OSU signs eight in men's soccer
April 27, 1999
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State has signed eight men's soccer players to letters of intent, OSU head coach Dana Taylor announced Tuesday.
"We're really excited about our 1999 recruiting class," said Taylor, who was hired just two days before the Feb. 3 signing date. "For starting that late in the process, it's exciting to have gotten the core of recruits we have. We recruited this year based on improving our team speed, and we also recruited based on positions so we'd have more depth available."
Signing with the Beavers are forward Alex Close of Portland, Ore. (Sunset High); fullback Ryan Foster of Littleton, Colo. (Columbine High); fullback/midfielder Tate Gentile of Colorado Springs, Colo. (Air Academy High); forward/midfielder Justin Kirk of Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge High); midfielder Aaron McHardy of Vancouver, B.C. (Prince of Wales High); goalkeeper Tim Rupp of Portland, Ore. (Sunset High); midfielder Ryan Smith of Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge High); and fullback Kevin Weisenfluh of Portland, Ore. (Westview High).
Oregon State continues its men's spring season Wednesday when it meets the Willamette Valley Firebirds at 5:50 p.m. on the OSU practice field. The Beavers then play host to Portland at 2 p.m. Saturday.
This spring's signees will join the Beavers next fall.
Close captained Sunset into the state playoffs the past two seasons and earned all-state honors in 1998.Playing for FC Portland, Close's scoring ability helped the club team to the 1997 Club National Championship. Close has been a member of the Oregon Olympic Development Team since 1995 and could find himself in one of the forward positions for OSU next season.
Foster helped Columbine to a No. 5 national ranking by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He also played for the Colorado Rush Nike club, which is considered one of the top clubs in the country and has won several of the country's best tournaments. Foster is a U.S. Soccer Federation Region IV pool player and will challenge for a fullback spot at Oregon State next fall.
Gentile captained Air Academy to a state title and was a four-year letterman. His Chargers Soccer Club team was one of the top squads in Colorado and Gentile was also part of the Colorado Olympic Development Program. His experience includes playing in several of Europe's finer youth tournaments, and as a natural left-sided player, he should help OSU at left fullback or left midfielder.
Kirk was all-state and helped Dakota Ridge to back-to-back Colorado state titles, a 38-0 record and a No. 13 national ranking by the NSCAA. With the Colorado Rush Nike club, Kirk won four state championships, two regional championships and was in two Club Nationals. He is a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation's Region IV team that will toured Argentina this spring, and his play on that trip earned him a spot on the U.S. 18-and-under national team. At OSU, he will play either flank midfield or forward.
McHardy brings international experience to OSU in addition to earning all-province honors at Prince of Wales the past two years. McHardy has dual citizenship in Canada and Jamaica, and chose to represent Jamaica in international competition. He now is on the Jamaican U-20 national team and has scored goals against Colombia, Bolivia and Bermuda in international competition. At OSU, McHardy's exceptional vision and distributing ability will have him anchoring the central midfield.
Rupp was in goal for Sunset teams that reached the state playoffs the past two seasons and has international playing experience. A native of Germany, he spent his youth with Borussia Dortmunt of the German First Division. After moving to Portland in 1995, he joined the highly-successful FC Portland team that participated in the Club Nationals. As a freshman, he will challenge for the starting spot.
Smith was an all-state selection and helped Dakota Ridge to a pair of state championships and a 38-0 record. Smith also plays for the Colorado Rush Nike club and has been part of its state titles, regional titles and national finals appearance. A U.S. Soccer Federation Region IV team player should help organize and stabilize OSU's defensive midfield next fall.
Weisenfluh earned all-state honors at Westview, and his FC Portland club team won regional titles in 1995 and 1997 and reached the National Club final in 1997. A U.S. Soccer Federation National Camp participant and Regional Team player, Weisenfluh's quick thinking and accurate passing will contribute to an attack-minded Beaver defense this fall. OREGON STATE MEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES - SPRING, 1999
Alex Close - forward; Portland, Ore. (Sunset High)
Ryan Foster - fullback; Littleton, Colo. (Columbine High)
Tate Gentile - fullback/midfielder; Colorado Springs, Colo. (Air Academy High)
Justin Kirk - midfielder/forward; Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge High)
Aaron McHardy - midfielder; Vancouver, B.C. (Prince of Wales High)
Tim Rupp - goalkeeper; Portland, Ore. (Sunset High)
Ryan Smith - fullback; Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge High)
Kevin Weisenfluh - fullback; Portland, Ore. (Westview High)
