Jeff Larentowicz '05 is arguably one of the most gifted athletes ever to have played for Brown. During his four years as a defender for the men's soccer team, Larentowicz played in and started every game each season - a rare accomplishment in Division I college sports. On top of that, he was a four-time All-Ivy selection and a two-time Second Team All-American, captaining the team during his senior year and contributing to two Ivy League Championships.
Following his graduation, Larentowicz has continued his success on the field. He is in his second season with the New England Revolution - a Major League Soccer team - and has recently begun to make a substantial impact. When the Revolution begins the MLS Cup 2006 playoffs next week, it will rely heavily on Larentowicz in the defensive midfield.
However, while Larentowicz has proven himself to be a valuable player on the backline - one who will be essential to the Revolution's success in the playoffs - his career with New England did not start off as well as his time at Brown did.
After being drafted 45th overall in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, Larentowicz spent all of last season playing for the Revolution's developmental squad. He saw action only briefly in one match for the pro club but gained the attention of the organization and coaching staff with his performance on the reserve team.
"It is important to note that Jeff started this season as captain of the reserve team, which is where he played last year," said Brad Feldman, director of media communications in soccer broadcasting for the Revolution. "He carried himself as a professional, had a strong work ethic and a desire to improve, and he was respected and liked by his teammates."
Rather than becoming frustrated or upset with his lack of opportunities last year, Larentowicz put his energy into working hard both on and off the field. He entered his second season ready to make an impact with the Revolution's first team. At the beginning of the season, he found himself biding his time on the bench. As other players succumbed to injury, however, Larentowicz slowly saw his playing time increase until he was finally given a chance to start.
"He was quite literally thrown into the fire, which is funny since it was the June 11 game against the Chicago Fire where Jeff got his first chance to play," Feldman said of Larentowicz's first career start. "Since then he has played over 20 regular season games."
After spending so much time waiting to show what he could do, Larentowicz made the most of that opportunity in Chicago. He played the entire game in the midfield and assisted on the game-tying goal in stoppage time. It was a crucial draw for the Revolution, which was coming off a defeat at the time.
"Sticking with it definitely paid off," Larentowicz said. "It was discouraging for me not to play and not to know if I'd ever even move up from the reserve team at all. I just kept at it though, and the coaches ended up seeing what I did with the reserves, and invited me back in the beginning of this season."
From that point on, Larentowicz has been a staple in the Revs lineup, starting 18 more games and helping to solidify the team in the middle of the field. Last month, when an off-field injury sidelined midfielder Shairie Joseph, voted the Revolution's Most Valuable Player in 2005 by the New England soccer media, Larentowicz moved into his spot in the midfield and kept the Revolution's playoff drive going.
"It says a lot about Larentowicz's talent when you consider that he stepped in for Shairie, arguably the best defender in the league, who is out due to an injury, and since then the Revs haven't lost a game or really suffered at all back there. Larentowicz is doing a fantastic job," Feldman said.
One person who is not surprised by Larentowicz's success is his former college coach, Mike Noonan.
"Jeff was absolutely a standout for our team, and the awards he has gotten speak for themselves," Noonan said. "He really deserves a lot of credit because more than anyone else, he believed in his own abilities."
Though it was difficult to break into the lineup at first due to the many established players in the Revolution's back and midfield, Noonan always knew Larentowicz would prove he was capable of playing at the professional level.
"I think when Jeff went to the Revolution, the coaches there thought he was good for the team because of his attitude and intensity," Noonan said. "They may not necessarily have believed in him as a player though. As a professional player, if you don't play, you don't get a whole lot of attention, but he really stuck with it and look at where he is now."
Feldman said fans will likely see steady improvement from Larentowicz, who is still adjusting to the rigors of professional soccer.
"Larentowicz has great positional sense, he knows where to be on the field and has a toughness that helps him out a lot," Feldman said. "His decision making, most of all, is steadily improving. You can't get away with stuff in professional soccer that you can when you're playing college or with the reserves. He handles the ball well, but is now playing a position he hadn't really played before, and he's getting better and better."
The Revolution will kick off the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series of the MLS playoffs Oct. 22. No doubt, Noonan and Brown soccer fans will be paying attention.
"Jeff is just a terrific representative of the Brown program and we are all very proud of him," Noonan said. "We wish him all the best throughout the playoffs and his future in professional soccer."
