Dartmouth - (Two Star Class Ranking) -  Jeff Cook has added a balanced five member class that includes two midfielders, a forward, a back, and a goalkeeper.  The recruits are solid competitors with resumes that include state ODP team play and selection as team captains.  Big Green fans should have a lot to cheer about in 2009, as Dartmouth returns nineteen letter winners including ten starters from the 2008 team that was 11-6-2 overall, claimed the Ivy League title, and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in NCAA Tourney play.  Leading the way for the Big Green in 2009 will be senior midfielder Craig Henderson (6g, 5a) who was the unanimous 2008 Ivy League Player of the Year and sophomore forward Lucky Mkosana (11g, 2a) who was the unanimous 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year.  Calculate in the return of midfielder Daniel Keat, a Second Team All-Ivy selection in 2007 who missed the 2008 campaign due to injury, and there are  plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the chances of the Big Green to repeat as Ivy League Champions in 2009 and to make a mark on the national scene.  The Dartmouth midfield should be solid and deep with the return of Andrew Olsen (3g, 5a), Aaron Gaide (0g, 2a) and Derek Stenquist.  Ditto that for the backline with Pumi Maqubela, Donnie Surdoval, Brian Giudicelli (3g, 2a), Ben Salmon, and Brendan Lane scheduled to report for duty.   The one gap that Cook must address, and it is a big one, is the graduation  of goalkeeper Sean Milligan who was a two-time First Team All-Ivy League honoree.  Milligan  leaves Dartmouth as the program’s all time leader in career goals against average with a 0.824 mark, and shutouts with 18 clean sheets.  There is every reason to believe that the Ivy League race will again be close in 2009 and that the margin for error in the Ancient Eight will again be very narrow due to the parity that exists.  Having said that, Dartmouth enters the season as the prohibitive favorite and the team to beat.  Under Cook,  the Big Green has earned an NCAA Tourney berth four out of the past five years so the standard of excellence at Dartmouth is high.  However, if everything falls into place the 2009 Dartmouth team should be the best that Cook has put on the pitch. 

 

Justin Ciambella - Ocala, Florida - Defender - Vanguard High School - Played club for the Florida Rush - Captain of the Florida ODP team - First team All-County selection.

 

Sean Donovan - Burr Ridge, Illinois - Goalkeeper - Hinsdale Central High School - All-State and All-Conference selection - Three-year member of Illinois ODP team.  Fifteen shutouts in 2008.

 

Kevin Dzierzawski - Oakland Township, Michigan - Midfielder - Brother Rice High School - All-State selection - Michigan ODP and Region II player pool member.

 

Brad Jacobson - Larchmont, New York - Midfielder - Mamaroneck High School - All-League and All-Section selection - Played club for Westchester.

 

Kevin Moffat - Berkeley, California - Forward - Berkeley High School - Played club for Mavericks United - Nationally ranked downhill skier. 

South Carolina - Four Star Class Ranking - Mark Berson again adds a talented class with impressive resumes.  The Gamecocks have added a banner recruiting class for the past three seasons but have been absent from the NCAA Tourney since the 2005 campaign.   

 

Eric Martinez - Fort Mill, South Carolina - Defender - Providence Day High School - Member U.S. U-18 National Team - NSCAA High Scholl All-American - Named North Carolina State Player of the Year.

 

Alex Long - Cary, North Carolina - Goalkeeper - Green Hope High School - Member U.S. U-18 National Team - NSCAA Youth All-American - Region III ODP Team - Played club for CASL Chelsea

 

Kevin Stam - Raleigh, North Carolina - Defender - Needham B. Broughton High School - Region III ODP Team Member - Played club for CASL Chelsea - North Carolina All-State selection

 

Ryan Goodwin - Huntersville, North Carolina - Midfielder - North Mecklenburg High School - Region III ODP Team Member - Played club for CESA 90’ - Team captain -  Second Team All-Mecklenburg