March 6, 2007
Indianapolis, Ind. -
Butler men's soccer head coach Kelly Findley announced the signing of his first recruiting class as the head mentor on Tuesday (March 6). The Bulldogs will begin the 2007 campaign with 11 new members, who will attend Butler and play soccer beginning in the fall.
The comprehensive class includes 10 players with Olympic Development Program (ODP) experience and eight who were named to all-state teams during their high school careers. Four of the newest members hail from the Hoosier State, while the others coming from Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.
"We are very excited about our group of incoming players for this recruiting class," Findley said. "Butler University has a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence, and, because of that, we recruit character and integrity, not just talented athletes.
"We expect each of our incoming players to play a major role in helping our program to achieve our goals, not only because of their talent but their commitment to excellence, desire to succeed and high character on and off the field."
A synopsis of each of the 11 recruits follows:
Troy Blewitt
Midfielder
Carmel, Ind.
Carmel High School
ODP Experience: Indiana State Team 2000-2006...Region II Team 2003-2005...ODP Interregional Adidas All-Star Selection...National Team Camp...Region II ODP Team participant at Disney International Super Group...International Tour to Austria...Austin Interregional...Memphis Germantown Tournament, Italy Tour and Chula Vista Interregional.
High School: Top Drawer Soccer "Top 100 Players to Watch Graduation Year 2007"...Indianapolis Star "Super Team" 2006 and 2007...2006 ISCA all-district...2006 ISCA men's all-state...Adidas ESP 2006 (Top 150 Players in the US)...2006 state champions and No. 1 nationally...IHSAA Scholar-Athlete.
Club Team: Carmel Cosmos III - Indiana State Champions 2001-2006
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Connor Burt
Defender/Midfielder
Elkhart, Ind.
Concord High School
ODP Experience: Super Y League Regional ODP Team 2003-2005...Indiana ODP 2005.
High School: Four-year All-Northern Lakes Conference...team state semi-finalists in 2005...three-time Midfield MVP (HS)...two-time Offensive MVP...three-year team captain...all-district first team two years...all-state one year...Northern Indiana Outstanding Player of the Year Award...three-year varsity basketball letter-winner & two-year captain...3.95 GPA on a 4.00 scale...High Honor Roll...top five percent in class.
Club Team: Indiana Invaders PDL team
Jacob Capito
Midfielder
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Bishop Dwenger High School
ODP Experience: Midwest regional team player.
High School: Three-time first-team all-conference...two-time all-district...two-time all-area...2006 conference player of the year...all-state...IHSAA Scholar-Athlete.
Club Team: Fort Wayne Fever - Indiana State Champions 2004-2005
Galen Cassady
Defender
Bloomington, Ind.
Bloomington North High School
High School: 2006 team MVP award...2006 Leadership Award...2006 all-district.
Academics: National Honor Society...Outstanding French Student...Outstanding Algebra Student...honor roll...IHSAA Scholar Athlete.
Club Team: Bloomington Cutters
Michael Clayton
Midfielder
Kansas City, Mo.
Oak Park High School
ODP Experience: Missouri State team 2003-2006...regional pool 2005-06.
High School: First team all-state 2006...first team all-district 2005-2006...first team all-conference 2005-2006...first team All-Western District 2005-2006...named to "Elite Eleven" 2005-2006...Oak Park High School Midfielder of the Year 2005-2006...Oak Park Most Valuable Player 2006...team captain in 2006.
Club Team: KC Pace - Missouri State Cup Champions 2005-2006
Jeff Frank
Defender
Racine, Wis.
The Prairie School
ODP and Other Experience: Member of Mequon United U-20 Super Y League regional champion and national qualifier.
High School: Defensive Player of the Year for Lakeshore Conference...all-state honorable mention...first-team all-conference and first-team all-county two years...two-year team captain...three-year varsity starter...team posted a 66-3-6 record during his career...state champions in 2004 and 2005 and runner-up in 2003...two-year starter and team captain on the basketball team.
Academics: Honor roll all four years.
Club Team: Racine Soccer Club/Racine Spartans
Brett Heinz
Midfielder
Leawood, Kan.
Blue Valley North High School
ODP Experience: Six years Kansas State Team...all-state honors...All-Eastern Kansas League...All-Johnson County, All-Sun Country and All-NEKSCA...four-year varsity letterman...team captain...state champion runner up as a junior and senior...holds school records for career points, goals in a game and points in a game...scholar athlete...four-year academic letterman...principal's honor roll.
Club Team: KCFC Alliance - 2005 state champion
Kyle Pateros
Midfielder
Janesville, Wis.
J. A. Crag High School
ODP Experience: 2002-2004 Wisconsin State Team
High School: Team MVP, first-team all-state and first-team all-conference as a senior...second-team all-conference as a junior...team finished as regional champions and sectional finalists his junior year and as state semi-finalists his senior season.
Club Team: Madison 56ers Soccer Club...state champions 2003 and 2005 and finalist in 2004...Midwest Regional League Premier 2004-2007
Nick Powell
Goalkeeper
Madison, Wis.
James Madison Memorial High School
ODP Experience: Wisconsin 1988 ODP Team 2004-2006...Super Y-League ODP national camp alternate in 2006 and participant 2007...Member of Region II Pool.
High School: Three-year varsity goalkeeper...three-year all-city and all-conference honors...senior team captain...all-state first team...All-Region V...state champion in 2006 with 27-2 team record and No. 8 national ranking...tied state record for least goals allowed (0) at state championship tournament...coach Ben Voss.
Academics: National Honor Society...Spanish Honor Society...High Honor Roll...College of Pharmacy student in fall 2007.
Club Team: Madison 56ers Soccer Club - state champions 2003 and 2005...finalist in 2004...Midwest Regional League Premier 2004-2007
Randy Richter
Midfielder/Defender
Elmhurst, Ill.
York Community High School
ODP Experience: 2003-2004 Illinois State Team...2003-2004 Illinois ODP Regional Team Camp.
High School: Four-year varsity starter...team captain as a sophomore, junior and senior...all-sectional in 2005 and 2006...all-conference 2006...academic all-conference 2006...all-sectional honorable mention in 2004.
Academics: German National Honors Society...Delta Epsilon Phi...High Honor Roll four years.
Club Team: F.C. United
Ben Sippola
Midfielder/Defender
Northfield, Minn.
Shattuck-St. Mary's School
ODP Experience: Minnesota State Team 2003-2006...Region II Team 2005-2007...Region II Pool 2003-2007...Region II ODP Team participant at Disney International Super Group and International Tour to Austria...member of the 2007 Costa Rica Tour with Region II.
High School: Team captain of Shattuck-St. Mary's School 2005-06 and 2006-07...Minnesota State All-Tournament Team 2004.
Academics: 2005-06 recipient of the Cooley Award for best all-around junior.
Club Team: Bangu Tsunami SC
