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Men's Soccer Signs 10, Could Be One Of The Top Classes In School History
Feb. 19, 2007 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB head coach Mike Getman announced the signing of 10 new members of the Blazer men's soccer program, and considers it possibly one of the best to ever come through UAB. Of the 10 recruits UAB signed, five are forwards, two are midfielders, two are defenders and one is a goalkeeper, highlighted by three recruits from the state of Alabama, with all 10 capable of making an immediate impact next season. Getman feels this class not only meets all the needs for next year's team, but also plans on this group taking the UAB soccer program to the next level. "This may be the best recruiting class in my 15 years here at UAB," Getman said. "It is a large number of very good players that fit exactly what our team needs entering the season. As a group, they are big fast and skillful. I expect this class to be the core of our team for the next few years." That bodes well for the 2007 edition of the UAB Blazers, which is coming off an at-large selection to the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Blazers welcome back seven starters and 13 letterwinners from last year's 10-6-4 squad. The Blazers snagged five forwards in the 10-man class, three of which have already enrolled at UAB and will be able to participate during the spring season. Transfers Frank Brown (University of Rio Grande) and John Markey (Montevallo) bring collegiate experience up front, while Kevin Sawchak has impressed with his speed and skill level. Anthony King (Huntsville, Ala./Vestavia Steamers) and Ken Tabata (Houston, Texas/Texans SC) are true freshman who have each had stand out high school careers. In the midfield, Michal Mravec (Slovakia/Atlanta, Ga./Redwings SC) and Steven Grooms (Prattville, Ala./Vestavia Steamers) are the two newcomers to the position. Getman considers Mravec as possibly one of the most talented players to ever step on the pitch for the Blazers and should make an immediate impact. Grooms brings a wealth of talent, earning first-team all-state honors as a junior at Prattville High School. Defensively, the Blazers welcome defenders Gabe Gala and Curtis Ushedo, while Carl Wozszcynski is the lone goalkeeper in the 2007 class. Gala is a member of the Canadian U-17 and U-20 teams, and preparing for the upcoming Youth World Cup. Like Gala, Ushedo is another on the long list of Canadians who bring a load of talent to UAB. The duo joins 17 other Canadians who have played for the Blazers under Getman, including current players Derek Rios (Toronto), Carlo Schiavoni (Montreal) and Dejan Jakovic (Toronto). Below is a list of this year's UAB men's soccer recruiting class, as well as a quote from Getman on each signee:
Frank Brown, 6-1, 165 , F GETMAN QUOTE: "Frank is a top class forward with all the tools to be a leader on this team," Getman said. "I expect him to have an immediate impact on our team."
Kevin Sawchak, 5-9, 145, F/MF GETMAN QUOTE: "Kevin has great skills and great speed," Getman said. "He is a perfect fit with our style of play. He will challenge for playing time right away."
John Markey, 5-8, 150, F GETMAN QUOTE: "John has a great left foot and two years of college experience. He plays like a coach's son. I expect him to pick up our system very quickly and to fit in well with our team."
Anthony King, 5-11, 150, F GETMAN QUOTE: "Anthony has great pace and is a very good finisher. He can score with either foot. I expect him to be a great addition to our team."
Ken Tabata, 6-1, 175, F GETMAN QUOTE: "Ken has good size, good speed, and is a great finisher. I expect him to challenge for playing time right away. We have had many great players from the Houston area including Jerson Monteiro and Sandy Gbandi who were both drafted in to MLS this year. Ken has the talent to follow in their footsteps."
Michal Mravec, 6-2, 170, MF GETMAN QUOTE: "Michal is a special player who will have an immediate impact on our team. I expect him to challenge for a starting position right away. He has all the characteristics to be a great player."
Stephen Grooms, 6-2, 175, MF GETMAN QUOTE: "Stephen has good size and skills and will be a great addition to our team. He is capable of playing in midfield or in the back. He was a little bit of a late bloomer but I expect him to compete very well with us."
Gabe Gala, 5-9, 145, D GETMAN QUOTE: "Gabe is a top class player with all the tools to be a leader at the college level. I expect him to help our team right away."
Curtis Ushedo, 6-3, 180, D GETMAN QUOTE: "Curtis has great size and speed. He is a late bloomer who has made great progress over the last year. I expect Curtis to challenge for a starting position right away."
Carl Wozszcynski, 6-5, 180, GK GETMAN QUOTE: "Carl has the tools to be a great goalkeeper. He has had great coaching and is playing at a very high level. I expect him to challenge for playing time right away. He has been to our camps for the past few years. He knows our players and our coaching staff very well. He will make a very smooth transition to the college game."
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