Men's Soccer Signs Eight Players
posted by Scott Hood, Thursday, February 07, 2008
"We are absolutely delighted with this recruiting class," USC head coach Mark Berson said. "Both the playing ability and the quality of character of these young men are outstanding and we are confident this class will help our team in the near term. We wanted to build on the two excellent classes we have had in the last two years. I think our staff, particularly coach Molinary, has done an outstanding job. We addressed our positional needs on the field for the coming year and we did so with some talented young men. We have a very young and talented team returning from last year, and with the addition of these new Gamecock players we look forward to the future."
The class of eight signees include:
1. David MacVane - Midfielder - Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs High School - 6'0, 165 lbs.
Berson on MacVane: "David is a creative attacking midfielder who has great vision, sees the game well and opens up the game well with his passes. He's also a threat to come forward and strike at goal. David's greatest strength is the creativity he brings to the center of the midfield. He has competed at a high level with the U-18 National Team program, and that experience will be important as he comes into our program."
2. Brandon Tarr - Midfielder/Forward - Knoxville, Tenn./Christian Academy of Knoxville - 5'8, 160 lbs.
Berson on Tarr: "Brandon is an out-and-out attacking player who has proven himself at the club, state, national and international level with the United States U-17 National Team. He is very good in taking players on and he is a threat to score with either foot. He's equally efficient playing wide in the midfield and up front. Brandon will certainly add a big boost to our attack."
3. Danny Cates - D/MF - Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork High School - 6'0, 165
Berson on Danny Cates: "Danny is a very explosive player who can play in the midfield, up front or on the back line in defense. He has very good speed, he is good at taking players on and he finishes very well. Danny is also good in the air, and he is very adaptable in his approach to the game, in that he can play almost any position on the field. Danny is a tremendous competitor and he will bring a lot of that intensity with him to the Carolina program."
4. Hunter Howayeck - D/MF - Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School - 6'2, 165 lbs.
Berson on Howayeck: "Hunter is a rangy player who can play in the back or midfield. He's very good at the wide positions both in the midfield and on the back line. Hunter has also played centrally in defense and has done very well. Hunter organizes the game well and he's good in the air. He is very good technically, and he reads the game well coming forward with the ball."
5. Daniel Lynch - D - Irmo, S.C./Irmo High School - 6'1, 175 lbs.
Berson on Lynch: "Daniel has played primarily as a defender, but he can also play in the midfield line. He has good quickness, size and strength. He reads the game very well, passes well and is also very strong in the air."
6. Stephen Morrissey - MF - Franklin, Tenn./Battle Ground Academy- 6'0, 170
Berson on Morrissey: "Steven is another player that has a lot of versatility. He can play in the midfield as a balancing, defensive or attacking midfielder. He can also play in the middle, and wide in the back line as well. He has good size, strength and speed and is a very determined and tenacious tackler. Steven is good
distributing the ball in the midfield and has good vision."
7. Luke Berson - D - Columbia, S.C./Dreher High School - 6'0, 170lbs. - D
Berson on Luke Berson: "Luke is a central defender who is good in the air and reads the game well. He also knows how to organize his defense and organizes things well in the back. In terms of his distribution, he rarely loses the ball after he wins a tackle coming forward. Hs pimary position will be as a central defender."
8. Ross Power - GK - Columbia, S.C./Hammond School - 6'0, 168 lbs. - GK
Berson on Power: "Ross is a very good athlete who is a four-time state wrestling champion. He has played very well in the goal for Hammond and for his club team, Lexington United. The big challenge for Ross, and any goalkeeper coming into the college game, will be the adjustment to the speed of the game and the quality of the shots and crosses that he will have to deal with at this level."
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
The South Carolina men's soccer team signed eight players to national letters of intent on Wednesday. The new class includes two United States National Team U-17 residency program participants, three of the nation's top 25 recruits, three two-time Adidas Elite Soccer Program selections, three NSCAA Adidas High School All-Americans, four members of their respective Region ODP (Olympic Development Program) squads and six NSCAA Adidas High School All-Region team honorees.
"We are absolutely delighted with this recruiting class," USC head coach Mark Berson said. "Both the playing ability and the quality of character of these young men are outstanding and we are confident this class will help our team in the near term. We wanted to build on the two excellent classes we have had in the last two years. I think our staff, particularly coach Molinary, has done an outstanding job. We addressed our positional needs on the field for the coming year and we did so with some talented young men. We have a very young and talented team returning from last year, and with the addition of these new Gamecock players we look forward to the future."
The class of eight signees include:
1. David MacVane - Midfielder - Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs High School - 6'0, 165 lbs.
Berson on MacVane: "David is a creative attacking midfielder who has great vision, sees the game well and opens up the game well with his passes. He's also a threat to come forward and strike at goal. David's greatest strength is the creativity he brings to the center of the midfield. He has competed at a high level with the U-18 National Team program, and that experience will be important as he comes into our program."
2. Brandon Tarr - Midfielder/Forward - Knoxville, Tenn./Christian Academy of Knoxville - 5'8, 160 lbs.
Berson on Tarr: "Brandon is an out-and-out attacking player who has proven himself at the club, state, national and international level with the United States U-17 National Team. He is very good in taking players on and he is a threat to score with either foot. He's equally efficient playing wide in the midfield and up front. Brandon will certainly add a big boost to our attack."
3. Danny Cates - D/MF - Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork High School - 6'0, 165
Berson on Danny Cates: "Danny is a very explosive player who can play in the midfield, up front or on the back line in defense. He has very good speed, he is good at taking players on and he finishes very well. Danny is also good in the air, and he is very adaptable in his approach to the game, in that he can play almost any position on the field. Danny is a tremendous competitor and he will bring a lot of that intensity with him to the Carolina program."
4. Hunter Howayeck - D/MF - Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School - 6'2, 165 lbs.
Berson on Howayeck: "Hunter is a rangy player who can play in the back or midfield. He's very good at the wide positions both in the midfield and on the back line. Hunter has also played centrally in defense and has done very well. Hunter organizes the game well and he's good in the air. He is very good technically, and he reads the game well coming forward with the ball."
5. Daniel Lynch - D - Irmo, S.C./Irmo High School - 6'1, 175 lbs.
Berson on Lynch: "Daniel has played primarily as a defender, but he can also play in the midfield line. He has good quickness, size and strength. He reads the game very well, passes well and is also very strong in the air."
6. Stephen Morrissey - MF - Franklin, Tenn./Battle Ground Academy- 6'0, 170
Berson on Morrissey: "Steven is another player that has a lot of versatility. He can play in the midfield as a balancing, defensive or attacking midfielder. He can also play in the middle, and wide in the back line as well. He has good size, strength and speed and is a very determined and tenacious tackler. Steven is good
distributing the ball in the midfield and has good vision."
7. Luke Berson - D - Columbia, S.C./Dreher High School - 6'0, 170lbs. - D
Berson on Luke Berson: "Luke is a central defender who is good in the air and reads the game well. He also knows how to organize his defense and organizes things well in the back. In terms of his distribution, he rarely loses the ball after he wins a tackle coming forward. Hs pimary position will be as a central defender."
8. Ross Power - GK - Columbia, S.C./Hammond School - 6'0, 168 lbs. - GK
Berson on Power: "Ross is a very good athlete who is a four-time state wrestling champion. He has played very well in the goal for Hammond and for his club team, Lexington United. The big challenge for Ross, and any goalkeeper coming into the college game, will be the adjustment to the speed of the game and the quality of the shots and crosses that he will have to deal with at this level."
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Previous Blog Entries
Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.