April 1, 2004 Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's soccer program announced its five-man recruiting class today. The class includes one forward, one midfielder, two defenders and a goalkeeper. Three of the incoming freshmen have U.S. Youth National Team experience. Four have been named adidas Youth All-Americans and the class includes the 2003 Gatorade National Player of the Year. The five-man recruiting class consists of midfielder Cooper Bryant (Niedernhausen-Oberseelbach, Germany), forward Alimer Gonzalez (Miami, Fla. / Belen Jesuit), defender Patrick Phelan (Enfield, Conn. / Wilbraham & Monson Academy), goalkeeper Marcus Rein (Modesto, Calif. / Edison (Fla.) Academic Center), and defender Julian Valentin (Lancaster, Pa. / Edison (Fla.) Academic Center). "It's an exciting class," said 11th year head coach Jay Vidovich, "because it fills our program's immediate needs with individuals who can lift us to greater success. They are strong players with strong personalities. They have been very successful everywhere they've been and they will develop into great leaders as time passes. This is a cornerstone class which will enable our program to continue to reach new heights." Two of the incoming freshmen, Marcus Rein and Julian Valentin, will be on the U-17 National Team that is scheduled to play Wake Forest in an exhibition on April 23 at Spry Stadium.
Cooper Bryant Background: Bryant is an American-based player originally from Florida. He currently plays for the club team, Mainz-Gonsenheim, in Germany. He attended adidas ESP in 2003 and was a member of the USYSA Region I '85 ODP team. Bryant was named to the adidas 85 All-Star Team in Chula Vista, Calif. He played with Florida State Champions with Brandon FC Flames. Bryant is a previous member of the Florida and European-based ODP teams and captain of the Europe '85 ODP team. Bryant was a member of the 2002 Belgium National U17 Division II Championship while playing for RAEC Mons.
Alimer Gonzalez Background: Gonzalez is a member of the Region III ODP team and the Miami 86 ODP team. He was named to the adidas Youth All-America team and was a member of the adidas ESP program. Gonzalez plays his club soccer for Plantation Premier, the 2002 State Cup Champions. He was named Belen Jesuit's MVP and first team All Miami-Dade County. Vidovich on Gonzalez: "Alimer brings a South American-style creativity to the table. He has an attacking flair, a great left foot and is the offensive punch in this year's recruiting class."
Patrick Phelan
Background: Phelan is a past member of the U.S. U-18 and U-20 National Teams. Earlier this month, Phelan was named the 2003 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. He was also the 2003 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year. Phelan is a three-time adidas Youth All-American, a two-time NSCAA High School All-American and a 2002 Parade All-American. While representing the United States on the U-18 National Team, Phelan was named the most valuable player of a tournament in Palence, France. He is a two-time ESP camp participant and the 2002 Golden Boot Award Winner. Phelan played his club soccer for the Oakwood Soccer Club where he won two state championships and was a regional finalist. Vidovich on Phelan: "Pat will make an immediate contribution to our program. He has the capability to be the top impact freshman in the nation. Pat is a player who gets his job done with little fanfare. He has a great soccer mind, his distribution is clean and there's no question that he will make an impact right away."
Marcus Rein
Background: Rein has been a member of the U.S. National Team's residency program in Bradenton, Fla., where he trains with one of the nation's best goalkeeper coaches, Peter Mellor. He is a past member of the U.S. U-17 and current member of the U-18 National Team. Rein was named most valuable goalkeeper while representing the United States in the Val de Marne Tournament in France. Rein played his club soccer with Ajax United in California. He has been recognized as an adidas Youth All-American. Rein will be a member of the United States U-17 team that will play an exhibition match against Wake Forest at Spry Stadium on April 23. Vidovich on Rein: "Marcus has shown the early potential to become a great goalkeeper for us at Wake Forest. He is strong, reads the game well, make big saves and has international experience. Losing a goalkeeper like Will Hesmer but replacing him an individual like Marcus Rein is a great luxury."
Julian Valentin
Background: Valentin is currently a member of the U.S. U-18 and U-20 National Teams and the captain of the U.S. Residency program in Bradenton, Fla. He is a two-time adidas Youth All-American. He was a member of the U.S. U-17 national team that participated in the 2003 World Championships in Finland. He is a former standout on his FC Leeds United club team and captain of his Region I team. Valentin will be a member of the United States U-17 team that will play an exhibition match against Wake Forest at Spry Stadium on April 23. Vidovich on Valentin: "Julian is not only a great soccer player, but a great individual. He's a leader, he is charismatic and he's a warrior. We expect big things out of Julian. He is a physical player, a vocal leader. He was a co-captain of the youth national team with (D.C. United star) Freddy Adu and was praised by his national team coaches. They believe he will be an important part of the future of American soccer. We know he'll be an important part of the future of Wake Forest soccer, as well."
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