Patrick Adams was forced to make a couple of difficult decisions recently.

The biggest one came last May. Would Adams decide to continue his soccer career at the Division I level after seeing numerous programs show interest in the coveted midfielder? Or would he follow in the footsteps of his older brother Sean, who had a successful career on the Division III stage at The Catholic University of America?

The decision wasn’t easy. But just before his senior high school season got underway at the Hill School in Pottstown, Adams made his choice to continue playing soccer at Lehigh University next fall.

“It was difficult because I was also strongly considering playing at a Division III program,” Adams said. “Sean played Division III soccer at Catholic University in Washington D.C., and his team competed and beat Division I programs.”

Adams, who transferred to Hill after spending his first three seasons at Salisbury High School, drew plenty of interest around the country, including American University, St. John’s, UNC at Chapel Hill, Kenyon College, Lafayette and the University of Mary Washington.

But unlike his brother, who would have to travel over three hours to The Catholic University, the drive to Lehigh will be a few short minutes up the road for Patrick.

“The decision was made both off academics and soccer,” Adams said. “They quickly got me on a visit and showed me exactly what the school and soccer program had to offer. They were also coming off a Patriot League title in 2015, and they showed that they were competing every year.”

Joining Lehigh wasn’t just based on the school’s soccer team. Adams has plans of majoring in business, something that is just as important as athletics are to him.

It doesn’t hurt, however, the rich tradition that Lehigh has built over the past few seasons. The Mountain Hawks are coming off an 11-7-1 record and an appearance in the Patriot League tournament. Three out of the past four seasons have ended with Lehigh securing a winning record, including that Patriot League title in 2015.

All of that success has come under head coach Dean Koski, who is set to enter his 27th season at the helm. He’s accumulated a 213-187-61 record over his career, and plans to add many more this upcoming fall season with a strong recruiting class.

Adams will be one of those commits. Two of his friends from his Lehigh Valley United team-Parkland’s Dawson Berger and Hill’s Euan Forrest-will also join him.

He joined the Hill School this school year after three successful seasons on the pitch at Salisbury. He tallied 27 goals and 12 assists as a junior and wouldn’t trade his days playing in the blue and white for anything.

“Salisbury was probably the most fun I have ever had playing soccer, and I never would give up those years,” Adams said. “Mark Allinson really helped pave the way over the past three years…[Hill College] played one of the top schedules in the country and we lost in the state finals. We also placed second in the league even though all we had to do was beat our rival on the last day. Both high school teams have prepared me for the next level.”