MSUB SPORTS – Upon arriving at the Montana State University Billings campus many student-athletes cite getting used to the high elevation as a significant adjustment. At more than 3,600 feet above sea level, the climate of the city alone can have an impact on athletes' bodies and performance.
 
For some, like MSUB men's soccer senior Andres Moreano-Enriquez however, the adjustment is just as extreme in the opposite direction. Hailing from Quito, Ecuador, Moreano-Enriquez grew up in the second-most populated city in the country and one of the most highly elevated at 9,350 feet above sea level. It is in the mountains and rainforest where Moreano-Enriquez crafted his skill as a soccer player, and partly why he has adapted well to life as a Yellowjacket at MSUB.
 
Moreano-Enriquez grew up going to a Catholic school, and began playing soccer when he was six. "Soccer wise it was completely different over there than it is here, because you had to play in an academy," Moreano-Enriquez said. "Not all of the players come from the same socioeconomic background, and it provided a chance for some really poor kids to be successful."
 
Learning the game as a child under the guidance of his father, Bolivar, Moreano-Enriquez developed his skills on his dad's team until he was 11 years old. "At that time, I joined the academy where my club team was back home," Moreano-Enriquez said. "It was called Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito."
 
In many ways mirroring the educational system of the United States, Moreano-Enriquez progressed through a similar format of elementary, middle, and high school in his home town. Upon graduating, he contributed six months of his time towards social service before traveling to the United States for the first time to visit his brother in California.
 
If the drop in elevation from Quito to Billings is significant, then moving down to Los Angeles at 211 feet above sea level is downright drastic. That is where Moreano-Enriquez got his first taste of American culture, as he stayed with his brother, Jacob, for six months and began to learn English. Soccer was also on his radar as an 18-year-old, as he competed in several tournaments during his time in the U.S.
 
"When I was in California I became friends with one of the players there and he mentioned that one of his brothers was playing college soccer," remembered Moreano-Enriquez. "He asked me if I was interested in playing for a school, I said yes, and I sent a video of myself playing to some schools."
 
While Moreano-Enriquez figured to be a Division I or II-level player, there was a time earlier on in his career where he may have had the chance to take a step towards playing professionally. When he was 16, he was promoted from the U16 academy up to the U20 level, which essentially represented the reserve players for a professional team.
 
"I broke my ankle when I was 16, going into a tackle against a professional player," Moreano-Enriquez said. "When I recovered from that I was never the same player, and after a year and a half I lost my spot on that team."
 
Not surprisingly, Moreano-Enriquez faced a significant amount of doubt regarding his chances of returning to the pitch to play again. "At that point I thought that soccer was over for me," he said. "But I still had a love for the sport. My parents helped me recover a lot, and stories from soccer players around the world inspired me. Martin Palermo was an example of an Argentinian who had six or seven serious injuries during his career, but he always came back and scored goals afterwards."
 
Gaining traction with several college teams in the United States, Moreano-Enriquez felt his soccer career be revitalized as he stuck with it through the injury. After spending the first few seasons of his collegiate career at two different schools, he felt that a change was in order as he began to broaden his scope.
 
"I was online looking at transferring, and on a recruiting website I saw that MSUB was looking for a center midfielder," Moreano-Enriquez said. "I contacted Alex (Balog), sent him a video of me playing, and I decided to come over here to play."
 
"Andres came to America having played at a high level in Ecuador, and his college career has been anything but regular," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "He has had to wait a long time for a chance to play but he has never given up. He has kept grinding and kept working, and what he has brought to practice for us even in the middle of the season with limited minutes has been very impressive."
 
Playing in eight games and starting two so far this season, Moreano-Enriquez has proven his value to the team and earned his stripes as a captain through the example he sets as a player. "Last season we only had three wins and we were ready to increase that amount this year," said Moreano-Enriquez. "I think the main reason we have been able to do that is because we have so many good players and we have learned how to play together."
 
While the 'Jackets have doubled their win total from a season ago, the development Moreano-Enriquez has experienced extends much further beyond the soccer field. "One of the things I really learned how to do is socialize with different cultures," Moreano-Enriquez said regarding playing for a team with members from 11 different countries. "I have learned how to love different aspects of all of my teammates, and all of their different personalities. Also, I have become a bit more disciplined here, as Alex is strict with time management. I wasn't used to that before, but being here with him has brought me that discipline."
 
"Andres has put himself into the picture for minutes, and he will start against NNU on Saturday as a senior captain for us," Balog said. "He has shown the younger players to never give up, and that is what senior leadership is all about. If you keep working hard and bring quality, you'll be rewarded for it."
 
Considering his ability to consistently adapt to new environments, the fact that Moreano-Enriquez has had to learn how to incorporate his style of play with the rest of the players on the team has been a fairly smooth transition to make. "It's a really nice experience because you really learn a lot from all of the different players on the team," said Moreano-Enriquez. "We all come from different countries and environments, but we really are one big family. That is what is most enjoyable and what makes playing together easy."
 
The senior cited several of his current teammates as people he has grown close to and who he has seen grow into role models among the team. "Last year Thorge Jess was my roommate and we became really close, and this year Jesper Fries is my roommate," Moreano-Enriquez said. "Cameron Lee is the type of guy who brings everyone on the team together."
 
"One of the reasons I would have liked to have had Andres for four years is because he really buys into what we are trying to do as a team and our philosophy," Balog said. "He cares about his teammates and about the program. Also he is a guy who is a true student of the game, and he is always thinking about how we can get better."
 
As Moreano-Enriquez's playing career wraps up in MSUB's final game against NNU on Saturday, he would like to remain involved with the game while he continues his education. Currently completing his undergraduate degree in health and human performance, Moreano-Enriquez plans to remain in the U.S. to pursue a master's degree. "My plan is to get my master's here but I'm not sure exactly where yet," Moreano-Enriquez said. "I'd like to look at biomechanics, because with that degree there are lots of ways to stay involved with sports."
 
With one more game to play, Moreano-Enriquez will be honored before Saturday's kickoff along with fellow graduating seniors Matt Brink, Grady Bryson and Kyle Emerick. With his father Bolivar Moreano and mother Grace Enriquez making the journey from Ecuador to stand by his side during the pregame ceremony, Moreano-Enriquez will undoubtedly close his career with a smile on his face.