. Jordan Morris
Jordan had a stellar career starting from Palo Alto. He helped the Cardinals to win the first College Cup title. He went on to sign for Seattle Sounders. He remains one of the most feared strikers in the league.
College soccer offers a grooming ground for talented athletes. The talents shine in class and the field. They transition to become some of the most sort-after skills in soccer. It demonstrates that soccer and books can co-exist in college when balanced well.
