Missouri S&T men’s soccer coach Joe Ahearn has announced that the Miners have added 10 new players to the roster from the high school ranks for the 2009 season.
The recruiting class includes three players that earned first-team all-state honors in the 2008 season — including the state’s co-offensive “Player of the Year” — and two others that were on the all-state squad. They will join a team that earned a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference last season and has been in the conference tournament in three of the last four seasons.
“We welcome this talented group of student-athletes and their families to the Missouri S&T men’s soccer program,” Ahearn said. “These young men have a tremendous amount of character and potential and will be a great addition to the future of our S&T program.”
The newcomers to the Miner program are as follows:
CALEB COLLIER, a 5-11, 145-pound midfielder-defender from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Mo.: Collier was named as his team’s most valuable player on defense in the 2008 season in a season where he earned all-district and all-conference honors. He posted three goals and eight assists on the season a year after playing on Kickapoo’s team that finished third in the state. Caleb is a member of Springfield SC, winning a State Cup title last year as a U17. He plans to major in engineering at Missouri S&T.
Editors note: Caleb will be joining high school teammate Zack Hay on the back line for the Miner’s. Hay became a starter as a freshman early in the season in 2008 and will likely move from the outside to central defense. Caleb will be competing against his older brother Adam Peterson who plays midfield for the Drury Panthers, also members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The photo shows Collier on the left celebrating with HS teammate Ryan Moses, headed for SLU Billikens.
JERVIS ATAGANA, a 6-3, 170-pound forward-midfielder from Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo.: Atagana earned first-team all-district and all-region honors following the 2008 season at Hickman High School. He scored eight times in his senior year to help Hickman reach the district title game and was also part of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher club team that won the Missouri State Cup in 2008. Atagana plans to major in engineering at Missouri S&T.
JOSH BENNETT, a 5-10, 155-pound midfielder from Duchesne High School in St. Charles, Mo.: Bennett was a first-team all-state and all-conference as well as honorable mention all-metro St. Louis selection following the 2008 season, when he finished with seven goals and four assists for 18 points. The Pioneers finished as the co-champions of the Gateway Athletic Conference a year after finishing as the Missouri Class 2 runner up. In 2007, Bennett was a second-team all-state and all-conference selection. He has been a member of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club and has taken part in a number of club level tournaments and showcases throughout his prep career. Bennett plans to major in chemical engineering at Missouri S&T.
SPENCER BRINKMEYER, a 6-1, 190-pound defender from Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.: Brinkmeyer earned first-team all-state and all-district honors as a defender in Missouri Class 3 in 2008 after being named to the all-state second team as a junior. He played on a team that reached the state quarterfinals before falling in a 1-0 game to eventual state champion Rockhurst. He was also a first-team all-conference pick in the Suburban Big Six Conference in the Kansas City area and was selected as the league’s defensive player of the year. Brinkmeyer plans to major in civil engineering at Missouri S&T.
BEN GLOVER, a 5-8, 155-pound defender from Fort Zumwalt West High School in O’Fallon, Mo.: Glover earned second-team all-conference honors in the Gateway Athletic Conference in 2008 after helping his team finish 18-8-1. He had one assist during his senior year while guiding a defense that allowed only 23 goals in 27 games with 16 shutouts. Glover had three goals and three assists as a junior for the GAC champions and was named honorable mention all-league, an honor he also garnered as a sophomore. He plans to major in engineering at Missouri S&T.
PETER HAW, a 5-8, 150-pound midfielder from Parkway West High School in Ballwin, Mo.: Haw, an honorable mention all-state and all-metro St. Louis performer, finished the 2008 season with 17 goals and 14 assists for 48 points and ended up as the Longhorns’ second-leading scorer behind another S&T signee, Peter Vaccaro. Haw earned first-team all-Suburban South honors as well for a team that finished 21-6-1. As a junior, Haw had five goals and nine assists for 14 points
MASON MORAWITZ, a 5-7, 135-pound forward from Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo: Morawitz landed honorable mention all-state honors for Missouri Class 3 in the recently completed 2008 season, while earning first-team all-district and all-region honors in 2008 and the region’s offensive most valuable player award for his efforts. He had eight goals and six assists during the 2008 season for 22 points to provide the Kewpies a strong one-two scoring punch with fellow S&T signee Jervis Atagana. Mason team with Caleb Collier as a member of the U17 State Cup Champion Springfield SC squad. He plans to major in engineering at S&T. Pictured in purple against Glendale last Fall.
BRIAN SEAWRIGHT, a 6-3, 175-pound center back from Chesterton High School in Chesterton, Ind.: Seawright was an all-conference performer and named as his team’s defensive most valuable player last season as he helped his team finish as the state runner-up. He was a team captain and also earned scholar-athlete honors at his school. Seawright plans to major in nuclear engineering at Missouri S&T.
KYLE SCHRAIER, a 5-7, 155-pound midfielder from Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Mo.: Schraier, an all-conference selection at CBC, had seven goals and four assists, for a team that went 23-5 in the 2008 season. He recorded four goals in his junior year for a 23-6-1 CBC squad. Schraier also played on the Missouri Olympic Development Program team that won a regional championship in 2006 and on four teams that won state cups. Schraier, who plans to major in business and information systems at S&T, was named as the national player of the week during the 2008 season by ESPN Rise.
PETER VACCARO, a 5-11, 175-pound forward from Parkway West High School in Ballwin, Mo.: Vaccaro was one of the most prolific scorers in the state during the 2008 season, finishing with 30 goals (sixth in the St. Louis area) and 13 assists for a team-high 73 points (eighth in St. Louis). He was named to the NSCAA’s all-midwest team and as the state’s co-offensive player of the year following the season, as well as being a first-team all-metro St. Louis selection and being named as the Suburban South Conference’s “Player of the Year.” He helped the Longhorns win the district title and finish with a 21-6-1 record in 2008. Vaccaro had 12 goals and two assists as a junior and had 54 goals and 27 assists in his high school career at Parkway West, earning all-conference honors in all four seasons (three as a first-team selection). He also played on the Lou Fusz club team that won three state championships. Vaccaro plans to major in engineering at Missouri S&T.
