'Meet the Knights: Paths to FDU' is a written series, detailing the different journeys that student-athletes take to FDU. The stories are written by James Howell, a junior on the men's golf team at FDU. The first installment focuses on Gabriel Le Guen, captain of the men's soccer team. 

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On November 16, 2025, Jaime Barbero headed home the game-winning goal in the 2025 NEC Men's Soccer Championship. That day at University Stadium, it seemed that everyone — players, coaches, fans — erupted. All, except one. As soon as the whistle blew, center back Gabriel Le Guen could only muster the energy necessary to fall to the ground in a state of pure relief. To many, this was an amazing accolade to achieve, but to him, it was so much more. Gabriel's journey to Teaneck, New Jersey, is the epitome of resilience.

Although Gabriel, who goes by "Gab" to his friends, is now known for his prolific soccer ability, this was not the path he was going down during his earlier years. At the ages of 4 and 5, he and his little brother Benjamin Le Guen began to notice that their father, Marc, was coming home with a tennis racket. With their curiosity piqued, it didn't take long for the siblings to begin playing against each other. This was the beginning of Gab's fascination with competition. The two would treat every game against each other as if it were the final at Roland Garros, with Benjamin saying, "These matches were never just for fun; it was war." This intensity led to rapid improvement. When Gab reached 8 years old, he was recruited to play for his county, Morbihan. Even at such a young age, the schedule was demanding, with a minimum of four sessions per week. It became apparent early that this increasingly rigorous schedule would be something that Gab would thrive in. At the age of 10, he won the county championship.

Youth tennis is renowned for being one of the most demanding and sacrificial pathways for young elite athletes. This success meant that Gab and his family would begin to travel further and further for tournaments, with the frequency of practices also increasing. From a young age, Gab was wise beyond his years. He quickly realized that if he were to carry on down this path, he would be required to choose between a high-level education and continuing to compete in elite tennis tournaments. He chose his academics.

However, with the need for competition that Gab had built up over the years, it's no surprise that he found another outlet quickly. He noticed that a large number of his friends from school in Ploemeur, France, had been playing soccer for a few years. With the prospect of spending more time with his classmates, as well as an escape from a sport that had consumed so much of his childhood, the decision was an easy one to make. He swiftly joined FC Ploemeur, his local team.

What began as a social activity quickly became something Gab excelled at. After just 2 years with the team, Head Coach Fabrice Loridan selected him for trials with Pôle Espoir de Bretagne, a high-level French training academy known for producing professional academy players. Remaining composed throughout the trial, Gab impressed the coaching staff and earned a place in the program. While the program was extremely influential on his skill development, Gab credits his advanced maturity to the sacrifices endured by attending the academy — "Having to spend so much time away from family at such a young age, you have to become independent quickly, both as a human and an athlete."

As the weeks and months passed by, the development continued. At the end of his 2 years at the academy, Gab was offered a 3-year contract with Stade Brestois 29, a team whose professional side was in the top division of French soccer at the time. Reaching this level after such a limited time being involved with the game is exceptionally rare. Gab, along with his whole family, was elated. He moved to the academy in Brest, which was around a 90-minute drive away from home. It was at this point that a realization hit Gab; the sacrifices were piling up for both him and his family, and to put it in his words, "I had to go all in."

While the intention and desire to reach his highest possible level in the game of soccer was stronger than ever, unfortunately, this is where Gab's Achilles heel reared its ugly head. Over his 3-year stint with the academy, he was injured for 2.5 years. In July 2019, just 5 practices into his contract, a knee to his lower spine while shielding an incoming ball caused the first problem. The diagnosis was a fracture of the L3 vertebra. This injury typically requires anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks to recover from, but the doctors noticed something concerning from his scans. Gab had moderate scoliosis. Around 2 to 3 percent of teenagers have scoliosis, and only 10 percent of them require bracing. This equates to 0.2 percent of all adolescents, a category in which Gab unfortunately found himself. For the next 8 months, he was required to wear a brace to correct the curve in his spine for 20 hours a day. He chose to spend a portion of his 4 hours of freedom doing rehab in order to recover from his initial injury, which got him back playing by January 2020.

In what should have been a triumphant return, Gab would have to endure a broken ankle, a shutdown that occurred on his return to practice (and his 16^th birthday) due to the COVID pandemic, concussion issues, and a recurring quad strain over the next 12 months. In the first year and a half with the team, he featured in the squad only 4 times. Nevertheless, he continued to stay as motivated and determined as possible. This relentless pursuit of his dream was rewarded towards the end of the 2021/2022 season, when he finally got to make his presence felt. He quickly became a regular in a very successful defense. He also picked up his first goal for the team during a 1-1 draw against the Stade Rennais F.C. academy, which is regarded by many as the pinnacle of French junior soccer. All this momentum was building and building, just for it to come crashing down in July of 2022.

On a regular preseason day during the warm French summer, Gab noticed he didn't feel right. He tried to fight it off, but the symptoms kept getting worse. After a trip to the local hospital, Gab found out he had viral meningitis. He was hospitalized for three days. Yet another setback he would have to endure. It was at this point that he faced a harsh reality — "My body was not made to cope with the demands of professional sport." To deliver the final knockout punch to his dreams, he began having groin issues in November 2022.

Despite the abundance of misfortune in Gab's story over the past few years, it is here that we see the adage of "every cloud has a silver lining" come to fruition. The groin issues continued to bother Gab for months to come, but he found himself with a 2-week stretch of being close to full fitness. Luckily for him, and for the FDU Men's Soccer program, this happened to coincide with a U.S. College Showcase taking place in France. Gab rose to the occasion and made a great impression. After receiving offers from multiple universities, he began debating between 2 options: quitting the sport altogether and attending a top academic university in France, or moving to the U.S. In the end, he chose FDU, saying, "ultimately, I came here because it was a perfect balance between high-level sport and career opportunities in New York City."

In July 2023, he packed up his life and moved to Teaneck, New Jersey. In the first few months, he thrived. He immediately made a great impression on the coaches, with the now Head Coach of the Knights, Jaymee Highcock, who was the Assistant Coach at the time, mentioning that "We [the coaching staff] knew he would never not be successful." Improving his English, building quality relationships with his new teammates, and immediately featuring in the team consistently, Gab knew he had made the right decision. He had prepared himself for the style of soccer to change — more demands on physicality, an increase in aerial battles, and a new language to communicate in. Not only did he adapt, but he excelled.

  During his time at FDU, Gab earned recognition for both his athletic and academic performances as the program continued to take steps forward. As a sophomore, the Knights fell agonizingly short, losing the NEC Championship final on penalties. When the team returned for preseason in August 2025, winning the conference was no longer a want; it was a must. In the final game of the regular season, the Knights required a win to secure the No. 1 seed for the upcoming playoffs. Due to suspension, Gab was forced to the sidelines for such an important match. However, this relentless desire to win never wavered, with Coach Highcock saying that "his leadership off the pitch during this time was incredible."
          
  While he remained much healthier than he had been prior to his time in the burgundy and blue, it had not been all bells and whistles. A sprained MCL in his right knee during freshman year, a concussion prematurely ending his sophomore season, which led to him having to watch a championship ring slip through his fingertips from the sidelines, and a quad strain at the beginning of his junior year forced Gab to utilize the patience and never-ending hunger that had gotten him to this point once again. With this fire ignited, Gab also grew into his leadership roles. According to Coach Highcock, Gab provided valuable insights during his captaincy by being "an excellent bridge between players and coaches."
           
The trials and tribulations of Gabriel Le Guen's soccer journey finally paid dividends when the team beat Saint Francis University in the final of the NEC Championship, crowning them champions for the year and sealing their ticket to the 2025 NCAA National Tournament.  He could finally relax, knowing that all of his struggles had been worth it. When asked about the proudest moment in his journey up to this point, it seemed that the answer was never in doubt, almost automatic: "The ring."
           
For the remainder of his time at FDU, Gab hopes to continue the success that they have achieved by remaining focused, disciplined, and always looking for ways to improve. Outside of his sport, Gab is also known among his peers as being one of the hardest workers. When he isn't contributing his time to the progress of the program, he will be working on building a wealth of knowledge in electrical engineering, math or Bitcoin in an attempt to become successful in whatever path he goes down. In a career shaped by waiting, recovering, and trusting the process, Gabriel Le Guen didn't just earn a captain's armband; he earned the right to lead through example. In a game that constantly demanded patience from him, patience ultimately gave everything back.