The “Trust the Kids” philosophy is alive and well in 2025 for Pacific FC. This is largely thanks to the impact made by CPL-U SPORTS draft picks Fin Tugwell (UVIC) and Eric Lajeunesse (UBC). Both of these young defenders have been an integral part of the Trident’s squad this season, proving they are ready for the moment. As the CPL-U SPORTS mid-season return to school deadline approaches (August 15th), Tugwell and Lageunesse are set to head back to their studies. The club will be retaining their rights for next year, but they will return to school for the remainder of the season to kick off their university soccer seasons.
An Instant Impact
Despite being young, student-athletes, Tugwell and Lajeunesse have played significant roles in the Pacific FC lineup in 2025. Eric Lajeunesse has appeared in 16 matches this season, amassing 1358 minutes, while Tugwell has appeared in 4 and logged 360 minutes. That is even more impressive when you consider that all of those have come in the last 4 matches, which saw Tugwell play every minute.
Lajeunesse, at 22, is in his third season on a CPL-U SPORTS contract and continues to impact games at a consistent level. Last year he played 1558 minutes for Pacific before returning to UBC for the fall. Few U SPORTS drafted players around the league have matched Lajeunesse’s experience and has been a consistent force in the Pacific FC defense. The 6-foot-3 Ottawa native has now appeared in 41 matches for Pacific FC during his tenure.
Tugwell, also 22, is newer to the pro game, but has recently shown that he is ready for the pro level. The North Vancouver raised center back earned his first professional start in July in an away match against Forge, and has now made 4 starts for the Pacific FC first team. While his experience is more limited (being his rookie season), Tugwell has proven that he clearly has what it takes to play at this level and we all can see it.
Pacific FC has never shied away from fielding young talent, they led all CPL teams with 4,812 minutes played by U-21 players last year and both Tugwell and Lajeunesse have taken advantage of that continued trust.
From Youth Soccer to University Stardom
Both of these young men have followed similar paths on their journey to Pacific FC. Eric Lajeunesse’s story began in Ottawa, where he developed with St. Anthony’s Futuro Academy before joining the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy in 2021. He enrolled at UBC in 2022 and immediately excelled, earning Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year honours in his first university season. In 2023, Lajeunesse was named First Team All Star for Canada West and U SPORTS, and in 2024 he helped the UBC Thunderbirds lift a national championship title. Pacific FC snapped him up with the 6th overall pick in the 2023 CPL-U SPORTS Draft and the club has retained his rights every season while allowing him to go back to UBC to continue his university studies and playing career. Lajeunesse has returned that faith by coming back each season sharper and stronger, and providing Pacific FC with rock-solid defensive performances.
Fin Tugwell grew up in North Vancouver and played his youth soccer for Mountain United while attending Handsworth Secondary. In 2021, he came to Vancouver Island to join the University of Victoria Vikes, where he has blossomed into one of the country’s top university defenders. By 2024, Tugwell had racked up 46 appearances, was a two-time Canada West All-Star, a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, and even claimed the U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year award. Pacific FC selected him 12th overall in the 2025 draft, keeping him close to home. He impressed the coaching staff in the preseason with his defensive prowess, composure, and 6 foot 3 frame, earning him a U SPORTS contract and a spot on the roster.
Balancing Books and Boots
Perhaps the most impressive thing about these two, is how they continue to excel not just on the pitch, but also off. Both are dedicated students pursuing demanding degrees, prime examples of the term “student-athlete”. Eric Lajeunesse is pursuing a biology degree at UBC while navigating a university and pro soccer career. He is going into his fourth year of his science studies and has managed to remain both elite on the pitch and in the classroom.“Our development plan with Eric has been to respect the true purpose of the U SPORTS contract allowing a young Canadian player to continue his academics pursue a degree while growing in the professional game,” said Merriman. “We have focused on the big picture in terms of Eric’s plan and he is maximizing his experience in both. He is an important part of our club and the overall philosophy of development.” Eric is the perfect model for the U SPORTS pathway and it’s no coincidence that he is thriving in both areas. By winning a national championship with UBC in late 2024 and then rejoining Pacific a few months later, he’s shown an ability to shift gears seamlessly between university and pro environments, succeeding in each.
Tugwell is a fourth-year civil engineering student at UVic, which is a program as challenging as it sounds. During his first pro training camp with Pacific, he was simultaneously finishing a co-op work term at Avalon Mechanical. “Fin has grown with us this season and we can clearly see his potential,” said Merriman. “He is a captain and a leader at UVIC and we look forward to continuing our development plan with him also.” The effort is paying off and Fin is destined to be successful in whichever path he chooses.
Bright Futures with Pacific FC
As we hit the deadline for U SPORTS contracts, the duo will temporarily trade the purple of Pacific FC for their respective university colours again. Under the terms of the CPL’s U SPORTS development program, players must return to school by a set deadline to retain their college eligibility. This means that both Lajeunesse will head back to UBC and Tugwell to UVic for the fall term, but the good news is that both players will have their rights retained by the club while they are gone. This means that Pacific FC can bring back both players next season without needing to draft them or sign them once again.
Looking ahead, both of these young men look to be major parts of Pacific’s future. They have shown that they can handle the transition from university to the pros and they only continue to get better. “These are two young Canadian central defenders with high potential in the professional game but first want to complete their academic goals,” said James Merriman, Head Coach, Pacific FC. “We respect this and will continue to work together.”
The club has already turned former U SPORTS picks into first-team fixtures in the past (with players like Zach Verhoven, Luca Ricci, and Chris Lee) and Lajeunesse and Tugwell appear ready to follow in those footsteps. As Pacific FC continue their relentless chase for the Canadian Premier League Shield, expect this duo to be at the heart of the action for many years to come.