Coach Jeremy Gunn announced 11 commitments for the 2008 season. |
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A-10 Tournament Finalist Receive 11 Commitments For the 2008 Season
May 21, 2008
CHARLOTTE, NC - Charlotte 49ers men's soccer coach Jeremy Gunn has received 11 commitments for the 2008 season, to go along with the 13 returning letterwinners and two redshirts off the 49ers 2007 Atlantic 10 Tournament Finalist team. Represented in this class are four players from the state of Colorado, where Gunn had spent eight years coaching at Fort Lewis College, joined by three North Carolinians, a player each from Kentucky, Tennessee, and New Jersey and one international player from Canada. Gunn welcomes Isaac Caughran from Castle Rock, Colorado, Isaac Cowles from Arvada, Colorado, Owen Darby from Charlotte, North Carolina, Alexander Deitz from Fort Collins, Colorado, Jonathan Frances from Newark, New Jersey, Kellen Frye from Denver, Colorado, Julien Brown Lathem from Toronto, Canada, Robert Propst from Charlotte, North Carolina, Charles Rodriquez from Franklin, Tennessee, Justin Tucker from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Matt Weston from Louisville, Kentucky.
"Last fall, we had a tremendous season," Gunn said. "Having said this I really didn't feel we had enough internal competition for playing time throughout the squad - we were thin in many areas. Coupling the added maturity of our current returners with this excellent class of newcomers, we will succeed in creating a very competitive squad in 2008. We have brought in players who are not only very talented but whom I believe will bring an intensity level to every practice and every game that we play. That can only be a healthy thing. Come preseason we will see who can really push for starting positions and quality playing time, while some of the boys will be given time to develop. Regardless of how each individual initially adapts, I am confident that we will see a much deeper squad in 2008. While adding to a very solid core group, we are creating a foundation for the program for future success. We want to see these players winning conference championships and competing in the NCAA tournament on a regular basis. Throughout this class there is a common element of young men who are excellent academically and love to play soccer and compete."
Caughran, a 5-foot-11 midfielder from Castle Rock, Colorado's JK Mullins High School, is captain of his Colorado Rush U.S.S.F. Academy team where helped his team reach the 2007 State Cup Finals. He has been a member of the Colorado ODP team with fellow Charlotte newcomers Cowles and Deitz.
"Ike is a tenacious player and a leader," Gunn said. "His reading of the game is very good and it allows him to disrupt the opponent's rhythm of play. On the ball, he has the vision and capability to spray a wide variety of passes."
Cowles, a 6-foot defender, was a four-year letter winner, team MVP and captain at Arvada, Colorado's Faith Christian High School where he played an integral role in capturing the 2006 state championship. He earned first-team All-Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News accolades, as well as all-conference and all-region honors. As a senior, he was named Metro Player of the Year. He also played with the Colorado ODP team and led his Real Colorado Club team to the 2007 Colorado State and Region IV Championship. Last summer, he played on a Real Colorado team that reached the Club National Championship game.
"Isaac is a very solid central defender that plays with a lot of passion and heart," Gunn said. "He is fearless in the air, a tough tackler and is also capable of chipping in with goals on attacking restarts."
Darby, a 5-foot-7 midfielder, was named Southwestern 4A Player of the Year after scoring 16 goals with 15 assists at Charlotte's South Mecklenburg High School. He earned all-conference, all-region and all-state honors after leading South Meck to the North Carolina State 4A Tournament. He has helped the SCSA Academy team move into second place in their regional division.
"Owen is a wonderful local product," Gunn said. "He is a combative central midfielder who also makes great attacking runs past the strikers."
Deitz, a 5-foot-10 defender/midfielder, along with current Charlotte 49ers goalkeeper David Martin, helped Colorado's Fort Collins High School capture the 2005 5A State championship. He earned all-conference and All-Colorado honors while being named the team MVP in 2005. In 2006, he was again named all-conference, All-Colorado and MVP of the State Cup Finals. He has been a member of the Colorado ODP team since 2004 and has captained the team since 2005. In 2005, he traveled to the Czech Republic with the Region IV ODP Team. He has also been a member of the Colorado Rapids (MLS) Super Y league team as well as the Colorado Rush club team.
"Alexander is a competitor," Gunn said. "He will add a bit of steel to the team. With his relentless work ethic and desire to win, he will be capable of playing a number of positions for us."
Frances, a 5-foot-11 goalkeeper, is transferring from Division III Rutgers University - Newark where he started as a freshman. He is originally from France, but spent his high school years in Arizona playing for Hamilton High School. Frances helped Hamilton to a Fiesta Region championship and to the Arizona state semifinals. He also played club soccer for the Tempe Pro's.
"Jonathan is a quick goalkeeper with wonderful shot stopping ability," Gunn said. "He has a year of college soccer under his belt and so knows what it takes to play at this level."
Frye, a 6-foot defender from Littleton, Colorado, is transferring from San Diego State University. Interestingly enough, Frye is a player that both Gunn, when he was at Ft. Lewis College and 49ers assistant coach Kevin O'Brien, who has been at Charlotte since 2002, wanted to sign last year before he committed to San Diego State. In 2007, Frye made the Top Drawer Soccer 100 Freshmen to Keep an Eye on List.
Frye was a Region IV ODP and Colorado ODP member and a 2003 United States National Team Pool Player. He earned first-team all-Colorado and first-team 5A all-state honors as a senior at Chatfield High School in 2006. At Chatfield, he earned all-conference honors three times while leading his team to the state semifinals once and state quarterfinals twice. As a member of the highly successful Colorado Rush club team, he played an integral role in helping the Rush to eight state cup championships.
"Kellen is an attacking left fullback or a central defender," Gunn said. "He has gained a valuable year of Division 1 experience at a PAC-10 University and so should bring a great deal of experience to our team."
Lathem, a 5-foot-7 midfielder from Ontario, Canada, is the first player from Canada recruited to the program by Gunn. He was a member of the Caledon Soccer Club that won the Ontario Cup and OYSL Championships as well as the Score at the Shore tournament title in Greensboro, North Carolina in 2007. As the team captain, he led his high school team, St. Edmunds Champion, to the 4A ROPSSAA Championship.
"Julien is a quick attacking player that can play wide midfield or forward," Gunn said. "He has a tremendous work ethic and a willingness to work both sides of the ball."
Propst, a 5-foot-11 goalkeeper, from Concord, North Carolina's J.M. Robinson High School, is a member of the SCSA Academy team that is currently second in their region. He is undefeated in his 11 starts this Academy season. He was also the starting goalkeeper for the South Charlotte Soccer Association Club team that won the U.S. Club Regional Championship in 2007.
"I have seen Robert train week in and week out with a commitment level that is second to none," Gunn said. "He has had an incredible season in goal at the Academy level. Like Owen Darby, it is great to be adding another local talent to the program."
Rodriquez, a 6-foot defender, played a major role in leading his Tennessee Futbol Club team to five straight State Cup championships. In 2004 and 2007, he helped the Tennessee Futbol Club reach the regional quarterfinals. Last summer, he was a Region III ODP Pool Player and he has been a member of the Tennessee State ODP team for several years. As a senior, he was team captain of his Father Ryan High School soccer team
"Charles is a composed and accomplished play-making central defender," Gunn said. "He is confident on the ball and reads the game exceptionally well."
Tucker, a 5-foot-9 midfielder, led Forsyth Country Day School to back-to-back North Carolina State Championships in 2006 and 2007, scoring the game-winning goals in each of the two Championship games. As a senior, he was named North Carolina Player of the Year. He earned all-state, all-region and all-conference honors twice. He also played for the successful Greensboro Soccer Club.
"Justin is a quick and tricky player," Gunn said. "He has good dribbling technique, can beat players 1v1 and has shown a knack for scoring great goals."
Weston, a 6-foot-1 midfielder, played for Kentucky Country Day as well as the highly successful Javanon Soccer Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
"Matt was a player we recruited from our camps last summer," Gunn said. "He is a big, strong, athletic player who could play at left back or left midfield."
These 11 newcomers join nine returning starters, 13 returning letter-winners and two redshirts as the 49ers begin their second season under Gunn at cross-county rival Davidson, August 29.
2008 Recruiting Class
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | Last School |
| Isaac Caughran | M | 5-11 | 160 | Castle Rock, Colorado | JK Mullin High |
| Isaac Cowles | D | 6-0 | 170 | Arvada, Colorado | Faith Christian High |
| Owen Darby | M | 5-7 | 150 | Charlotte, North Carolina | South Mecklenburg High |
| Alexander Deitz | D | 5-10 | 165 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Fort Collins High |
| Jonathan Frances | GK | 5-11 | 180 | Newark, New Jersey | Rutgers University- Newark |
| Kellen Frye | D | 6-0 | 175 | Denver, Colorado | San Diego State Univ. |
| Julien Brown Lathem | M | 5-7 | 150 | Toronto, Canada | St. Edmunds Champion |
| Robert Propst | GK | 5-11 | 165 | Charlotte, North Carolina | J.M. Robinson High |
| Charles Rodriguez | D | 6-0 | 175 | Franklin, Tennessee | Father Ryan High |
| Justin Tucker | M | 5-9 | 155 | Winston Salem, North Carolina | Forsyth Country Day |
| Matt Weston | M | 6-1 | 170 | Louisville, Kentucky | Kentucky Country Day |
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