If you talk to Abraham Martinez, you won’t detect any hint of a southern twang in the Texan’s vocals, but what you will quickly discover is the way he oozes confidence in both voice and demeanor.

Martinez, a senior midfielder and product of Pleasant Grove, Texas, attributes his swelling confidence to his close inner circle of friends, family, head coach Adam Howarth and the hard work he has put into fine-tuning his soccer skills.

After playing club soccer throughout his high school career, Martinez settled on moving to the flatlands of the Midwest partially because his friend, fellow Texan and former Eastern men’s soccer player and teammate Jason Thompson made the decision to play soccer for the Panthers.

But for the past few seasons, Martinez had found himself mired in injuries and therefore unable to reach his full potential- until now.

“This year I am letting it all loose,” this week’s Daily Eastern News Top Cat said. “What do I have to hold back? I am better prepared this year. I have put much more effort into this year.”

Martinez said that extra punch in his kick derives from the fact that he no longer has lingering worries about his ankle, which he broke during the 2001 season.

“I was hesitant to play because I was always thinking about it,” he said.

Martinez was again hit with a stroke of misfortune when he sprained his lateral cruciate ligament in the second game of the season during the Bradley Tournament and was sidelined for four games. As a result, it is evident the lanky 5-foot 11-inch budding star is steadfastly focused on helping his team pile up the victories this year.

What may be most impressive about Martinez’s recent on-field performance is he eclipsed the total number of goals he scored in his three previous seasons in a single week. His two goals in a 3-0 defeat of Drury and a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over Butler last week demonstrated how he is not merely bouncing back from his past injuries, but also how he has evolved into a dominating player who is not about to squander any opportunities he gets on the soccer field.

Don’t think his breakout week totally caught him off guard, though.

“I always thought I was capable of (the three-goal feat accomplished last week),” Martinez said.

Howarth agreed.

“He’s come a long way,” he said. “He has definitely improved as a player. He works hard and he’s got that type of winning mentality. I knew he was capable of it; it was all just a matter of when it was going to come together.”

As one of four seniors on the squad, Howarth said Martinez has stepped up and quietly flourished while becoming a significant asset both as a player and leader to the team.

“What I admire is that he really stuck (the injuries) out,” Howarth said. “He is the lone Texan (now) and he is really blossoming. He oversees players and helps everyone out. He is in it for the team, not just himself. “

Shunning the spotlight is something the reserved Martinez insists on, rather than taking credit for the team’s winning efforts.

“The guys know how I am,” he said. “They know how I feel when we lose. I lead by example. That is something I was brought up to do. And of course now as a senior it is expected of me. I don’t want to be the main person (on the team). As long as we win, that is all I care about.”

Martinez cited his family as a major influence when it came to getting beyond the frustrating and plaguing injuries that have dogged him rather consistently over the span of his collegiate athletic career.

And by courteously and meticulously sifting through the constructive criticism he gets regarding his play during any given day, Martinez also uses advice and tips he gets from others, whether it be from his family, friends or Howarth, and uses it to combat his weaknesses.

“I take input from people I respect whether it be coach or the players and see what I’m lacking,” he said. “Whatever input I get, I work on.”