The University of Detroit Mercy will induct seven new members into its Hall of Fame in December. The Class of 2014 includes: Perry Watson (coach), Lisa Blackburn (basketball), Lee Knorek (basketball), Mary Latham (Parker) (soccer), Jorge Ferreira (soccer), Kim Hemstreet (cross country) and the 1972 NCAA National Championship men's fencing team. As we count down to Hall of Fame weekend from Dec. 12-13, DetroitTitans.com will feature each of the seven inductees.

Jorge Ferreira almost didn't make it to the University of Detroit Mercy.
 
But it's a decision that has no regrets, as he arrived in Detroit and became one of the best men's soccer players in school history. He finished his career as the all-time leading scorer at Detroit with 54 goals and 127 points, records that still stand today. He also scored a single-season Titan record of 16 goals during his senior year in 1998.
 
Ferreira, a London, Ontario native, enrolled at Detroit just prior to his freshman season in 1995 after deciding to give college soccer a try.
 
"It was a last-second decision," Ferreira said in a recent phone interview. "A lot of schools were after me. I wasn't really planning on coming to the states at all. I had a last second change of mind. It was the closest school to my home and that's really what it came down to. Just before the season started I said, 'I'll try it out for a year. I might be homesick, I might not stay, but I would love to try it out for a year and see what happens from there.'"
 
Detroit became his home because of the team and the people that supported him during his first year. Being just two hours away from his hometown didn't hurt either.
 
"Proximity was the biggest factor for me," Ferreira said. "(UDM) helped out with the transition a lot. I formed bonds with the upperclassmen like Steve Corder, Keith O'Connor and many others. A lot of people made me feel comfortable away from home."
 
While Ferreira adjusted to life in the states, he excelled immediately on the soccer pitch. He was named the MCC Newcomer of the Year after his freshman season in 1995 as he tallied 12 goals, eight assists and 32 points in his rookie campaign.  
 
He was always known as a big goal scorer and that continued during his four-year career at Detroit. Ferreira scored at least 12 goals in all four seasons in a UDM uniform.
 
"That was my job," Ferreira said. "That was what I had always done. That was something that I made my goal. I was always the top scorer on the team and in the league. My job was to score goals. I wanted to work harder than anyone else to do it and I took pride in that."
 
Ferreira was the 1997 MCC Player of the Year and was named to the MCC First Team all four years with the Titans (1995-98) as well as twice selected to the MCC All-Tournament Team in 1996 and 1998. He helped lead the Titans to their first, and only, NCAA Tournament appearance in 1996, following a 2-0 win over Butler in the MCC Championship game.
 
"Obviously, the biggest highlight was winning the conference and going to the NCAA Tournament, being a part of that and being a big contributor on that team," Ferreira said. "Being First Team All-Conference every year and player of the year, a lot of those things were firsts for the school. Bringing a lot more spotlight to the team and the school was important. I was glad to be a piece of the puzzle that brought respect to the program and that was a big thing for me as well."
 
Ferreira had offers to play professionally following his career at UDM, but playing collegiate soccer at a high level had taken its toll on his body.
 
"I certainly had offers to go play here and there," he said, "But my body was pretty beaten up. My senior year, I rarely practiced because I was so beaten up. When I graduated and played in my last soccer game, I needed some time away from the game. I took a year break and started a career and got married shortly after. Soccer wasn't a priority to me anymore. I would have had to go overseas to keep playing and I decided not to."
 
Ferreira, who now lives in Brighton, Mich., and is married with four children, is still involved with soccer, watching his children grow up playing the game he loves.
 
"I've just recently got back into soccer," he said. "My oldest son is 10 and plays for the Michigan Wolves and I've been coaching and helping out."
 
Ferreira said that he wasn't expecting a call into the Hall of Fame, but was honored to be included and is looking forward to the ceremony next weekend.
 
"It wasn't something that I was thinking about," Ferreira said. "I got the call from Steve Corder '98, who was one of my roommates in college. He wanted to make the call personally. I'm glad that I got the call from him and that meant a lot to me. I wasn't really expecting it. I spent four years there. It was a big part of my life. Those four years were a great time in my life and being recognized, that's something that I definitely appreciate."