July 26, 2005
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State men's soccer head coach Lev Kirshner's 2005 incoming recruiting class is rated No. 39 in America according to collegesoccernews.com. The top-40 ranking marks the first time the Aztecs' incoming class has been nationally recognized during Kirshner's six-year tenure.
"This is our first ever ranking in this category and is an example of what our program can accomplish," Kirshner said.
SDSU joins its other Pacific-10 Conference mates in the rankings and of the top-40, 26 advanced to last season's NCAA tournament, including 12 of the College Cup's 16 seeds.
Highlighting this year's incoming class are eight newcomers including, Kevin Werbner of Manchester, Conn., who was a five-year starter for his Olympic Development Program (ODP) Region I team. At Manchester High School, Werbner was named the 2004 conference player of the year, as well as being a two-time all-state and three-time all-conference selection. He was named first team all-New England honoree his senior year.
Omar Persad is a Louisville, Ky., native who has ODP experience as a four-year starter for his Region II squad. In 2002, Persad traveled with Werbner to Mexico while representing the United States' under-16 national team. He was a two-time participant at the prestigious adidas ESP summer camp and selected to its all-star team in 2003. In 2004, Persad was named to Kentucky's all-state team.
Aaron Pinckney, from Corona, Calif., started three years for his ODP Region IV team and won the Western Regional and National Championship with the California-South ODP squad. Pinckney has participated in the under-14 and 18 national team training camps and was invited to the under-18 team's 2005 Mexico tour. At Santiago High School, Pinckney was an all-conference selection and defensive MVP.
Jamel Wallace (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside HS), the Avocado League Player of the Year, has Cal-South ODP experience and was a member of the ODP western regional champion San Diego Surf Soccer Club. He has also spent time at the ODP regional camp. Wallace is Oceanside High School's all-time leading scorer and is a first team all-north county, all-CIF, and all-Avocado League selection.
Matt McManus, a product of Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, was a member of the Nomads soccer club in San Diego. He anchored his club team's defense, helping lead them to titles at the Nomads College Showcase and the Disney Showcase. McManus was the Foothill League's second-leading scorer and a two-time all-league selection. Danny Ortiz (Palmdale, Calif./Highland HS) was a 2003 all-Golden League honoree and was also selected his team's most inspirational player. Most recently, Ortiz was named to the Cal-South Premier Development Program, which is for top players in southern California.
Cameron Brinitzer (Sacramento, Calif./Folsom HS) earned three varsity lettters at Folsom High School and was a member of the ODP Cal North State Team `87. He was also a first team all-Delta League selection. In 2002, he was named rookie of the year. This past season, Brinitzer led the San Juan Sting '87 to the state finals.
Rounding out the class is Dennis Sanchez (Redmond, Wash./Bishop Manogue (Reno, Nev.) HS), the High Sierra League MVP, who boasts an impressive resume. He was a first team all-league and all-region selection and has ODP and national pool experience. Sanchez spent three years with the Washington state ODP and was a member of the Super Y League '87 National Pool.
"This is our first recruiting class since joining the Pac-10 and we have already seen the benefits," Kirshner said. "This class has everything you look for when recruiting, including athleticism, pace, skill and pedigree. We will enjoy watching our new recruits mesh with our current squad, creating depth and competition."
The Aztecs will get a good look at those also ranked in the poll as six (No. 4UCLA, No. 6 St. John's, No. 14 California, No. 20 Oregon State, No. 21 Washington, No. 25 Stanford) of the 40 are on the 2005 schedule.
San Diego State will begin its first year in the Pac-10 Conference this season and gets the 2005 campaign underway at Rutgers for the Phillips/adidas Soccer Classic on Sept. 2, in Piscataway, N.J.