Maryland men’s soccer midfielder Jake Rozhansky has dreamed of playing for Maryland since he attended a Terps game at Ludwig Field in high school. The Germantown native was amazed by the atmosphere The Crew created.
After the contest, he told then-Terps forward Jake Pace how awesome it would be to play in red and black on Ludwig.
Though Rozhansky committed to Virginia out of high school, he had an opportunity to live his childhood dream after transferring to Maryland in January.
While it took time for Rozhansky to integrate into coach Sasho Cirovski’s up-tempo offense, he’s become a crucial piece in the No. 5 Terps’ 3-0-1 start and will work to keep progressing when Maryland begins Big Ten play this weekend.
“He’s getting more and more comfortable,” Cirovski said. “He works extremely hard. He’s able to get in and be creative in the other team’s final third. He’s also willing to do the work and keep possession for us in the middle third of the field. He’s a proud player who’s starting to get into his groove. I really like where he’s at right now.”
As a freshman at Virginia in 2014, Rozhansky appeared in all 23 matches as the Cavaliers won the national championship. The following year, Rozhansky led Virginia with four goals and was named second-team All-ACC.
But in December, he left Virginia to pursue a professional career. Most of the teams Rozhansky looked at were in Europe, and he wasn’t ready to play overseas. He didn’t want to learn a new language right away and live alone in a foreign country.
So, Rozhansky decided to come back to school, considering Maryland, UCLA and Georgetown.
Cirovski recruited Rozhansky out of high school, and when he committed to Virginia, the veteran coach figured he’d only see Rozhansky on the opposition. Rozhansky reached out to Cirovski after deciding to return to school, though, and Cirovski didn’t hesitate to jump on the opportunity.
Cirovski’s scheme and the history of the program made Maryland his ideal choice.
“It was just being proactive and saying, ‘We’re going to go out and beat every team with our skill and technique, we’re going to score as many goals as possible and we’re not going to let you score,'” Rozhansky said. “That’s the type of system that I felt was going on here. When I talked to [Cirovski] and I talked to other players, everyone said the same thing. I’ve noticed that from the beginning of the season and in the spring.”
Rozhansky still had to transition into Cirovski’s system. The junior said the Cavaliers played at a slow pace, while Maryland puts constant pressure on its opponents. In his senior year of high school, though, Rozhansky played for the Bethesda-Olney Academy, which runs a similar style to Cirovski’s offense that helped him prepare for Maryland.
A center midfielder at Virginia, Rozhansky moved to right wing with the Terps. By playing five contests with Maryland in the spring, Rozhansky said he acclimated. He also fit well with his teammates.
Rozhansky said he knew about half of the players on Maryland from playing on local club teams growing up. Plus, he lived in Kent Hall last spring with defenders Diego Silva and Aaron Franco and forwards Sebastian Elney and Paul Bin.
This summer, Rozhansky also played with midfielders Eryk Williamson, Jorge Calix and Cody Albrecht, defender Suli Dainkeh and goalkeeper Cody Niedermeier for D.C. United U-23. Playing with teammates before the season helped Rozhansky build on-field chemistry, he said.
“Coming from Virginia, another big-time program, he kind of knew how to act, how to be in the locker room, how to be on the field,” defender Alex Crognale said. “We’re starting to see the player he can become here at Maryland.”
The Terps needed depth in the midfield to fill out their starting lineup. While Maryland has eight returning starters, midfielders Tsubasa Endoh and Mael Corboz, who combined for 32 points last season, graduated.
Cirovski wants Rozhansky to fill Endoh’s wide-attacking midfield role, so Cirovski has analyzed film of Endoh with Rozhansky. Though the 5-foot-9, 145-pound midfielder hasn’t scored yet, Cirovski expects he will.
“I’m getting better every game,” Rozhansky said. “I’m definitely getting used to the role now, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I’m feeling more comfortable going to get the ball in certain spots.”
Rozhansky has enjoyed his College Park tenure so far. His favorite memory came on Friday when the Terps beat Georgetown, 2-1, at Ludwig Field in front of an announced 7,413 fans.
Rozhansky had played in front of The Crew last season when the Terps battled Virginia in the NCAA tournament. But a year later in the opposite uniform, he experienced what he called the best atmosphere he’s ever played in.
After attending Maryland games growing up, the only word Rozhansky could use to describe the victory against the Hoyas was “perfect.”
“Jake just brings a lot of experience that can really push us in the right direction,” Niedermeier said. “He’s a guy you definitely want on your team rather than the other team just because of what he can do with the ball at his feet. Adding another person with the experience that he has is just going to bring our team to an even higher level than we were before.”
