Impact of a Scholarship: Patrick Mullins

The first time Patrick Mullins visited the University of Maryland’s campus, he was a high schooler attending the men’s soccer summer camp. After spending time training and practicing with the Maryland players, talking with head coach Sasho Cirovski, and experiencing the family atmosphere, Mullins knew he wanted to attend the University of Maryland.

“I'll just always remember how much like a family it felt,” said Mullins. “From the coaching staff all the way down to the players, it was the type of environment, where I saw this comradery, this high level of soccer, I knew from one moment of seeing it at a high school camp that if it was something I could be lucky enough to be a part of, I want to do everything I could to try and be a Terp.”

A few years later, the New Orleans, Louisiana, native found himself on scholarship at Maryland, an experience he is forever grateful for.

Growing up, Mullins lived in a very sports-oriented family. There was not a weekend where he, his brother, and his parents weren't traveling to sports games. 

A big reason for Mullins wanting to attend the University of Maryland was the family environment created at Maryland. That family environment has spilled over to the MLS, where Mullins has spent the last seven years and is currently preparing for his eighth. 

“I've been on a team now for eight years in the league and every year there's been a Maryland person, a Maryland soccer alum, who's either been involved on the coaching staff at the club or as a player. So that type of connectivity among Terps in MLS is something that's pretty special.”

Along with the family atmosphere, Mullins was enamored by the prospect of being coached by Cirovski. During his recruitment, Mullins was challenged by Cirovski to improve his fitness and ability to sustain the quality of play for 90 minutes or more, and Mullins took it to heart. He put in a lot of work with his club and high school teams to prove he had what it took to be a Maryland men’s soccer player. 

Mullins took on the challenge and wound up improving and earning a scholarship offer from Maryland. 

While at Maryland, Mullins would have one of the more decorated careers in school history. By the time he graduated in 2014, Mullins had twice been named First Team All-American and first-team All-ACC, along with being awarded the MAC Hermann Trophy, signifying the best player in the nation, twice. He became just the fourth player in NCAA history, and first since the MAC Player of the Year Award and Hermann Trophy were combined in 2002, to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

He made 92 total appearances for the Terps over his four seasons, scoring 47 goals to go alongside 21 assists. During his time with Maryland, Mullins helped the Terps win three ACC Tournament championships, and reach the College Cup twice, including the NCAA Finals in 2013.

While many of Mullins’ favorite memories at Maryland came at Ludwig Field, he also relished the opportunity to be a part of the Maryland athletics family and be a student at Maryland. He looks back fondly on simple memories, such as walking across McKeldin Mall to and from classes and truly feeling like part of the Maryland community.

“It's such an amazing group of people that come from all walks of life and all parts of the world,” said Mullins. “Being able to spend four years, making friendships I still have to this day are the things that stand out the most.

“Being able to have the financial support to be able to chase my dream [of playing professional soccer], and to pursue my education at the University of Maryland and also to be a member of the community in the College Park, Maryland, area, was very important. That’s something I really appreciated during my time there. And that's something I would have never been allowed, or wouldn't have been able to have happened without a scholarship.”

Since graduating from Maryland, Mullins has played in the MLS, making stops at five teams along the way. Throughout his career, he has totaled 138 matches played, scoring 27 goals and assisting 11.

He spent three years with DC United, where he remained active in the local area with Reading Partners. Reading Partners is an organization in the DC area dedicated to providing tutoring lessons for kids struggling in their classes or behind in their reading development.

Currently, Mullins is preparing for his third season with Toronto FC, where he has made a combined 24 appearances over the last two seasons, scoring three goals and assisting one.

Off the field, Mullins is on the executive board for the MLS Players Association. On the MLSPA, Mullins helps amplify the players’ voices and works to continue the growth of the league. He does not take his role lightly, as he sees it as a chance to be a leader and make sure their voices are unified and represent all of the MLS equally, and that they come together as one group to make the league better.

Mullins cites his time at Maryland as helping shape his professional career both on-and-off the field. The lessons he learned from being a player and student at the University of Maryland still stick with him today, and none of it would have been possible without a scholarship.

“The Maryland experience is something so valuable. I really appreciate all donors that give back and allow so many student-athletes to have the great experience of being a Terp. It really does make a difference. It did in my life at Maryland and my life now.”