Adamski and the Freshmen Making Their Mark Early
The second half hadn't even started against No. 9 Fort Lewis College when FILIP ADAMSKI made his mark. A corner kick bounced once, he settled it, and instantly found a seam in the box. The finish? Clinical. That goal was more than a score—it was a statement: Adamski is the engine for this Hilltoppers' freshman class. 

And with three goals over the final two games of St. Edward's four-game homestand to open the season, Adamski is also the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week. 

Head Coach Brian Young likes the way Adamski processes the game. "He's calm and collected. He can switch the point of attack, and his first touch settles the team," Young says. Watch him in transition: Adamski consistently moves into pockets of space between lines, gives the ball a decisive touch, and either drives forward or opens angles for teammates. In other words, he doesn't just play the ball—he manipulates the pieces around him.

St. Edward's may only be in its third season, but the program has built continuity that allows freshmen to plug in immediately. Adamski spent last season sidelined by injury, but he turned that into an advantage.

"I'm a defensive midfielder by trade, but watching last year helped me know where to be and how to move," he says. That awareness lets him drift into attacking zones, while still covering defensively—a perfect fit for a system that thrives on flexibility and constant positional rotation.

Freshmen ARMANDO DON JUAN and JACKSON STUBBS have also made immediate tactical contributions. Don Juan, an undersized attacking center midfielder, uses his low center of gravity and tight first touch to turn defenders in tight spaces. His first collegiate goal wasn't just a finish—it was the product of controlled pressure, a quick one-two with a teammate, and an intelligent cut across the defense.

Stubbs, meanwhile, has stepped into outside back duties seamlessly. With EBUKA BRIGHT-OSIGWE temporarily sidelined by a yellow card, Stubbs showcased his speed and one-on-one defensive ability in his collegiate debut against Mississippi College. He recovers quickly, closes angles, and immediately transitions into attack, giving Young's system a dual threat: defend and launch in one fluid motion. His ability to track overlapping runs while still carrying the ball into midfield adds a new layer of unpredictability, needing only some experience and decision-making tweaks to weaponize fully. 

Other contributors like NEMANJA PAVICEVIC and MISAEL RANGEL complement the sophomore core of IZAIAH GARZA, Bright-Osigwe, and CHRISTIAN MEZAS. Pavicevic, a back-to-the-goal striker, provides hold-up play that frees midfielders to press with the ability to score with both feet, adding new wrinkles to the Hilltopper attack.
Young sums it up simply: "We put these freshmen in during preseason, and they exceeded expectations. Because of that, they're getting minutes, learning, and improving game by game." That growth is tactical gold. Mistakes aren't failures—they're data points for in-game adjustments.

Early returns indicate that St. Edward's isn't just a young program; it's a flexible, high-pressure unit where Adamski, Don Juan, and Stubbs are already creating matchups, exploiting gaps, and forcing defenses into uncomfortable positions. For a team built on pace, pressure, and positional intelligence, this freshman class isn't just contributing to the team—they're adding new wrinkles to the system.
 
From Rehab to Right Back: Hilltopper Makes Triumphant Return

DONOVAN EERKES-MCCARTHY stood in front of the scorers' table just past the 60th minute of St. Edward's season-opening victory over Delta State University.

The stakes were low—St. Edward's held a commanding 3-0 lead—but the nerves were anything but calm. Eerkes-McCarthy was stepping onto the field for his first official game since tearing his ACL just five minutes into the Hilltoppers' third game of the 2024 season.

His first touch—a pass back to the center—was a little light, as if he were holding back, overcompensating after a year of pent-up aggression waiting to escape all at once. A Delta State defender jumped the passing lane, creating one of the few threats of the day.

"Before games, we take a moment for ourselves to get in the right headspace. This time was different because of the nine months of recovery it took to get back," Eerkes-McCarthy said. "For the first few minutes, my heart was racing and my head was trying to move faster than my body. But after that, I settled in."

Once he did, Eerkes-McCarthy quickly regained his rhythm, disrupting plays and showing flashes of the skill that had earned him three starts before the injury.

"Perseverance and professionalism are the words I'd use to describe him," Coach Brian Young said. "He was starting at right back when he went down, and everyone—staff and teammates alike—felt terrible for him. It took time for him to collect himself, but he took his rehab seriously and stuck to his daily plan. You could see the progress each month."

The injury sidelined him for nearly three months before he could even regain movement in the leg, watching his muscles atrophy as his knee slowly healed.

"It was a grueling process, honestly. The mental aspect of getting to the gym every day, sometimes twice a day, is tough," Eerkes-McCarthy recalled. "My teammates were there for me, helping me out. I still came to training to be around the guys, even outside practice, to keep my spirits high. And I can't thank the athletic trainers enough—Abby, Amanda, and the staff at my physical therapy clinic all have my heartfelt gratitude."

By the second half of the Delta State game, Eerkes-McCarthy had not only returned to the field but to the flow of the game, a testament to resilience and hard work that had defined his long road back.