University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel Men's Soccer Inks Star-Studded Group
March 12, 2008 | Men's Soccer
March 12, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina men's soccer team has signed five prep standouts to national letters of intent, head coach Elmar Bolowich announced Wednesday. This group includes three student-athletes - all of whom played for the United States in last year's Under-17 World Cup - that have already enrolled at UNC. Four of the signees also have earned high school or youth All-America honors.
Forward Billy Schuler (Allentown, N.J.), midfielder Kirk Urso (Lombard, Ill.) and defender/forward Sheanon Williams (Monroe, N.C.) joined the Tar Heel program in January and have been training with the team this spring. All three were a part of the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., and played in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea. The trio was also named to the 2007 PARADE High School All-America squad.
Also signing were San Diego defender/midfielder Jordan Gafa and Telford, Pa., midfielder/defender Chris Lebo, who will join the program in the fall in time for the 2008 season. Lebo is a two-time NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America selection also has U.S. National Team playing experience.
"We are excited about the addition of the incoming freshman class this year," said Bolowich, who will be coaching his 20th season at Carolina in 2008. "They are not only well-established soccer players but great individuals. Each signee will be a very good compliment to our team.
NORTH CAROLINA MEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (Previous School/Club Team) Jordan Gafa D/M 5-11 150 San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic/Arsenal FC) Chris Lebo M/D 5-8 155 Telford, Pa. (Souderton Area/Baltimore Casa Mia Bays) illy Schuler F 5-11 155 Allentown, N.J. (Edison Academy/Matchfit Academy FC) Kirk Urso M 5-11 175 Lombard, Ill. (Edison Academy/Chicago Sockers FC) Sheanon Williams D/F 5-11 170 Monroe, N.C. (Edison Academy/FC Greater Boston Bolts)
Jordan Gafa, D/M, 5-11, 150, San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic/Arsenal FC)
Prep standout at Cathedral Catholic High School in Del Mar, Calif. ... Earned second-team All-San Diego County honors and first-team All-Western League and All-CIF accolades in 2007 ... Led team to a pair of CIF titles ... Served as team captain as a senior ... Plays club soccer with Arsenal FC and serves as team captain ... Won the National Red Bull League championship in 2007.
Chris Lebo, M/D, 5-8, 155, Telford, Pa. (Souderton Area/Baltimore Casa Mia Bays)
Two-time NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America selection ... Two-time participant in the adidas ESP Camp and earned ESP all-star honors in 2007 ... Selected to various U.S. national team camps from 2004-07 ... Played with the Red Bull Academy Team in the U-17 Clubs World Cup (Quixote Trophy) in Madrid, Spain ... Member of the Region I ODP team since 2002 ... Made international ODP trips to Italy, Argentina and Spain ... Played prep soccer with Souderton Area High School, serving as team captain since 2005 ... Two-time all-conference pick ... SPSCA all-district pick in 2006 ... Helped lead Baltimore Casa Mia Bays club team to numerous tournament championships, including the USYSA national title in 2006.
Billy Schuler, F, 5-11, 155, Allentown, N.J. (Edison Academy/Matchfit Academy FC)
Graduate of the Edison Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as a member of the U.S. Under-17 National Team Residency Program ...Played with the U.S. U-17 Team at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea ... 2007 NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America selection ... Played prep soccer at The Peddie School in Hightstown, N.J. ... Named to the 2007 PARADE High School All-America squad ... Two-time all-state and three-time all-area selection ... Two-time area player of the year and team MVP ... Member of state, regional and national ODP teams ... Seven-time state cup winner with Matchfit Academy FC.
Kirk Urso, M, 5-11, 175, Lombard, Ill. (Edison Academy/Chicago Sockers FC)
Graduate of the Edison Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as a member of the U.S. Under-17 National Team Residency Program ...Played with the U.S. U-17 Team at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea and scored the game-winning goal against Belgium to send the United States to the second round ... Also a member of U.S. U-15 and U-16 national teams ... Named to the 2007 PARADE High School All-America squad and the 2006 NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America team ... Selected to the 2006 adidas ESP Camp ... Played with the Region II ODP Team since 2004 and earned an outstanding achievement award for Illinois ODP in 2005 ... Played club soccer with Chicago Sockers FC for eight years and served as team captain.
Sheanon Williams, D/F, 5-11, 170, Monroe, N.C. (Bradenton Academy/FC Greater Boston Bolts)
Graduate of the Edison Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as a member of the U.S. Under-17 National Team Residency Program ... Joins UNC teammate Cameron Brown as a current member of the U.S. U-20 National Team Pool ... Played with the U.S. U-17 Team from 2005-07 and was a member of the squad for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea ... Earned NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America honors in 2006 and '07 ... Named to the 2007 PARADE High School All-America squad ... Played club soccer with FC Greater Boston Bolts from 2000-05 ... Led the team to the U-15 national title in 2005 and state titles from 2004-06 ... Served as team captain from 2003-05 ... Also played high school soccer at The Rivers School in Weston, Mass., in 2004-05.
