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Noah Singelmann remembered arriving at Syracuse in 2019 with six other freshmen in his class. But heading into his graduate season in 2023, Singelmann knew Ezra Widman — SU’s lone freshman — needed extra support.

From the start of training camp, Singelmann said the Orange tried to ease him into the program. They assisted Widman’s transition to campus life by spending quality time with him off the field and helping him with schoolwork. On the field, Singelmann said Widman’s awareness and technical skills have been clear since “day one” of practice.

“There’s literally no pressure for me,” Widman said. “The boys have been so great that I haven’t felt (pressure) at all.”

Widman is the only freshman on Syracuse’s 2023 roster. The New York City native has appeared in just seven of SU’s first 15 games, totaling three shots. And though Widman played a large role for New England Revolution’s U19 MLS Next team last year, he said he anticipated the limited playing time, given that the Orange added 14 transfers following its 2022 National Championship victory.

During his junior year of high school, Widman played with the New York Red Bulls’ academy before transferring to the Revolution. Widman’s time at Red Bulls allowed him to stand out among his teammates in New England.

Alexi Karalis, Widman’s former teammate with the Revolution, and now a midfielder at Providence, first met Widman when they tried out for the team. Karalis said Widman displayed a high work ethic and his pressing ability was more advanced than the majority of the team due to his time with Red Bulls.

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Karalis said that Widman impressed the coaching staff right away in training. He started the majority of New England’s games and played heavy minutes. Karalis said that Widman handled the workload well. Through playing considerable minutes, Widman became far more composed in the midfield.

In the 2023 MLS Next quarterfinals, New England and Players Development Academy were knotted at 2-2 after regulation. The match headed into penalties, where Widman was called to take the Revolution’s first shot. He drilled the attempt as New England defeated PDA 4-3 in the shootout, advancing to the semifinals.

The Revolution made the championship game, where they defeated FC Delco 2-1 to win the MLS Next U19 title. Karalis said that Widman was a “big part” of New England’s run, proving his value as a big recruit.

“Pretty much the whole team (was) committed to D-1 programs,” Karalis said. “It just showed he was ready for that next level and he could live up to when the pressure’s high.”

During a game against New York City FC’s academy squad last season, Widman “put the team on his back.” After NYCFC canceled out his early goal to draw level at 1-1 with 25 minutes remaining, Widman netted his second to secure a 2-1 victory.

“It just showed he could take over a game whenever he wanted to,” Karalis said of Widman. “He just grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck and took it from there.”

Widman’s achievements translated into plenty of Division I recruiting interest. He was already in contact with Syracuse from his time with the Red Bulls and an offseason visit to SU confirmed that it was the “place to be” for him, Widman said.

McIntyre said Widman is a smart player with sound technique. He highlighted Widman’s ability to play up front and in the midfield. This season, McIntyre has deployed Widman all over the field in his limited minutes.

“He probably deserves a little bit more time,” McIntyre said on Oct. 9. “He’s one for the future.”

McIntyre believes Widman has embraced being Syracuse’s youngest player. McIntyre said Widman is used to finding his way in a new situation and has utilized his experience well from playing with older teammates in MLS Next.

Widman said his youth hasn’t impacted his relationship with his teammates. Syracuse’s culture is like a “family,” Widman said.

The hardest adjustment for Widman has been dealing with the intensity of games at the college level. He said that in MLS Next, he got away with taking plays off and it was easier to recover from mistakes. He never got burned after a mental lapse. But in college, Widman said just one mental error can leave a player exposed.

“The pace of play is ridiculous,” Widman said of D-1 soccer. “Especially in the ACC, it’s just so fast paced and you don’t have any time to breathe.”

Singelmann said Widman has quickly adapted to the college game and that it’s valuable for him to sit back and learn from the veterans. According to Singelmann, Widman’s skills have been noticed in practice.

“I think he will be one of the future stars of this program,” Singelmann said. “He will be one of the team captains because he has that personality. If he just takes everything in, he will have a bright future here.”

McIntyre has favored his returning, more experienced players mixed with transfers in SU’s rotation. Widman has gotten the short end of the stick, playing for a season-high 19 minutes against Duke on Sept. 29. Despite a lack of playing time, Widman said he stays mentally sharp at all times with the number of rolling substitutions.

“I think coach Ian (McIntyre) realizes that I’m not taking anything for granted,” Widman said. “Obviously, as the only freshman, I have to prove myself two times as much as everyone else.”

Published on October 23, 2023 at 12:04 am

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews