Worldwide Recruiting Footprint is Key to MSOC Success

MILWAUKEE - In college soccer, most teams consist of players from the bordering states of the school with some players from the rest of the United States sprinkled in. For Marquette men's soccer, however, the recruiting base is greatly expanded, giving the team a distinct international flavor.

The team has 12 players from countries other than the U.S., including Brazil, England, Germany, Italy and Sweden. MU also has players who speak seven different languages.

Head coach Louis Bennett said that the intermingling of the international flavors gives his team an edge.

"We love that people have come from different areas," Bennett said. "The majority of our team is American-born and a lot of them are Midwesterners, but I believe that the variety makes us stronger."

Associate head coach Sean Hughes is one of the main recruiters for the MU program, and said that the team culture is heavily influenced by its international student-athletes.

"We bring players from everywhere and ask them to be part of our program," Hughes said. "Our culture consists of guys from Wisconsin, from Chicago, from Iowa, from Texas, from all over the world. We're trying to get that balance, and it starts first and foremost with respect for one another."

For a number of international players, Marquette seemed like the perfect place to spend their collegiate years for various reasons.

Sunesson, Lukas — Lukas Sunesson celebrates after scoring a goal last season against Northern Illinois.

Junior forward Lukas Sunesson, who hails from Sweden, noted his relationship with Coach Bennett and his staff made his decision to be a Golden Eagle a no-brainer.

"One of the biggest reasons [I chose MU] was my relationship with the coaches, we clicked really well right from the start," Sunesson said. "Another deciding factor was how good the school was, both soccer-wise and academically."

Redshirt junior defender Manuel Cukaj is originally from Mannheim, Germany, and credited MU's style of play for his biggest draw to the school.

"The Marquette brand and the style of play [really drew me]," Cukaj said. "I love that we like to play out of the back and play a good style of soccer."

Cukaj, Manuel — Manuel Cukaj has developed into one of MU's best defenders and will be a team leader this year as a junior.

Junior midfielder Zyan Andrade is a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and said his draw to the program was the familiarity of the coaches' message.

"I felt like this would be a place I could call home," Andrade said. "Since I started talking with the coaches, every time they talked about team culture and playing out the back, those are things I've heard since I was a kid back home."

Freshman forward Beto Soto might not technically be an international student, but being from Houston, Texas is not typical for a Marquette soccer player.

For Soto, it was the Marquette coaching staff and welcoming feel of campus that drew him to MU.
"The moment we started talking, [the coaches] made me feel welcome," Soto said. "It felt like home as soon as I landed and got to campus. The teammates took me in with open arms, so it was a no-brainer."

Redshirt sophomore forward A.J. Franklin comes from Streamwood, Illinois, but said he loves the team's international identity.

"It brings up so many different conversations and [we're all] trying to learn about other people's cultures," Franklin said.

Franklin, A.J. — An Illinois native, A.J. Franklin loves being a part of a team with numerous cultures and languages.

Multiple members of the coaching staff, including Hughes and Bennett, were international college players themselves, which helps them relate to the international players.

"I made the decision of moving to the U.S. for college," Hughes said. "Those guys knowing the staff have made those decisions, that gives them confidence in what they can achieve, whether it's on the field or off the field."

While having so many languages spoken on the team certainly has its challenges, Bennett has a simple solution: one common language.

"We have to speak a common language for training so that everyone understands," Bennett said. "We call it 'Marquette English' because we have certain ways we say a press or whatever. In the collective moments, we have to have a common language, and it's 'Marquette English.'"

Keep up with the Marquette men's soccer program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteSoccer) and Instagram (@MarquetteSoccer) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteSoccer).

Worldwide Recruiting Footprint is Key to MSOC Success

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