Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague
 
It’s safe to say that Edgar Abreu has always beaten the odds.
 
After a highly successful soccer career at Science Park in Newark, Abreu didn’t exactly have a ton of offers to play in college. In fact, he had none – not even his hometown school Rutgers-Newark.
 
“Honestly, Edgar came here on his own,” Rutgers-Newark head soccer coach Kevin East said. “We knew his sister (Liana, the all-time leading goal scorer in R-N women’s soccer history) came here, but we were unsure about Edgar. We didn’t know if he would fit in.”
 
“I would have to say that my sister had an influence in me coming to Rutgers-Newark,” Abreu said. “But I wasn’t upset at all that I wasn’t recruited. I was coming to Rutgers for academics anyway.”
 
Abreu is an excellent student, with his hopes of gaining a degree in finance.
 
“I thought I could play at the college level, so I was willing to give it a try,” Abreu said. “With no guarantee, I took that challenge.”
 
“We gave him a tryout,” East said. “He wasn’t that big. I wasn’t sure how he would hold up physically. But his soccer skills were so good that we had to keep him.”
 
So Abreu made the Scarlet Raiders’ roster as a freshman, but the playing time was limited. He saw action in only three games.
 
“But we thought he had the potential to turn into something special,” East said. “We just knew we had to get him into the weight room, get him stronger to match his skill set and his soccer brain. Everything else was all there.”
 
East said that Abreu listened to his words and headed right to the weight room.
 
“He dedicated himself over the last couple of years to the weight room,” East said. “We knew he had the ability. He just had to get bigger and stronger and he did that. Every year he did that, he got on the field a little bit more.”
 
“I actually enjoyed going to the gym,” Abreu said. “It wasn’t too bad. I didn’t mind.”
Abreu also didn’t mind that people thought that his 5-foot-6 frame wasn’t big enough for highly competitive college soccer.
 
“I used it as a motivation,” Abreu said. “I’m pretty much used to it. It’s no problem now. I just love playing soccer and my hard work eventually paid off.”
 
Abreu played in 17 games as a sophomore, collecting one goal and seven assists. Last year, Abreu tallied just two assists, but helped to lead the Scarlet Raiders to their first-ever NCAA Division III tournament at large berth and the first-ever trip to the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship game.
 
This year, there was no question as to Abreu’s status with the Scarlet Raiders. He was going to be the center midfielder. He’s played in all 19 Scarlet Raider matches, registering one goal and two assists.
 
“He’s good with the ball,” East said. “He gets into good spots and finds his teammates in open space. He really wanted to try center midfield this year, so we gave him a shot with no promises. Once again, he basically came in and took the position over. He’s been terrific all year in terms of keeping possession of the ball. He goes about his job very well.”
 
East likes what Abreu can do with the soccer ball.
 
“He can strike a clean ball, hit it some 30-to-40 yards,” East said. “He’s able to open up some space for his teammates. He has good soccer sense and makes the right play.”


East said that Abreu’s experience with the Newark prestigious club soccer team Den of Lions helped him to prepare for this season.
 
“He’s definitely a lot stronger than in years past,” East said. “He’s now a very important player for us. I think it’s tremendous that a guy worked his way up. It’s something that makes you really happy for the player. I’m sure that there were years where he thought he deserved to be on the field. But this year, he’s been on the field and done a tremendous job.
 
Added East, “I think it’s a great example for everyone in the program. It proves that hard work and dedication really pay off, that you can achieve if you want it badly enough.”
 
Abreu is happy to finally be playing a lot and seeing the team as successful as it is.
 
“I think I’ve been playing pretty well,” Abreu said. “I’ve been working hard and it shows on the field. I now actually feel like a big part of the team, that I’m being involved with the success of the team.”
 
The recipient of the Rutgers-Newark Scholar-Athlete of the Year last year, following in the footsteps of older sister Liliana, now a student in the Seton Hall Law School, Abreu plans to get involved in financial strategy and analysis after graduation.
 
“I’d like to look for an innovative company just starting out,” Abreu said. “One that is on the rise. I could catch them when they have the most growth position.”
 
Much like Abreu himself, who went from the reluctant non-recruit to soccer guru in the matter of a few years.
 
“Without doubt, I’ve come a long way,” Abreu said. “I’m proving a lot of people wrong,”