Aug. 17, 2005
The Old Dominion Soccer Monarchs are ranked #22 nationally in the first National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas Division I men's soccer poll of the season. In what proves to be a challenging schedule for the 2005 Monarchs, ODU will face three teams who are ranked in the top-20 nationally.
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ODU will face #17 North Carolina in Chapel Hill on September 18th, and then return home three days later to take on #6 Virginia. The CAA had five teams in the top-45 of the RPI rankings last season, and is considered the 4th toughest conference in collegiate soccer. This year's preseason favorite to win the CAA, Virginia Commonwealth, is ranked #11 in the country and will face the Monarchs in Norfolk for a possible CAA championship preview.
Coach Alan Dawson and his staff have wrapped up recruiting and have announced ten newcomers to the fold for the upcoming 2005 season. The group includes three international players, a goalkeeper, and several players who should bring versatility and dynamic play to the Monarchs. This recruiting class could very well prove to be the strongest yet for Coach Dawson.
Jason Loizou is a local player from Cox HS in Virginia Beach. The 5'11 freshman is projected to be a midfielder on the collegiate level and could provide the Monarchs with a goal scoring threat out of the midfield. Under the direction of Coach Jim Snodgrass at Cox, Loizou tallied 18 goals and 21 assists during his high school career. He scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift Cox to a victory over top-ranked rival First Colonial in the Beach District tournament finale. Loizou earned All-Beach and All-Eastern Region honors in 2005.
Dan Ruch is a 6'0 transfer goalkeeper from Lynchburg College who has already graduated and is using his last season of eligibility to provide depth and dependability between the sticks for ODU. Ruch took home numerous honors and accolades at Lynchburg, including Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2002, 1st team All-Conference, 2nd team All-State, and 2nd team All-South Region, ODAC All-Tournament Team, and ODAC Player of the Week for 9/22 in 2004. He earned 6 shutouts in 2004 and was a 2-year captain as well.
Truls Kjendlie is a 5'7 sophomore midfielder/defender who hails from Hamar, Norway, and comes to the Monarchs as a transfer from Pacific Lutheran. In Norway, he played for the youth club team Ham-Kam, considered one of the top clubs in the country. He is expected to provide an immediate impact this season due to his technical abilities and athleticism.
Justin Vaughter, a 5'6 sophomore midfielder/forward, is an Alabama A&M transfer, and is being counted on to bring ball skills and dynamics to the Monarch offensive attack. Last season, Vaughter netted two goals in the University of Evansville tournament and scored a goal against South Carolina. He was also named to the All-Tournament team at the tournament hosted by College of Charleston. For his prep career at Meadowbrook in Richmond, Vaughter earned three first team All-District and All-Metro honors. He also notched All-District honors in 2003 as a field goal kicker and wide receiver for the Meadowbrook varsity football team.
Yomby William makes his way to Old Dominion via Bafoussam, Cameroon. The 6'4 sophomore is a transfer from Dschang University and is expected to contribute defensively for the Monarchs this season. Yomby won a gold medal at the University Games hosted by Dschang University, and also played for the Footstar club soccer team. He has two brothers who play professional soccer in Uruguay and Cameroon, respectively.
Trevor Banks is a 5'9 freshman from Madison, WI who's versatility allows Dawson the option to play him anywhere on the field. Banks finished his standout career at Madison Memorial HS as the school's all-time assist leader, and second all-time in points scored. He also earned 3 All-City and All-Conference honors along with two All-State team honors. As a member of FC Milwaukee Banks won seven State Cup Championships, along with winning the 2005 Region II Championships and being a national finalist. For his efforts, Banks was the captain for the Region II Midwest team that toured Italy. He participated in two Adidas ESP Top 150 camps, which invites the 150 best prep players in the nation.
Bobby Foglesong, a 5'11 freshman midfielder from Fredericksburg, is a very talented and technically sound player who could also contribute on the front line. Foglesong had an impressive prep career, winning 3 first team All-District honors at Stafford HS. He took home All-Region, All-Metro, and Honorable Mention All-State awards during his senior season. Foglesong also played on the Virginia Olympic Development Program state squad.
Aaron Good is a 5'7 midfielder from Elizabethtown, PA who is expected to play the role of possession midfielder during his Monarch career. Good earned first team Lancaster-Lebanon All-Star honors three times during his prep career at Elizabethtown HS. Good is familiar to current Monarchs David Horst and A.J. Kulp, as the three played against each other frequently in high school.
Djordje Jankovic, is a 5'11 freshman from Sabac, Serbia, and brings left footed defensive presence to the squad. He could also contribute in the midfield. Jankovic played for the U16 Serbian National team, along with three club teams -FC Macua, Sabac, and FC Obilic.
Steve Rupp comes to the Monarchs from Fredericksburg, VA. The 6'0 freshman played at Chancellor HS under Mike Webb and earned many prep awards. Rupp was named a regional All-American, All-State twice, All-District and All-Region honors three times, District Player of the Year in 2004, All-Area Player of the Year in 2004, Washington Post All-Metro team twice, and a VHSCA all-star in 2005. He also played on the Virginia ODP squad for six years. He is expected to contribute mostly on the back line for the Monarchs, but may move up to the midfield at times.
The Monarchs kick off their exhibition schedule Saturday August 20th at 7:00 p.m. as they host the N.C State Wolfpack at the ODU Soccer Stadium. Admission is free.