The 2025 NCAA Division I football season has come to an end, and for Caymanian footballer Harrison Hew, this marks the completion of his four-year journey as a Division I student-athlete at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
Hew, a 23-year-old talent who has been a part of the FDU’s Knights’ roster since joining the team in 2022, officially exhausted his eligibility following a season that ended on a high note for him.
The FDU Knights concluded their campaign with a 15-5-3 record – wins, losses and draws – but the crowning achievement came on 16 Nov. when they secured the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship in a 1-0 overtime victory against Saint Francis University.
After clinching the NEC title, the FDU Knights earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, a milestone that marked their 10th conference title.
Their post-season journey continued in the first round on 20 Nov. where they travelled to Durham, North Carolina, to face Duke University.
Despite a resilient defensive performance that kept the game scoreless for nearly the entire match, the FDU Knights suffered a 1-0 loss after Duke’s Ulfur Bjornsson converted a penalty kick in the 88th minute, a narrow defeat that officially eliminated FDU from the tournament.
Hew, who transitioned from his usual midfield role to play forward for the past two seasons, said, “Winning the NEC championship this year was a big goal for me as it was my last year of NCAA D1 eligibility. Being able to close this chapter of my life as a winner is a really satisfying feeling.”
Beyond the trophies, Hew’s time in New Jersey was defined by the deep bonds formed within the locker room.
“The thing I love most about playing for FDU is the people I get to share the pitch with,” he said.”It is very difficult to build a team with the level of chemistry we have on and off the pitch. We created a real family within the locker room, and I gained lifelong friendships from my time at FDU.”
Looking ahead, Hew remains focused on his academic pursuits as he works toward completing his electrical engineering degree in May 2026.
While he plans to continue training with the FDU squad during the off-season, his ultimate ambition is to return to Cayman “and hopefully play for the national team”.
Having last represented the national team at the youth level before leaving for school in 2017, Hew hopes to earn a spot on the senior national team and contribute to the future of Cayman football.
