One of the coolest things about Cabrini becoming a University this past July is the allure that the word “university” provides. It represents a much larger group of people coming together as one, hence the prefix, “uni.”
The term university warrants respect, both from onlookers and members of its community. It is not something to take lightly because the name university can grab the attention of people in some places you would never even expect.
That is where the Cavaliers’ men’s soccer team comes in. This year there are 15 freshmen who will represent the white and blue. This freshman class is the most represented class on the team. Two of the 15 players make for an interesting tale.
Two of those 15 players, however, make for an interesting tale.
Midfielders Christopher Araujo and Joshua Hew are from Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Surprisingly, these two freshmen from two very different countries have crossed paths before coming to Cabrini.
Araujo and Hew both played for SIMA, which stands for “The Soccer Institute of Montverde Academy” in Orlando, Florida before coming to Cabrini. Montverde Academy is a college prep boarding school just outside of Orlando. This is where the pair played their high school games.
“I came up here and played the future 500 ID camp at Eastern, which is when I got in contact with coach (Rob) Dallas, and after a while of recruiting I committed to Cabrini.” said Hew. “Chris was still looking for somewhere to go so I referred him to the school, and then things fell in line and he committed here as well.”
The package deal of Araujo and Hew came to Cabrini with some noticeable chemistry. “There is definitely chemistry between the two of them.” remarked head coach of Cabrini men’s soccer team, Rob Dallas. “The two of them are roommates, good friends, and played together in high school. You can really see the chemistry between the two of them in the way they play off each other.”
When asked about the adjustment level for the two foreigners, both the accounting major Arajujalo and the Psychology major Hew shared the same sentiment.
“[The transition to D3] hasn’t been that bad because of the level of soccer we played at the Academy. We had a lot of guys that went pro or went to D1. It really prepared us and gave us an edge over some of the guys we were facing because we were used to that speed of play where some people are still transitioning to it,” said Araujo.
Coach Dallas agrees, “I would say the boys’ transition has gone pretty smoothly. They both come from a sensational program at Montverde that has produced some really good players. They also won the High School National Championship for soccer, so it is a prestigious place to play, which speaks volumes to their playing ability.”“They have definitely stood out so far.”
The two players despite coming from the same program play “two completely different games” says Coach Dallas. After hearing what coach had to say about their playing styles, it was clear as day that the two are as different on the field as the countries that they were each born in.
“[Araujo] has tremendous vision out on the field,” said Dallas. “He has the ability to break defenses down really well with how he sees the field out there and with his passing.” Coach continued “[Hew] is a completely different player. When I think of Josh’s game, I just think of someone who is very reliable. He does the little things that make a difference in a game, and he keeps his position very well.”
It’s been a world wind the last couple of weeks for the Araujo and Hew since arriving on campus for good. The next couple of months will be grueling for Araujo, Hew and the rest of their teammates, as they prepare to take home the CSAC championship.
“Cabrini has been a bit of an adjustment, but I like it a lot,” Araujo explained with his teammate of many years Hew right by his side. “We’re excited for what’s to come”
Montverde Academy is in Montverde, FL, which is a couple hours away from Miami. I believe you meant to say that it was just outside Orlando.