Patrick Mullins can’t wait to attend Maryland.

So he might not.

Mullins, a forward for Lafreniere SC in Louisianna, is currently in the process of trying to earn early admission to his dream school. If all goes right, he’ll be a student this upcoming January long before he ever takes the field with the Terrapins’ team.

“It’s not complete yet, but that’s what I’m looking towards,” Mullins said.

Ever since he attended a University of Maryland soccer camp while a freshman in high school, Mullins has been looking toward Maryland. It was the first school he wanted to attend and the top of his wish list.

He committed to the school last winter and has since been preparing himself in a variety of ways: fitness training, being one, and private workouts with coach Jose Portillo.

“He’s a great finisher,” Portillo said. “If he gets on a team that has a lot of playmakers he can really score a lot of goals. He is great at taking on players once he gets the ball in front of him.”

Mullins, who has played on Region III teams with the likes of Joel Nash, Brian Vasquez and Nolan McKeever, is continuing to work on his movement without the ball and defensive awareness. He made a visit to the Maryland campus in late September when the Terrapins played North Carolina. With a powerful left leg and the ideal size for the next level Mullins is primed to make an immediate impact.

He already has with Portillo, who is coaching Mullins for the first time and is awaiting high school season where Mullins will lead the statewide powerhouse Jesuit High School before returning to the club in February.

“Patrick is a very important player, with him we’ve already qualified for regionals,” Portillo said.

Of course, by regionals there’s a good chance Mullins will be long gone.

A few other South region boys players poised for one final season before college are Birmingham United players Norris Howze and Cory Gonzalez.

Howze, a central midfielder, is said to be mulling UAB and UCF among other possibilities but is undecided while defenseman Cory Gonzalez hasn’t committed either but is also considering UAB.

Houston Dynamo star Sebastien Ibeagha, another promising talent, will be at Duke next season.