University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Add Eight Men's Soccer Standouts
March 28, 2007 | Men's Soccer
March 28, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina men's soccer program has added seven prep standouts and one transfer for the 2007 season, head coach Elmar Bolowich announced Wednesday. Davidson College transfer Ryan Adeleye, as well as high school stars Ryley Leech and Drew McKinney, joined the program in January and have been training with the Tar Heels this spring. The remaining five signees will be in Chapel Hill in the fall.
"We added more depth to our roster in all positions with this 2007 class," said Bolowich, who has added two forwards, two midfielders, two defenders and a pair of goalkeepers for 2007. "Some of the new signees may surprise and challenge for playing time and starting positions. Overall, this is a quality group of athletes."
Adeleye joins the Tar Heels after starting 33 games at defender for Davidson over the last two seasons where he tallied seven career points on three goals and one assist. Adeleye is a native of Maplewood, N.J., and played his prep soccer at Newark Academy. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at Carolina.
Leech is a forward from Manakin Sabot, Va., and the Collegiate School. He was an NSCAA/adidas High School All-Region choice in 2005, played club soccer with the Richmond Strikers and also played in the Virginia ODP program.
McKinney, a midfielder out of Cary, graduated in January from Athens Drive High School. He was an all-state performer on the prep level and played club soccer with CASL Elite. McKinney participated in the prestigious adidas ESP camp in 2006.
Highlighted by Texas product Cameron Brown, the remaining five signees will join the program in the fall. A two-time NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America and a 2006 Parade All-America, Brown has extensive international experience and is currently a member of the United States Under-20 player pool. He is a native of Garland, Texas, and attends Naaman Forest High School. Brown has scored 27 goals and added 25 assists in just 37 career high school games and is SC Solar's career leading scorer with 154 goals and 275 assists for the three-time national finalists.
Fellow Texan Tyler Deric is a goalkeeper out of Spring, Texas, and Klein High School. He was named one of the top 50 boys players to watch by Top Drawer Soccer and is a member of the Under-18 Houston Dynamo Academy Team.
Greensboro Page's Stephen Twilley gives the class two goalkeepers. He earned all-region honors at Page and won a national title with the North Carolina ODP team. Twilley also served as team captain for the Greensboro Soccer Club.
Wilmington's Brett King was a club teammate of McKinney at CASL and was a 2006 NSCAA/adidas High School All-America selection at Eugene Ashley High School. He has experience with the North Carolina and Region III ODP teams.
Forward Daniel Choi, who is from Seoul, South Korea, brings a wealth of international experience to the Carolina. He has playing experience in Brazil, Korea and at the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Choi will graduate from the Pendleton School in Bradenton in June.
2007 NORTH CAROLINA MEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (Previous School/Club) Ryan Adeleye D/M 6-1 170 Maplewood, N.J. (Davidson/PDA) Cameron Brown M 5-9 145 Garland, Texas (Naaman Forest/Solar SC) Daniel Choi F 5-9 160 Seoul, South Korea (Pendleton School/IMG Academy) Tyler Deric GK 6-3 185 Spring, Texas (Klein/Texas Soccer Club) rett King D 5-10 175 Wilmington, N.C. (Eugene Ashley/CASL Elite) Ryley Leech F 5-11 165 Manakin Sabot, Va. (Collegiate School/Richmond Strikers) Drew McKinney M 5-11 170 Cary, N.C. (Athens Drive/CASL Elite) Stephen Twilley GK 6-2 180 Greensboro, N.C. (Page/Greensboro SC)
