Soccer By Ives

College Spotlight: Hoffman capitalizes at UCLA, eyes College Cup homecoming

Photo courtesy of Don Liebig/UCLA

By ADAM SERRANO

LOS ANGELES –- Chandler Hoffman is an opportunist.

His ability to get into the right place at the right time has helped him develop into one of the most feared attackers in college soccer, scoring 18 goals this season at UCLA.

It was his ingenuity and ability to create on his own that got him to UCLA in the first place, though. Midway through his junior year at Oaks Mountain High in Birmingham, Ala., Hoffman was a lightly considered prospect, who was by-and-large ignored by the major programs. To draw the attention of the nation's biggest programs, Hoffman devised a plan as clever as any of his runs towards goal.

He took a chance by putting together a three-minute, 31-second clip of his high school highlights on YouTube and sent the video to coaches at Wake Forest, Maryland and UCLA.

"I realized that I had a really unique ability to score goals, so I thought, 'What do I have to lose?'" Hoffman said. "Within five minutes, I got responses from all of them, asking when they could see me play."

College Spotlight: Maryland's Townsend off to dream start in senior season

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

The University of Maryland's overtime loss to Michigan in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals last season was a shocking upset, and although it ended the Terps' hopes of a national title, good has come from it.

Maryland's early elimination last year has been partially responsible for the Terps' undefeated start to 2011, as it has served as motivation for forward Casey Townsend, who is off to a red-hot start this season.

Townsend has scored eight goals in as many games in his senior season, one that almost never happened. Townsend was close to leaving Maryland at the end of last year in order to turn pro, but even with a Generation adidas contract being offered, Townsend felt that that he unfinished business in the college game.

"I think about (the loss to Michigan) almost every day. I hear about it from almost every body at home about how we lost to Michigan," said Townsend, a Traverse City, Mich., native. "I've kind of just been using that as motivation this year a little bit. We felt like we should've been in the Final Four, and that was a major letdown for us as a team, and I think a lot of us are using that this year to play better and we want to get back there this year." 

College Spotlight: Blais enjoying his transition to USF

Photo by University of South Florida

By FRANCO PANIZO

When goalkeeper Chris Blais' 2010 season came to a close, it did so a game earlier than he wanted. Blais had helped guide Michigan to an impressive run in the NCAA Championship tournament, one that ended with a semifinals loss to eventual champion Akron.

As surprising as that run may have been to some fans across the nation, it compared little to what Blais did next.

This past June, Blais made the unique decision of leaving the only program he had ever played for by transferring as a senior to the University of South Florida. He was saying goodbye to the place he had called home the previous four years and his starting spot to begin a new chapter in his career with a team that had been knocked out of the 2010 NCAA tournament in the first round.

"There was a lot of stuff that happened, to be honest," the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Blais said of his decision to transfer. "One of the big things that brought me here was the goalkeeper coach, Bryheem Hancock. With his experience playing pro and (being) an All-American (who) won a national championship at UConn, he was a major, major reason for me making the move."

But that wasn't the only factor in Blais' departure from Michigan.

SBI College Spotlight: UCLA playmaker Rowe dealing with high expectations

Photo courtesy of UCLA media relations

By ADAM SERRANO

UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe knows a thing or two about trying to live up to high expections.

Rowe, who will have no shortage of professional options after his sophomore season with the Bruins, starred for the United States Under-20 national team during its failed attempt to qualify for the Under-20 World Cup, scoring three goals and one assist in leading the U.S. team to the brink of qualification.

After exploring professional options overseas during the summer, he has returned to college to try and lead perennial power UCLA back to the College Cup. The midfield maestro has tallied one goal and one assist thus far for the No. 11 Bruins (Fox Soccer/SBI), who are preparing for their crucial match-up against West Coast rival UCSB Friday night. 

Even though the Federal Way, Wash., native is considered by many to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft should he be offered and sign a Generation adidas contract, he is not fazed by the rumors and what may eventually be, choosing instead to focus on leading the emerging college contenders. 

SBI College Spotlight: West Virginia's Schoenle making a name for himself

Photo courtesy of West Virginia media relations

By AVI CREDITOR

Remember the name Eric Schoenle. Opposing forwards have a hard time forgetting it.

Like top college centerbacks Tim Ream and A.J. Soares before him, Schoenle (pronounced SHANE-lee), West Virginia's junior centerback, is emerging as a top prospect and has the technical and physical tools that should translate to professional success.

"He's big-time," West Virginia coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "He should've been on the Under-20 World Cup (qualifying) team in my opinion. I think he's the best centerback in college soccer."

Schoenle, who turns 20 in two weeks, is a few rungs down on the depth chart of U.S. Under-20 centerbacks that includes professionals Perry Kitchen, Ethan White, Zarek Valentin and Gale Agbossoumonde along with Duke's Sebastien Ibeagha.

That hasn't stopped him from being highly-regarded by pro scouts who project him as a sure-fire first-round draft pick if he leaves college early. A 6-foot-2, left-footed centerback who is also good in the air, Schoenle is a prime candidate to be offered a Generation adidas contract this winter and projects as a top six pick in the 2012 MLS Draft.

SBI College Spotlight: Healthy Schuler has UNC rolling, pro scouts taking notice

Photo courtesy of University of North Carolina

By JOHN BOSCHINI

For all the success enjoyed by the University of North Carolina last season, there was one player who found it hard to join in the celebration.

Redshirt junior forward Billy Schuler was one of the most potent attacking threats the Tar Heels possessed during his first two years in Chapel Hill and was set to be a focal point last season. That was before a horrendous shoulder injury sidelined Schuler and relegated him to watching from the stands.

"It was definitely tough," Schuler said. "Even not being able to go on away trips with the guys was difficult. We didn't have the space or the money to do it and even for ACC games I wasn't allowed to sit on the bench. The toughest part was sitting by and not being able to influence the outcome of the game. It was very isolating."

After surgery in the fall, Schuler began rehabilitation. It was a long and arduous process that wasn't completed until the summer, but the rising senior said it gave him a new perspective on the game and an increased desire to perform, something that is very evident in Schuler's play early this season as he has helped the Tar Heels to a No. 1 national ranking, and a recent victory vs. previously unbeaten Louisville.

College Spotlight: South Florida's Jeff Attinella

Photo courtesy of USF media relations

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Some people think University of South Florida goalkeeper Jeff Attinella's competitiveness is a bad thing. He disagrees.

"I'm just a very intense person," Attinella said. "I always want to win. I know I'm nowhere near the best, but if you set your goals any lower than that you're selling yourself short."

It's that intensity and hyper-competitiveness that makes USF head coach George Kiefer speak so highly of his senior goalkeeper, calling him "the best goalkeeper in the country."

"Jeff's all business," Kiefer said. "He can get after it a little bit on the field, but he brings it every single day."

College Spotlight: UCSB's Sam Garza

Photo courtesy of Tony Mastres/UCSB Media Relations

By ADAM SERRANO

From injuries to transferring between schools to dark nights away from the game that he loves, one goal has kept Sam Garza from the brink.

His dream of representing the United States in a major international competition.

On the cusp of making the U.S. U-20 World Cup squad in 2009, Garza suffered a devastating ACL injury that prevented him from appearing in the tournament and cost him the 2009 season. The forward responded by transferring from the University of Denver to UC Santa Barbara this season. Overcoming his injury, the sophomore forward is the Gauchos' leader in goals (nine) and points (21) in his first season in Santa Barbara. 

College Spotlight: Notre Dame's Dillon Powers

 

Notre Dame midfielder Dillon Powers isn't a goal-scoring machine, or a dynamic playmaker, but for many experts his well-rounded game makes him the most complete player in the nation, and arguably the best pro prospect in college soccer.

A key figure on the U.S. Under-20 national team, Powers has established himself as a mature midfield force who has grown considerably since being one of the youngest members of the 2009 U.S. Under-20 World Cup team.

"He's a very good two-way player and he has a great engine," said U.S. U-20 head coach Thomas Rongen. "He's a guy that when the chips are down his work rate increases. It's contagious and it forces the guys around him to pick up."

"He's a quiet boy, he's not a talker but he leads by example," said Notre Dame head coach Bobby Clark. "He's a very mature young man and a main cog in our midfield this year. We've been very lucky to get him."

College Spotlight: Indiana's Will Bruin

 

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Will Bruin is no stranger to expectations.

As a seventh grader, Bruin caught the attention of Greg Vitello, coach at DeSmet High School in St. Louis and the third-winningest coach in men’s high school soccer history.

“He came to one of our grade school camps in seventh grade and his size and physical presence made him stand out,” Vitello said. “He was bigger and stronger than anyone else. He was a man playing against boys.”

Four years and 73 high school goals later, Bruin made the four-hour trip to Indiana University instead of making a teenage jump to the professional ranks.

“It never really crossed my mind [not to go to college],” Bruin said. “My parents wanted me to come to a good school and get a good education. And it’s only four hours away from St. Louis so that’s not bad.”