In years past, the majority of the men’s soccer team has been recruited from the East Coast. Although this fact still applies, one Wildcat stands out from the rest. Sophomore defender Lorenzo Avalos hails from Salinas, CA. He might be a bit further from home than most of his teammates, but he is a defining player on the roster.
“I knew that [Villanova] is the place that felt closest to home, even though it’s on a completely other side of the country,” Avalos said. “So, that was kind of how it went and then I committed at the end of my junior year of high school.”
Avalos had a unique high school experience, attending school in-person for only his first two years. He joined a Major League Soccer club, the San Jose Earthquakes. In his final two years of high school, Avalos and his teammates attended classes online. During this time, they traveled across the country for tournaments.
Once he started at Villanova, Avalos had to make a shift in his priorities. At the San Jose Earthquakes Academy, he always was able to put soccer first. However, when he began his freshman year at Villanova, he had to put his studies first.
“I have to learn to be more self-sustained and know that teachers aren’t really gonna put up with anything,” Avalos said. “Although they do a really good job of catering to the student athletes for timing purposes, I think it was hard to learn in person, especially at a good school like Villanova where education is a top priority.”
Despite his struggles to manage both soccer and classes, the moment he stepped foot on campus, Avalos said he felt supported by his teammates, coaching staff and physical therapists. Villanova soccer head coach Mark Fetrow, for instance, is one of his greatest role models.
“[Avalos] is only a sophomore this year and has done a really good job just being a vocal leader on the field,” Fetrow said. “He’s another guy who just always gives his max effort and always has a great attitude, great approach to training and games and he’s continued to step his leadership up throughout the year.”
Fetrow encouraged Avalos to grow as both a player and a person. He was able to get a lot of playing time during his rookie season, averaging 83.5 minutes per game in eight appearances for the Wildcats. Avalos’s adept experience allowed him to excel in a nurturing environment.
One moment in which Avalos demonstrated his growth in the sport was during Villanova’s 2-1 upset win over the University of Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 27. With under two minutes left to play, the Wildcats and the Huskies were tied. At minute 88:36, Avalos received a pass from freshman Gleb Bogdanov.
He seamlessly passed through the Husky defenders and scored the game-winning goal. It was also his first goal as a Wildcat.
“As soon as I had the ball, it’s almost like everything stops and like the balls moving in slow motion,” Avalos said. “We just beat UConn, at UConn, in the last minute and a half of the game. I’d always been waiting for my first goal to come. I feel like it’s been so close.”
This goal shifted Avalos’ self-confidence at Villanova, creating a more positive outlook on the sport and his life in college.
Since coming to Villanova, Avalos has not only developed his soccer skill set, but also his time management and leadership abilities. After his freshman year, he learned the right balance of student and athlete. Now, he is hoping to be a mentor for the rookies on the team who are going through their transition from high school to college soccer.
“I think it helps me a lot when [the freshmen] talk to me and I work on just listening to them,” Avalos said. “Some people just like getting stuff off their chest. So, I think stepping into that role for myself is something that has helped me as an individual as much as I hope it’s helped them out.”
Avalos said he owes a lot of his mindset to teammate and close friend, Luke Martelli. Both sophomore defenders, Avalos and Martelli spent the entire summer together. Avalos never went home to California, but instead stayed on campus to train with Martelli and form better relationships with their coaching and medical staff.
Martelli is one of the team captains, along with junior goalkeeper Sebastian Cutler DeJesus. The trio of versatile returners made up of Martelli, Cutler-DeJesus and Avalos create a strong team relationship that emphasizes communication and understanding.
“Last year, I struggled to open up more than anything,” Avalos said. “This year I came in with the mentality that I want to be the one that is there for all the rookies, that are probably going through the same things that I was going through. I don’t care how bad the mistake is, I promise [them] I have [their] back. Because I make those mistakes, too, because we’re all human here. So, I think that’s something that I try to strive for.”
