X-Men soccer announces 2010 freshman class

Antigonish, NS— X-Men soccer head coach Graham Kennedy is pleased to announce the 2010 freshman class. “I am very pleased with the caliber of player we are bringing to campus in August,” says Kennedy. “We have improved our overall talent level and have added some outstanding character to the program.”

Included in the freshman recruiting class of six are goalkeeper Steven Rodenhizer, defenders Graeme Spink and Mark Harpur, and midfielders Michael Tait, John Troncoso and Graeme Hodgkinson.

Steven Rodenhizer is a 6’1”, 205 pound goalkeeper out of Bridgewater, N.S. who played with Parkview Education Center. Rodenhizer’s South Shore United U18 team are the recent Nova Scotia indoor champions.

“Steven brings the raw tools that can make him an exceptional university goalkeeper,” comments Kennedy. “His ball distribution in all forms is very good, he is brave, athletic and has a fantastic attitude.” Rodenhizer is coached by former X-Man Bruce Sarty and also works with South Shore regional coach John Charman. “John speaks very highly of Steven,” says Kennedy. “After visiting with Steven and watching him train and play, I knew he had the tools to be a solid AUS goalkeeper.”

Coach Kennedy has added several new midfield players as well as a core of new defenders to complement an already experienced X-Men group. Leading the list of recruits is midfielder Michael Tait (Corpus Christi High School) of Burlington, Ont. who was selected most valuable player of the Spectator Cup, the Ontario high school all-star game. Tait, who plays for the Oakville Gunners U18 team, has competed at the highest levels of amateur play in North America, winning the USA Cup Elite Division in 2009, and competing in the Dallas Cup as a member of Team Ontario. Tait had professional trials with Glasgow Celtic, St. Mirren and Partick Thistle of the Scottish Football League.

“What I especially like about Michael is his leadership and professionalism,” states Kennedy. “Michael will make an immediate impact on our program in the dressing room, on the training pitch and during competition.”

Graeme Spink out of Earl Marriot Secondary School in Whiterock, B.C. is a 6’3” central defender who can also play a defensive midfield role. Spink came highly recommended by Niall Thompson, a former Canadian international who coaches Spink at Surrey United in Vancouver.

“Graeme Spink has been immersed in a soccer culture from day one, winning a national U16 championship and playing at the highest senior level in the country at a young age,” says Kennedy. “What I really like about Graeme, beyond his exceptional character, is his passing ability and his heading; I think he can grow into a premier central defender in our league as he matures.” Spink has been on trial with Dundee United and Dundee FC in Scotland where he was offered a youth professional contract in 2009 but opted to remain in Canada to pursue a university education. Spink says he chose StFX due to its academic reputation and conversations he had with alumni.

A pair of Calgary Foothills teammates in John Troncoso and Graeme Hodgkinson have also committed to StFX. “These two are winners through and through,” states Kennedy. Troncoso (St. Mary’s High School) and Hodgkinson (Westmount Charter) were both members of the Calgary Foothills U17 team that convincingly won the Canadian U18 championship in 2009 as an underage team. Troncoso is a national training center player who is highly versatile, according to Kennedy.

“John Troncoso is a player with outstanding game awareness and he excels in the attacking end of the pitch where he can play in a central or wide role as a midfielder or forward.” Kennedy believes that Troncoso can contribute as a freshman at StFX, commenting “John can play with both feet, passes well, and gets himself in scoring areas at the right time, I am confident that he will be a very successful university player.”

Graeme Hodgkinson is a defensive midfield specialist who Kennedy believes can also play as a freshman. “Graeme is physically strong and deceptively quick. He is a fantastic ball winner and he keeps the game simple.” A member of the Alberta Canada Games team in 2009, Hodgkinson chose StFX over other schools due to the university’s focus on undergraduate programs.

Kennedy used his Calgary connections to good effect in landing defender Mark Harpur from Earnest Manning High School. Harpur has spent the last two years in the academic academy at Royal Racing FC Montengee in Liege, Belgium.

“Mark has received some top level coaching over the past two years and has refined his techniques while competing against top level competition,” comments Kennedy. “He is accustomed to rigorous training and competing for the right to play and we are very fortunate to be getting a quality student and an excellent player.” Harpur played his youth soccer for Calgary Chinooks and currently suits up for Foothills Darts of the Alberta Major Soccer League.

Coach Kennedy is very happy with the X-Men freshman recruiting class and has high expectations for 2010. “The major focus of our recruiting was to attract players from strong soccer cultures, players who are accustomed to working hard and who are comfortable competing for the right to play. We wanted to increase the overall level of talent considerably, and I believe we have done that.”

The X-Men soccer team finished with an overall record of 8-5-4 in 2009 and was 5-4-4 in league play, good enough for fifth spot in the final standings. They were defeated in the AUS quarterfinals by UPEI in penalty-kicks. Kennedy believes that the 2010 X-Men have the capacity to compete for an AUS championship. “We had three one-goal losses last year in addition to four ties. If we get more consistent with our defending then we will improve on the 19 points we earned in 2009 league play,” says the second year head coach.

The X-Men begin pre-season exhibition play on August 21st against the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH and then move on to play Bryant University in Smithfield, RI on August 23rd. On August 24th they travel to Merrimack College in Amherst, MA before returning home for their final pre-season match against the UPEI Panthers in Charlottetown in early September. StFX opens regular AUS season play at home on September 11th when they host Memorial University.