Successful athletic programs are born from quality recruitment classes.

As players become older and start to graduate, it is important to keep bringing in highly recruited freshman into the athletic program.

“It’s a constant process,” said head coach Eric Luzzi. “We get tons of emails and YouTube videos everyday in regards to players. We mainly use the National Leagues to find players, the top players tend to feed through.”

The National Leagues that Luzzi refers to are leagues that have the top under 18-year-old club soccer teams along with top prospects that Division-I soccer programs look for.

The 2012 men’s soccer recruitment class has brought in a number of highly touted freshmen players to strengthen the program and to fill voids left by graduated players.

Some of these freshmen have already seen time in the Huskies first game against the Creighton Blue Jays including starters Bertrand Gaschot and Charlie Oliver (the only one to go a full 90 minutes), along with substitutes Gabe Christianson and Matt Pritchard.

“Those who have played I thought have done well,” Luzzi said. “We have a couple of guys injured but overall I thought it was good. I think they have learned more about soccer in the last four weeks than they have in their whole lives because we like to play a very specific way.”

Mid-fielder Gaschot is one of the Huskies Texas trio, that also include fellow freshman Kyle McDonald and Parker Thornton.

Bertrand started in the center of the mid-field for the Huskies in their first game and despite the loss coach Luzzi sees a lot in him.

“Bertrand is a smart kid,” Luzzi said. “He’s a smart player and sees the game well. He plays simple which is important. He can play center, mid and also fill in the back when we need him. He’s very versatile.”

While picking up the system and style of play that Luzzi and the coaches have been putting in, the players have been adapting well and feel a sense of comfortability.

“I feel very comfortable”, said Gaschot. “They [the coaches] have done a great job integrating us as a team and there are no real outcasts. I think my play can get better. Just trying to improve every day.“

Other notable freshmen include goalkeeper Mark Kosobucki, defender Miles Stockman-Willis, and mid-fielder Kyle Crichton.