PROVIDENCE − Providence College soccer coach Craig Stewart refused to take the bait, completely, when he was asked how Cranston’s Gevork Diarbian compares to other forwards in the Big East Conference.
“Gevork has been named on several Big East teams over his career, including the Pre-Season [Region] XI [Third Team] at the beginning of this campaign,” Stewart said. “It’s difficult to quantify where he stacks up against the other forwards in our conference, partly because his skill set is very different.
“That said, I’m sure if you asked any coach in the conference about ‘G,’ they would tell you that he is an absolute nightmare to play against and someone that you must pay special attention to. Week in and week out, he is one of the most dangerous players on the pitch and we are just happy to have him on our team.”
Without question, Stewart hopes No. 6 Creighton (4-6-6, 3-3-2) is forced to “pay special attention” to Diarbian and the No. 3 Friars (7-5-3, 4-2-2) as a whole when Providence hosts the Bluejays in a Big East quarterfinal game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Diarbian, a senior and a La Salle Academy alumnus who played for coach Mario Perreira, has accumulated a host of honors over the course of his career.
For example, he was:
∎A 2021 and 2022 All-Big East Second Team selection.
∎A member of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men’s Players to Watch List for Forwards.
∎A 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team selection.
∎A 2021 United Soccer Coaches All-Big East Region Second Team selection.
∎A member of the 2021 All-Big East Tournament Team as well as an All-Big East Third Team selection.
∎A Big East Weekly Honor Roll selection for the Week ending Sept. 16. Diarbian scored his first goal of the season against then-No. 3 Akron in what wound up as a 3-3 tie.
∎A Big East Freshman of the Week for the week ending March 8, 2021.
Diarbian has started all 62 games in which he has played for a Friars and has scored 12 goals, including three game-winners, and assisted on 16.
And as Stewart indicated, Diarbian has played a pivotal role in a program that has advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 four times, including last season — a campaign during which he played all 17 games and led the Friars with 13 points on four goals and five assists.
Home is where the heart is
Diarbian didn’t have to think twice about where he wanted to play his college soccer.
“Obviously, PC was a top choice for me,” he said. “My brother [Azad] went to Providence and being close to home was a big decision in order for me to stay close to my family. Providence always was the dream school for me ever since I was a kid.
“I knew the coaches for a while and they knew the player that I was. They saw me play when I was a young kid and it worked out from there.”
Diarbian played on the 2017 La Salle team that captured the Division I state championship. Overall, the Rams have claimed a dozen state titles.
“We were able to watch Gevork in many different environments, including his championship team at La Salle Academy — a high school program that has produced many top college soccer players over the years,” Stewart said. “Gevork was someone that our staff knew from a very young age and who verbally committed to PC quite early in the recruiting process.
“While you never know exactly how a player will fit into the program, we always felt the combination of his ability and work ethic would ultimately lead to good things.”
Diarbian’s soccer roots run deeper than La Salle because he also played for Bayside FC, the state’s premier soccer club.
“Bayside helped me a lot as a player while high school enabled me to play with my friends,” he said. “I feel that playing for Bayside enabled Providence to recognize me.”
In addition, Diarbian participated in the New England Revolution Academy.
“I played [for the Academy] my junior and senior years in high school,” he said. “It really developed me as a player because I played against the best kids in the country.
“It helped me grow and helped me with the mindset that it’s not going to be easy.”
Stewart couldn’t stress enough how important it was for Diarbian to have played for those organizations.
“Gevork played locally for Bayside, which does a really good job of developing young players and providing a pathway to the New England Revolution when the time is right, which has led to a number of local players playing in the MLS,” Stewart said. “Gevork fell into that category and it was a good move.
“I think the hardest decision for him was it meant he was no longer able to play in high school. But, looking back, it certainly helped with his development as a player.”
Factor in the experience Diarbian gained while playing for La Salle, Bayside FC and the New England Revolution Academy and Stewart is able to relate why this Friar has developed the skills that make him such an important member of the team.
“Gevork’s biggest strength is his speed,” Stewart said. “He may be faster when the ball is at his feet, which is scary for any defender. It makes him a constant threat for the opponent and allows us to take advantage of space in other areas of the pitch.
“He is an extremely important piece to our team and the way we play. And this year, he also has really stepped up as a leader both on and off the field.”
Given the caliber of the program developed by Stewart, Diarbian was confident, albeit not over-confident, that he could be a major contributor as opposed to a bench warmer.
“I feel like I’ve always had confidence in myself to give it everything that I have,” he said. “I’ve had that mindset to give everything to the program and the school.
“Moreover, I feel like coach Stewart tries to get the best out of me. I feel very confident playing under him. He’s really helped me grow as a player over the last four years.”
Cream of the local crop
Diarbian is one of three Rhode Islanders on the Friars roster, with the others being midfielder Brian Garrepy from Warwick and Aliou Sissoko from Pawtucket.
As much as anything, Stewart relishes the presence of having Rhode Islanders on his teams.
“We think it’s really important to have a local presence on the team and our staff makes it a priority to recruit who we feel are the top players in Rhode Island,” Stewart said. “The advantages being we get to know these guys really well throughout the process, and when they play, they do so with a lot of passion and pride knowing they are representing Providence and the local community.
“Hopefully, they inspire the next generation.”
Because of Diarbian’s work ethic, Stewart said he believes Diarbian has shown the ability to inspire not only his teammates but also the Providence coaches.
“On top of everything, Gevork is just a great kid who’s hard-working, respectful and well-liked by his teammates and coaches,” Stewart said. “He is extremely close to his family and definitely a fan favorite with the kids.
“I think when people are in the stands watching him play, that’s what really makes him tick. We are so proud of what he has accomplished as a student athlete at PC and, hopefully, we can keep his college career going this Saturday.”
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