Oregon State University men’s soccer is full of diverse backgrounds, with players hailing from seven different countries on the roster.
“Every player has a different story of how they got here,” said head coach Greg Dalby.
Ellis Spikner and Fabian Straudi have both been crucial for Beavers men’s soccer this season, with the duo tallying 25 points across 14 matches so far.
The attacking duo are currently first and second in the West Coast Conference in assists, with Straudi breaking a program record for longest points streak in school history this season.
These two have become stars and fan favorites in Corvallis, but their paths to OSU have taken them across both continents and state lines, and have been far from typical.
For Straudi, OSU’s record-breaking attacker who is leading the team to success this season, college soccer was never part of the plan.
Straudi, originally from Italy, was playing for the German club, Werder Bremen’s, youth teams before the COVID-19 pandemic forced his hand.
“I was playing in Germany for four years … during COVID a lot of contracts got terminated, and it’s either you had to go big or you go home,” Straudi said.
An unexpected opportunity then presented itself for Straudi.
“(Former Beavers head coach Terry Boss) called me a couple of times … I had really good talks with him,” Straudi said. “It took me two or three weeks and I decided to do it, to come here, and I cannot say that I regret it, I rather enjoy it.”
Adjusting to college soccer in the United States hasn’t always been easy for Straudi, struggling with injuries and a different style of play, saying, “Europe is more technical I would say, U.S. soccer is very physical … It takes some time to adjust to that.”
In his junior year, it’s clear Straudi has settled in well, breaking records and leading the WCC in assists so far this season, as well as earning the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2022 and 2023.
Senior Ellis Spikner’s path couldn’t be more different from Straudi’s, yet they both followed non-traditional paths to become key pieces of the puzzle for the Beavers.
“I played club and high school soccer which you don’t see a lot at the top level of college soccer,” Spikner said.
Spikner, originally from Michigan, gained attention from college recruiters after he moved to Salt Lake City, a youth soccer talent hotbed, and the hometown of several other Beavers players.
“When I came to visit Oregon State, I really enjoyed the coaching staff, the players, the internationals, the way they play,” Spikner said. “From that point on, I knew this would be the place that prepared me best for the next level, and I have really bought into the program.”
However, despite the success the Beavers have had with international recruitment, it isn’t as easy as it may seem. “The hardest part is finding the right kids. It’s a lot of work, a lot of travel, zooms, and videos, but it’s what you’ve got to do,” Dalby said.
The European game can be hard for young players to find their breakthrough, as Straudi’s story is not uncommon for European players playing collegiate.
“For a lot of these guys, they’re essentially told ‘your career is no longer, you’re not gonna be a professional,’” Dalby said about his European players.
This can make the appeal of college soccer strong for foreign players when their path comes to an end in Europe.
Dalby believes the flexibility and “middle ground” of college athletics are the biggest positives for foreign players saying, “It is actually fun in the recruitment process when you articulate this idea, this concept we have of college athletics — it’s a little bit like a lightbulb going off.”
Dalby himself benefitted from college athletics, playing college soccer before going pro, and said he wants the same experience for his players.
“We hope to create that here with our players…a proven pathway and an environment to play at the next level,” Dalby said.