College Soccer
Saint Joseph’s leans local to construct impressive recruiting class
After winning the Philly Soccer 6 Cup in the spring and making the Atlantic 10 playoffs in his first regular season at the helm, Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer head coach Tim Mulqueen has leaned heavily on the local academy circuit to put together his first recruiting class of players.
Mulqueen, a former MLS and USMNT coach who was a goalkeeper for the Hawks in his playing days, recently landed highly-rated goalkeeper Alex Smith from the Philadelphia Union Academy along with his YSC Academy classmates Ronan Sullivan, Declan Sullivan and Carter Courtney. He’s also added a pair of Union Academy alums from the area from the transfer portal in center back Robert Myrick from La Salle and midfielder Conor Clair from Penn State.
“When I came here, one of my missions was to win the city,” Mulqueen said in a recent interview. “We wanted to attract the best players in the area to want to stay here and play at Saint Joe’s. This area is a fertile ground of soccer. The quality of player, the characteristics of the player, the toughness of the player, that resonates with me, and I think it resonates with St Joe’s and what we’re about.”
Mulqueen looked to the transfer portal soon after returning to City Line Ave. to bring in Jake Ross (Wilmington, Del.) from West Virginia and Sebastian Perez-Gasiba (Media, Pa.) from Drexel and he inherited a number of key international players who led the team to the postseason. Mulqueen remains open to international players but also has an infectious enthusiasm for developing domestic players, something he’s spent a career doing since he began his coaching career at Rutgers in the late ’80s.
“I think there has to be a commitment to developing the American player as well, and not always going abroad,” Mulqueen said. “I saw a great stat with Washington. Washington just won the national championship with 20 of 29 players from the state of Washington so it proves that it can be done.”
Twin brothers Ronan Sullivan and Declan Sullivan were the first to sign on for the 2026 class. The brothers of Philadelphia Union duo Quinn Sullivan and Cavan Sullivan were both looking at different schools but with such deep roots to Philly Soccer – grandfather Larry Sullivan is a former Villanova head coach and both their parents played at Penn – the pull to stay local was strong.
“Family is a very important part of my life, so being close to them is always important to me and I think we can do great things with this program,” said Declan Sullivan, an outside back who has played for both FC Delco and the Union’s academy. “(Ronan and I) weren’t talking to the same schools for the most part but the fact that it worked out is super exciting. I think now is a turning point in the program and we have a chance to be a really good team.”
Smith said Ronan and Declan committing had a big influence on his decision as well as Mulqueen, who has a track record and deep connections in the game. Being close to his home in Devon means family will have an easier time getting to games and he’ll be a quick phone call away from jumping into training sessions.
“Tim has a great vision for what the program can achieve,” Smith said. “He has a well thought out plan and we’re starting to see the pieces come together to execute that plan.”
While Alex and Declan, holding midfielder Courtney and incoming center back Myrick – Mulqueen expressed relief in no longer having to play against him – will help to solidify the defense, Ronan Sullivan is expected to contribute on the offensive side of the field as someone with a nose for goal and a skillset to create and finish his own chances.
“Being able to play in the city means a lot to me,” Ronan said. “It’s the place I love, it’s the place I call home.”
Mulqueen said the profiles of his new additions fit what they are looking for as a team that wants to keep opponents under pressure and off the scoreboard but also with the culture of the team. As a school that doesn’t have football, sustained success in soccer has a chance to draw crowds to play under the lights at Sweeney Field.
“I try to run our team as a professional team that plays in college,” Mulqueen said. “But one of the things that I love about college is that family vibe, that family atmosphere. We have a very close knit team. Ronan and Declan and Alex and Carter and Conor and Rob all fit in seamlessly in their visits and being around the group.”
