As the 2018 NPSL Season approaches, we wanted to catch up with some of our players that played college ball over the break. Spread from Superior to Alabama, your BlueGreens left their mark on pitches across the country!
Parker Bjorlin attended Northern Michigan University for his freshman year, playing as a fullback. The season came with its ups and downs, with the team finishing about .500. They were able to make it to the semi-finals for the GLIAC conference tournament. Parker found the differences between the college game and the NPSL interesting, and felt it helped widen his view of the game.
Vladik Margolin spent the fall of 2017 at the University of Montevallo in Alabama, playing as either a center back or defensive midfielder. The team ended with a 9-5-4 record and made it to the conference semi-finals, only losing to the eventual winners of the conference. A few last minute winners helped Vlad remember that playing until the very end is key to success.
Malcolm Lumsden spent his season playing for Lake Superior College. Originally intending to play as a right wing back, he’s spent much of his time as a forward. Over his two years there, he’s been selected to the all region XIII and all division team. He’s also been the leading goal scorer for the region and MVP in 2016. Moving on from 2017, Malcolm feels college ball has given him a great opportunity to play frequently and learn from others.
Gonnie Ben-Tal played as a center back for Baker University this season, where he is a junior. The team did well, ranking #4 in the NAIA at some points during the system, and making it to the 2nd round of the national tournament. It was Gonnie’s first year as co-captain at the collegiate level, which gave him new leadership experience.
Daniel Hedstrom spent his sophomore year playing at Augsburg University as a center half in a 4-4-2 formation. The season had its ups and downs, with Augsburg failing to make the conference playoffs. Unfortunately, Dan missed eight games due to a concussion. He was a starter for the rest of the season and was announced as the captain for the next season.
