Charlotte -  (Three Star Class Ranking) - Jeremy Gunn’s strategy to revitalize the program at Charlotte likely includes an inside-outside recruiting strategy that seeks to establish a pipeline of top instate talent supplemented by talented players as needed from out-of-state.  Charlotte’s 2009 ten member recruiting class features  seven newcomers from the state of North Carolina including three recruits who played high school soccer in Charlotte.  The three out of state recruits hail from Tennessee, London, Ontario Canada, and Florida.  The state of North Carolina annually yields a solid crop of talented players but the number of high profile instate programs means that recruiting for that talent base is very competitive.  As a result that makes having a staff with a good eye for potential talent and a winning program that is attractive to top-level talent very vital to success on the recruiting trail.  Junior transfer forward T.J. Beaulieu from Old Dominion who is from Apex, North Carolina is among the new recruits who should be able to contribute immediately.  Charlotte will clearly miss the offensive productivity of forward Chris Salvaggione (15g, 8a) who was the A-10 Offensive Player of the Year, but with nine starters returning from the 2008 team there is reason for cautious optimism heading into the 2009 campaign.  Last year after ending the month of September with an 8-1-0 record, Charlotte looked to be a team that was on track to get back into the NCAA Tourney  for the first time since the 1997 season.  However, things did not pan out as expected for the Forty-Niners who were 4-5-1 in October with a 4-4-1 mark in Atlantic-10 action which was not good enough for Charlotte to quality for the six team A-10 Tournament.  Gunn will enter his third season as the Charlotte head coach in 2009 which means he is pretty much depending on his own recruits now.  Under Gunn’s direction the Forty-Niners were 12-7-2 in 2007 and 12-6-1 in 2008.  Things are looking up in Charlotte but the bottom line is that the program is hungry for a return to the level of prominence the program once enjoyed which requires at the very least qualifying for the A-10 Tourney followed by an invite to the NCAA Tourney.  Heading into the 2009 season the offensive leadership previously provided by Salvaggione will probably fall on the shoulders of senior midfielder Adam Gross (6g, 6a), junior forward Andres Cuero (4g, 6a) and sophomore forward Evan James (6g, 3a) who was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team last year.  Newcomer Beaulieu should also add an additional dimension to the Charlotte attack.   Sophomore Aaron Kepler is among other returning forwards who will likely challenge for additional playing time.  The Forty-Niner midfield lead by Gross looks to be a team strength in 2009.  In addition to Gross, seniors Josh Norwood (0g, 1a) and Luke Exley (2g, 2a) and sophomores Issac Caughran (2g, 1a) and Jason Hawkes (1g, 4a) were starters in 2008.  Sophomores Matt Wallace (1g, 1a) and Matt Weston (2g, 1a) are among other very capable linkmen who look to be in the mix in 2009.  Charlotte will be without defender Ryan Swain (0g, 5a) due to graduation but sophomores Charles Rodriquez (0g, 1a) and Issac Cowles return with a year of starting experience under their belts.  Senior Nathan Mathers and sophomore Alexandere Deitz are among other returning backs who should be in the hunt for playing time in 2009.  Senior goalkeeper David Martin returns between the pipes with three years of starting experience to his credit.  Martin should be among the most experienced keepers in the A-10 in 2009.  Charlotte will be a stronger team in 2009 than they were in 2008 but so will a lot of other teams in the Atlantic 10.  The teams in the A-10 that have thwarted Charlotte in the past will likely do so again in 2009 unless the Forty-Niners significantly improve on both sides of the ball and are able to sustain a high level of play throughout the season.  Gunn appears to have put in place the foundation Charlotte needs to  achieve success but it remains to be seen whether or not the Forty-Niner roster contains the talent and team chemistry needed to take the next step. 

 

Nate Badke - Charlotte, North Carolina - Defender - Charlotte Catholic High School - All-Queen City Conference - First Team All-Charlotte Observer - Played for Charlotte Soccer Academy. 

 

Patrick Eavenson - Huntersville, North Carolina - Goalkeeper - Charlotte Catholic High School - Played on three NCYSA State Championship teams - Played club for North Meck Academy.

 

Donnie Smith - Matthews, North Carolina - Midfielder - Charlotte Catholic High School - NSCAA All-Region III Team Member -  Two-time Region Player of the Year -  Charlotte Soccer Academy.

 

T.J. Beaulieu - Apex, North Carolina - Forward - Old Dominion - Apex High School - Junior transfer from ODU - Played in thirty-five games over the past two seasons.  Netted seven goals.

 

Klay Davis - Jacksonville, North Carolina - Goalkeeper - Jacksonville High School - Member of North Carolina ODP team - Region III ODP camp participant - All-State and All-Region selection. 

 

Tyler Gibson - Knoxville, Tennessee - Midfielder - Knoxville Catholic High School - Played club with DFC Crush Liverpool - Member Tennessee and Region III ODP teams.

 

Robert May - Asheville, North Carolina - Midfielder - TC Roberson High School - All-State - Fifty career goals and forty-three career assists.  League Player of the Year - Played for Highland FC.

 

Jennings Rex - Boone, North Carolina - Forward - Watauga High School - Member North Carolina ODP team - All-Conference and All-Region - Played for Greensboro Youth Soccer Academy.

 

Anthony Perez - London, Ontario, Canada - Defender - A.B. Lucas Secondary School - Member of the Ontario U-17 National Development Team - Played for London City FC.

 

Steven Saballos - Miami, Florida - Midfielder - John Ferguson Senior High - Played for Miami Kendall FC - Florida ODP team - All Dade County selection. U.S. U-18 National Team pool player.