A lot of digital ink is spilled on these pages about players coming to the Division I men’s ranks from MLS academies.

But that’s still only a small fraction of contributors on the DI scene this season, as players come from all corners of the globe, eventually landing on the radar of college coaches one way or another.

Below is a closer look at 10 freshmen (all ranked in the Top 100) from outside the MLS academy sphere, their path to DI soccer, and what’s helped them standout this season. Think the 2014 version of Cristian Roldan, who arrived on the scene from outside the Development Academy itself.