Hailing from Revere, Massachusetts, boasting a team-high of 11 points overall, Christian Restrepo has become a valuable player to the Suffolk University men’s soccer team. In a season where the team has strove to overcome huge milestones, such as beating Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the first time since 1984, Restrepo shines as both a reliable player and a great teammate.

Restrepo has been playing soccer his whole life, mostly on the competitive level, and when it came time to choose a university, he was recruited to play for Suffolk as an incoming freshman. This is Restrepo’s second year playing for Suffolk, and he said he has really used this year to come out of his shell and improve as a player. This evolution for himself has affected both him and his team to achieve a deeper level of competition.

The Rams currently hold an overall record of 4-5 and are 1-4 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). Restrepo has started seven of eight overall games and has scored a total of five goals this season, one being a game-winning hat trick against Emerson College.

“We are still a young team, but we are definitely a step ahead from where we were last year,” said Restrepo.

Restrepo has proven himself to be a valuable player on the offensive side. Restrepo plays both the forward and midfield positions, but prefers midfield as he is able to play both offense and defense. As a forward in soccer, the player’s main focus is to score a goal or help another teammate score. This only makes up half of a midfielder’s role, as they are also responsible for defending against the opposing team’s attempt for a goal.

Restrepo also recently won the GNAC Player of the Week Award, as well as National Player of the Week for the United Soccer Coaches Organization on the same week. The GNAC chooses one player in the conference a week to honor, while the United Soccer Coaches Organization also recognizes a player a week for their accomplishments on the field, however they include multiple levels of play as well as on the national level. Restrepo said he was shocked at his back-to-back awards and was unsure how he obtained it.

Restrepo, like many of the students attending Suffolk, is a commuter student. Along with thinking about the work he has to do for a full-schedule of classes as a sports marketing major, Restrepo also has to prepare for a full week of practices, and for him that means having to think about what is needed for both academics and soccer when gearing up for the everyday.

“It’s tough because I have to bring both school stuff and soccer stuff, it’s worth it though,” said Restrepo.

The balance of soccer and classes has definitely worked out for Restrepo, as he has been able to be both successful on the field, with his many awards for himself, as well as, being supportive for his team to be the best teammate he could be.

“I love [Restrepo], he’s a great listener and teammate. He does whatever he has to do to help the team win,” said Captain Jarrett Davis in an interview with The Journal.

Restrepo’s dedication to soccer, as well as sports as a whole, goes beyond just playing for Suffolk, he hopes to continue with his sports marketing major once out of Suffolk by either seizing the opportunity to play soccer if it is presented.

“I challenged him to win ‘Player of the Year’ earlier in the season and he’s looking well on his way to coming into that promise. In the future if he keeps this up, who knows what will happen; only good things,” said Davis.

Restrepo and the Rams will take on the Anna Maria Amcats this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.