BETHLEHEM, Pa. – As he prepared for his sophomore season at George Mason University, Hugh Roberts was posed a question by Patriots Head Coach Greg Andrulis.

Instead of trying to find the back of the net, Andrulis asked if Roberts could make the move to the team’s back line. With only three defenders at his disposal in spring practice, the move was one of necessity.

As it turned out, it proved an ideal move for the recent signing for Bethlehem Steel FC. A mainstay for the Richmond Kickers over the past three seasons, Roberts rose to the ranks of the top defenders in the USL last year, earning All-League First Team honors for the first time.

“The transition was challenging at first,” Roberts told BethlehemSteelFC.com’s Thomas Via recently. “Having to understand positioning, playing out of the back and all the little things that I had to adjust to since they weren’t as natural to me as it may have been for others playing as a defender their whole life.”

Roberts’ acclimation to his new role was helped by his play for the Baltimore Bohemians, for whom he made 27 appearances over two seasons. Roberts was a PDL All-Eastern Conference selection in the 2013 season as the Bohemians finished second in the Mid Atlantic Division, highlighting the progression his game had made ahead of his senior season for the Patriots.