With College Night on the horizon for Washington, D.C.’s very own Major League Soccer team, D.C. United (8-9-13) is gearing up to play the Columbus Crew (16-8-5) on Saturday, Sept. 28.

In anticipation of the upcoming game, and consistent with the theme of college night, D.C. United forward and former Georgetown men’s soccer forward Jacob Murrell sat down with The Hoya for an exclusive interview.

Murrell, who spent two seasons with the Hoyas, had a historic collegiate career and has gone down in the books as one of the greatest players to ever compete on Shaw Field. 

Murrell came into Georgetown’s soccer program as a raw talent. In his senior year of high school at the McDonogh School, he was named 2021-22 Gatorade national boys soccer player of the year, a prestigious award given out to a single boys soccer player in the United States. 

When asked about people in Georgetown’s program who had made a lasting impression on his soccer journey, Murrell told The Hoya about Head Coach Brian Wiese.

“He truly is just such a great human being, and he really promoted me to try and be a natural leader, even though I was a young guy as a freshman and sophomore,” Murrell told The Hoya.

During his time with the Hoyas, Murrell had as much success as anyone could ever wish for as an athlete, scoring 18 goals and recording eight assists in his tenure. In 2023, Murrell made the All-Big East first team, an honor reserved for the best in their position in the Big East conference. 

Murrell said his decision to leave the Hilltop was filled with many mixed emotions, as he had to weigh leaving Coach Wiese’s program and the people who made his Georgetown experience so special against the opportunity of going pro. 

“It was a tough decision for me whether to leave and forgo my next two years at Georgetown,” Murrell said. “I had a big growth curve my freshman spring and he helped nurture that a lot. So my teammates and the school, it’s just a tough thing to leave.”

Murrell was drafted as the seventh overall pick in the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) draft by D.C. United. Murrell chose to go pro because he was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime: a three-year guaranteed contract, which is hard to come by coming out of college. 

“It gives me the opportunity to adapt and learn for a year, and it gives me a bit of stability just with that guaranteed contract coming into the pro game,” he said.

The transition from collegiate play to professional competition in any sport is difficult, and Murrell said his experience is no different.

“It’s a step up for sure the physicality, the speed of it is a lot different than the college game, and the guys are more technical,” Murrell said. 

However, despite the challenges of making the leap to professional soccer, Murrell adds that it’s an experience that he wouldn’t trade for anything as the camaraderie of his teammates is what helps him to get better. 

“The guys in the locker room have been really good to me and helped in making an easy transition,” he said. “We have a lot of younger guys, which helps for me, but then also the older guys have done a really good job taking us under their wing and making us feel at home in the locker room.”

Making the professional leagues of soccer was always Murrell’s ambition. 

“I’ve always wanted to play pro,” he said.

Murrell attributes his hard work and dedication to the sport to turning his dream into a reality. 

“I worked really hard in the beginning of my high school, my freshman and sophomore year, to get into a spot where I could go to a school like Georgetown,” he added. 

Murrell graciously offered words of advice to those who have the same dream as him of going pro.

“You have to do it because you love it, not because your parents want you to do it,” he said.

Murrell’s passion and zeal for the game is what led him to capture a successful career and it will only take him further as he matures into his role at D.C. United.

The future’s looking bright for the D.C. United as Murrell outlines long-term goals the club has to become more of a dominant force in Major League Soccer.

“Just trying to change the culture of the club, that’s been our biggest goal with the new staff and the new coach, new general manager, just trying to get a new image for D.C. United,” Murrell said. 

D.C. United is slated to play at Audi Field on Saturday, Sept. 28th for College Night. Murrell is looking forward to showcasing D.C. United’s pressure-based defense to defeat the Columbus Crew.

“We’re a good pressing team,” he said. “We like to be together collectively and find our pressing triggers as much as possible. It’ll be our best versus their best which is exciting to play for.”

Be sure to show out at Audi Field to cheer on our fellow Hoya.