By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, SEPT. 11, 2014 – Lucas Baldin is back to doing what he loves and the Bulls are benefitting from having a very important team captain back on the pitch.

The senior midfielder was named American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after going on a scoring spree in USF’s past two matches. Baldin put both of the Bulls’ goals in the back of the net in a 2-1, double-overtime victory over then-No. 24 Akron on Sept. 4 and he added a third goal against Portland that sealed a 2-0 victory for USF on Sept. 7 at Corbett Stadium. Baldin is tied for the conference lead with three goals and he leads the team in points (6), shots (9) and shots on goal (5).

“It’s pretty special to get those three goals, but it’s more special to be around the guys on the pitch,” Baldin said. “I would change any goal to have 90 minutes with them on the pitch every time.”

Baldin is very grateful to just be playing soccer again after it was taken from him in 2013. Baldin had continuously played the beautiful game for most of his life and he saw action in 36 games for the Bulls before a groin injury sidelined him for all of last season.

“It was tough, I’m not going to lie,” Baldin said. “It was so hard seeing my teammates out there playing and I was just looking at it. I couldn’t help them.”

Baldin’s soccer journey began when he was just 4 years old in Taubate, Brazil, and his father, Emerson, is credited with a big assist in getting the process started.

“Since I was 4 years old I’ve been playing soccer because of him,” Baldin said. “When I was 4 years old my dad lied on the competition form so I was able to play with the 7-year-old kids in Brazil. Without the support of my family I wouldn’t be able to play here.”

Baldin’s blossoming soccer career really picked up steam when his family moved to Mexico when he was 13 years old. By the time he was 16, Baldin was invited to play for Mexican power Cruz Azul's under-17 squad before he landed a spot on the under-20 team. Before becoming a Bull, Baldin also played two seasons for Mexican Primera Division power Toluca's under-20 team and he represented Mexico in Germany’s Berlin Games.

“It’s great to be able to embrace a lot of cultures. You learn to respect every single individual and you learn to respect their way of thinking, their opinions and their way soccer is played,” Baldin said. “Soccer is universal, so you learn different aspects of the game. The Mexican game is a lot different than the Brazilian game, which is a lot different than the American game. It’s been a blessing to have the opportunities I had growing up playing in three different countries and learning a lot about the game.”

Baldin had dreams of becoming a professional soccer player but he also had the desire for something more when his high school career came to an end.

“Something in me was saying, ‘Come on, you’ve got to study. You’ve got to get your degree,’” Baldin said. “My dad was a big part of that. His dream for me was to come to the United States.”

Emerson’s dream came true when Baldin signed with the Bulls and Baldin made his father super proud as a freshman when he appeared in 16 games. Baldin’s highlight of 2011 was when he scored two goals, including the game-winner on the road against West Virginia to end the nation’s longest home unbeaten streak.

Baldin went on to score three more goals in 19 games for the Bulls in 2012 before the groin injury put a big question mark on his soccer future.

“He’s a captain and that’s for all the stuff he does on and off the field. It was really disappointing a year ago to lose him because we know the value he adds,” head coach George Kiefer said.

Baldin was forced to become a spectator while the Bulls heated up as the season went on. USF became the first team to win the American Athletic Conference tournament and the Bulls booked a trip to the NCAA tournament for the seventh consecutive year.

Baldin wasn’t on the field for the magical run but Kiefer said he was a key figure in keeping the team upbeat and focused throughout the year.

“I think we do pride ourselves on being a family and being good to one another. If your name is on a locker everybody is just as important,” Kiefer said. “What I like was as I was watching film last year you saw Lucas trying to help the team. You saw Lucas giving instructions after we scored goals, he’d be sprinting to be with the team. You can tell he bleeds for the program. That sends a loud message to a lot of people when you see the game getting taken from him but he’s still as invested in it. You want all your guys to be like that.”

And while Baldin provided the team with support, he also took care of business in the classroom, graduating with an economics degree last spring after posting a 3.78 GPA. USF’s Male American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete for the 2013-14 year says he’s now doing “big boy work” while pursuing a master’s degree in marketing.

“Coach Kiefer is always encouraging us to go after the education. He gave me all the support and recommendation letters,” Baldin said. “It was a pretty special moment when I got the letter being accepted into the master’s program. I have the opportunity to go a little bit further and my family is really happy about it.”

Baldin sported a big smile on his face when he started in the Bulls’ season opener at FGCU on Aug. 29 and plenty of people were smiling about what Baldin did in the team’s home opener. Baldin used his powerful leg to spot USF a 1-0 lead against Akron in the 40^th minute and he came through in the clutch much later on. The programs were knotted up at 1 with just 30 seconds remaining in double overtime when Baldin buried the game-winning goal.

“We believe in fighting, we believe in playing and we believe in putting our stamp on every game we play,” Baldin said.

Baldin put his stamp on another USF win on Sept. 7 when he scored in the 90^th minute against Portland, which helped him land a spot on TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Team of the Week.

“I think what you’re seeing is a more mature Lucas having been away from the game for a year,” Kiefer said. “You’re seeing him do a lot more of the blue collar stuff, the hard work, the defending, and I think when you start doing all those little things typically the other things start to come your way as well.”

Baldin and the Bulls will go for their third straight victory 7 p.m. Friday at Old Dominion. USF fans can catch the team at home twice next week, starting with a test against Brown on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The Bulls then face No. 10 Washington on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. back at Corbett Stadium.