From Europe to College Park: Maryland men’s soccer’s dynamic duo of center backs anchor the defense

Defenders Bjarne Thiesen (31) and William Kulvik (97) after Thiesen scores a header versus Wisconsin. (Photo by Allison Mize/Maryland Terrapins)

Indiana piled pressure on Maryland in the dying moments of an early season Big Ten game. But center backs Bjarne Thiesen and William Kulvik stood tall in the heart of the Terps’ defense. Thiesen threw his body in front of a shot and the pair headed away crosses to seal a 1-0 victory. 

The center backs have been playing together for two years and are living together as roommates this year, which has helped grow their relationship on and off the field. The duo say they spend a lot of time talking about life and soccer, and their girlfriends have even become friends as well. Their connection has translated to the pitch where the pairing has helped No. 9 Maryland get off to a 7-1-4 start.

“I think they complement each other a lot,” captain Alex Nitzl said. “Will might be a bit more the robust defensive type of player that cleans everything up that comes there. If the ball gets in behind, you just know Will’s going to be there. And Bjarne is a very, very smart player, who positions himself in good spots. His distribution with both feet, he’s playing as a right-footed player down the left side, but he makes it look effortless.” 

Thiesen is one of five German players in the squad while Kulvik is the only Norwegian player. Thiesen hails from Kiel which is farther north than the southern cities the other German players are from. His hometown is actually closer to Kulvik’s hometown of Oslo than it is to Munich, where Nitzl and midfielder Chris Steinleitner grew up. 

“I’ve been to Oslo, he knows where I’m from,” Thiesen said. “Same with Luca [Costabile], like I’m actually closer to them than to the other German guys, because I’m so far up north.”

Kulvik, a senior, joined the Terps in 2021 and almost immediately established himself as a squad regular, starting 10 matches and being selected to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. He has been a key player for the Terps’ backline for the past three seasons, leading the team in minutes played in 2023 and so far in 2024. 

Thiesen started his college career at West Virginia, redshirting before starting in 47 games over three years for the Mountaineers. He was a key part of West Virginia’s 2021 team that reached the NCAA Quarterfinals. The standout season earned Thiesen a number of honors including being named a 2021 United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-American and to the 2022 Preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the soccer equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. 

Thiesen decided to transfer to Maryland in 2023 and immediately formed a partnership with Kulvik.

“I was kind of hoping he was going to come here, because we played him a couple of times and he’s a special center back,” Kulvik said. 

The duo played the most minutes of any Terps’ players in a disappointing 2023 season where Maryland finished winless in Big Ten play and failed to make the postseason.

But the Terps have found success this season with the veteran defense playing a major part. Grad student Nitzl dropped back from his previous role of midfield to play right back this season. Costabile, a junior from Denmark, has started every game at left back. All four regulars in the backline have been starting in college soccer since their freshman year. 

This experience has allowed the defenders to provide leadership to younger players in the midfield and attack. Thiesen mentioned the Terps’ victory over Indiana as an example of when the elder players had to step up and help the squad remain calm to see out a victory. Maryland shut out the Hoosiers in the win, preventing any additions to its 13 goals allowed this season — the fourth least in the Big Ten.

Both center backs have also shown their ability to be scoring threats this season. Thiesen stands at six feet, five inches tall while Kulvik is also over six feet. Their size has helped the duo be dangerous on set pieces and win headers in the box.

Thiesen has scored eight goals in his college career and three for the Terps. He scored a penalty kick on his debut for West Virginia against Charlotte. Thiesen also headed in a goal to help Maryland upset Wisconsin early this season in its first Big Ten game. 

Kulvik isn’t as known for his goal prowess, having scored just twice in his career entering 2024, but produced magic in an early season matchup with Detroit Mercy. He opened Maryland’s scoring by launching a shot from behind midfield that lifted over the goalie’s head and rippled the back netting.

“I didn’t know he had that long shot in him. It was very impressive,” Thiesen said. 

Kulvik added to his goal tally three minutes later, scoring a header off a corner. In just a few minutes, he had doubled his career goal total. 

As the postseason approaches, Kulvik and Thiesen’s veteran presence on both ends of the pitch will be crucial as the Terps hope to accomplish their goal of a first national championship since 2018.