By now, Badger men’s soccer fans should know of captains senior Jacob Brindle and junior Drew Conner. Both have been important players these past couple years for University of Wisconsin and each of them has already found the back of the net this season.

But it is time that Badger fans put the third captain on their radar as well.

Junior defender Adam Lauko is that third captain and he might just be the most important player on this soccer team.

Lauko is originally from Baldwinsville, New York, where in high school he was named to the ESPN High School New York’s starting 11. His freshman year at UW, he picked up right where he left of in high school, starting 11 games for the Badgers and being named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.

Sophomore year, however, was a different story for Lauko, as he started in only two matches and appeared in just five overall.

Now in his junior season, Lauko plays a much bigger role for this team, but still is fighting for a secure position in the team’s rotation. Dealing with that on top of the expectation to be a strong leader for the team will be tough for him, but head coach John Trask said he has full trust in Lauko’s capabilities.

“We are asking [Lauko] not only to show leadership ability, but he’s also fighting for playing time and for his position within the group,” Trask said. “That’s a lot to ask out of any one player. Usually when you go to a guy and you talk about being a captain, it’s either he knows he’s a non-playing captain or he knows he is pretty well set in the team. We are asking for both from Adam.”

The fact that Lauko was named a captain by his team and coaches, even though he doesn’t yet have a concrete, defined role on this team really pays tribute to the high character person that Lauko strives to be.

Trask said it was “loud and clear” that both the team and the coaches wanted the Lauko to be the leader.

“He’s an outstanding young man,” Trask said. “His character, his leadership abilities, the respect he has from his teammates. They respect him and they know he has been through a lot since he’s been here. It’s not always the best players that make the best captains.”

While the coaches have the utmost respect for Lauko, that respect can also be found coming from his teammates.

Senior defender David Caban, who shares the backline with Lauko, has seen a lot of the junior over the past few years. Caban also feels that, in the end, it is Lauko’s personal traits that make him such a strong candidate to lead this team.

“Off the field, [Lauko] is definitely a responsible guy,” Caban said. “He likes to keep guys in check off the field, especially the younger guys. He’s just a good guy to be around. He’s an honest guy, he works hard and you can tell he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s also definitely a calming presence in the locker room.”

Even though Lauko shows the strongest of character in his personality, that in no way means he is lacking in his on-the-field capabilities. While Lauko has not had a strong role for this Badger team in his first two seasons, the team will rely on strong performances from Lauko in his junior season. That alone is enough to make this a big transition for the New York native.

“It’s different,” Lauko said. “I was coming off a good freshmen year personally, but not so good team-wise. And then my second year it personally wasn’t that great of a year, but we did incredible as a team. It was the most fun ride last year. Now this year and my senior I’m trying to be part of both of it. I’m going to be playing a big role, but we also hopefully will be winning a lot of games.”

A large part of Lauko’s transition is becoming a more calm, focused player on the pitch.

Lauko’s teammates, especially Caban who is playing right beside him, have noticed his increased calmness, and say that despite the poor results the team has gotten thus far, Lauko has really grown in his own role.

“My coach in high school always used to say to me don’t get too high and don’t get too low,” Lauko said. “I used to be up and down all the time, but now I make an effort to stay at a calming level and be a mediator, not only between our own teammates, but for the game as a whole.”

Lauko will do whatever it takes to be the best soccer player he can be for this team, but in the end, for his final two years, his main priority is to be the best leader he can be for this team, and he is honored to be put in that position.

“It’s an honor just to think about being named captain,” Lauko said. “It’s a great feeling.”