Senior Jack Jewsbury will be expected to help lead the Billikens
offensively in order to overcome the loss of seven starters.

Saint Louis University soccer fans often debate what name the
team’s star prefers, Jack or Jackie. “Jack is my real name, but
everyone calls me Jackie,” said this year’s Conference USA
Preseason Player of the Year. But one thing that isn’t debatable is
the amount of talent and leadership the senior forward brings to
the Billikens.

Growing up, Jack Jewsbury played many sports: baseball,
basketball and soccer. But after a few years of high school,
Jewsbury realized that if he wanted to play in college he needed to
focus on only one sport. He chose the one he enjoyed the most:
soccer. “It was the right choice for me,” said the Springfield, Mo.
native. So was his decision to come to SLU, which he chose for its
strong academics, soccer tradition, location and size.

Jewsbury put up solid seasons his first two years, as he was
selected to the C-USA All-Freshman team during his freshman year
and was named C-USA Player of the Year and was selected to
first-team All-Conference during his sophomore season.

But last year he was plagued by a foot injury that allowed him
to play in just 17 games, none of which were at full strength. But
the numbers he put up last year and the previous two seasons were
enough for the coaches to name Jewsbury the Conference USA
Preseason Player of the Year.

“After all I went through, it’s a pretty big honor, especially
in Conference USA,” says the school’s 17th all-time leading scorer.
With this honor comes lofty expectations, most of which are from
Jewsbury himself.

“My goals are realistic, but pretty high,” he said, “C-USA is an
up-and-coming conference, so I have to set them high for me and the
team.” One goal Jewsbury has set for himself is to be a great
leader, especially to the new freshman and transfer players.

Jewsbury knows he can’t benefit his team without the help of his
teammates. He, along with senior Nick Walls and freshman Kyle
Hopson, form a “triangle-type formation” on the field, which is
going to help produce scoring opportunities.

This season, SLU soccer fans will still debate Jewsbury’s first
name. But if all goes well, come November, Jack Jewsbury will be
C-USA’s Player of the Year.