D1 Men: Top New England natives playing outside the region

Colgate senior Aram Ouligian is from Needham, Mass. (courtesy photo)

New England is home to 21 men’s soccer programs at the Division 1 level, and many of the region’s top players dream of playing for them. Look no further than Minnesota United center back Wyatt Omsberg (Scarborough, Maine) and his storied career at Dartmouth or Houston Dynamo striker Mac Steeves (Needham, Mass.), who helped elevate the national profile of Providence College.

But there’s a large D1 landscape out there, with nearly all of the country’s elite programs outside New England’s confines. In years past, that route was pursued by Atlanta United center back Miles Robinson (Arlington, Mass.) at Syracuse, Atlanta striker Jon Gallagher (Connecticut roots) at Notre Dame, and New England Revolution midfielder Scott Caldwell (Braintree, Mass.) at Akron, among others.

So as the 2018 season nears, it’s a useful exercise to survey the top New Englanders playing D1 soccer outside the region. To do exactly that, we’ve highlighted 11 players who are at ACC, Big 10, Big East, Ivy League and Patriot League programs. They’re either freshmen primed for big careers, or proven college players looking to build off past successes.

The below list doesn't include prep school players who spent their high school careers in New England, as their hometowns aren’t within the region. There’s some overlap, though, with the prep rank ranks and those mentioned.