Beavers Sign Six Student-Athletes To Letters Of Intent
March 4, 2004
CORVALLIS, Ore. - -
Oregon State men's soccer coach Dana Taylor announced on Thursday a six-person recruiting class he feels again rivals that of any signing group in the nation. The 2004 group comes on the heels of signing classes ranked among the nation's top 20 each of the last two years.
Alex Christensen (midfield), Brett Gardner (forward), Loren Hill (defense), Ryan Quinliven (defense) and Mason Webb (midfield) all signed national letters of intent and will begin their careers at OSU next fall as freshmen. Chris Murphy (forward) is a true sophomore transfer from Fresno State.
"This is a tremendous class," Taylor said. "We're very excited to bring these six student-athletes into the fold in 2004. They will make an immediate impact on our team, and we've filled some holes with some outstanding players. This class should again rank among the top groups in the nation."
Christensen (Las Vegas, Nev./Chaparral HS), along with Gardner, Hill, Quinliven and Webb, is a two-year member of the Region IV Olympic Development Program team. He also led the Las Vegas Premier Club to the state title as well as regional competition.
Christensen was Nevada's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Chaparral.
"Alex is an absolute force in the air at 6-foot-2," Taylor said. "His natural leadership ability will elevate the play of those around him. He has tremendous technical ability to play with both feet, has a commanding physical presence and is a vocal organizer."
Gardner (Portland, Ore./Sunset HS) was recently named to the Region IV ODP team, and started against the U-20 United States National Team.
After tallying 27 goals and 14 assists as a senior at Sunset, Gardner was named first-team All-State and Metro League Player of the Year.
Known for his speed, skill and technique, Gardner could see time as a midfielder or forward.
"Brett will bring the team some truly special attacking abilities," Taylor said. "He will provide an ability to beat people one-versus-one and provide quality service as well. Brett has an incredible work rate, and we feel he'll be an integral part of our attack."
Hill (Eugene, Ore./Sheldon HS) is a three-year starter for the Region IV ODP team and has had great success against some of the top youth teams in the country, according to Taylor.
Hill was named to the adidas ESP Camp, which is comprised of the top 100 prep prospects in the country, and led the Oregon United Soccer Club to a state title as well regional competition.
A two-time all-state player, Hill helped lead Sheldon to the 2002 state championship and earned league MVP honors as a senior in 2003.
"Loren is a very gifted player with great vision; he's an excellent passer of the ball," Taylor said. "We expect him to make an immediate impact on our team in the back or midfield."
Chris Murphy (Santa Rosa, Calif./Fresno State/Maria Carillo HS) will be a true sophomore with three years of eligibility after leading Fresno State with 10 points on four goals and two assists last year as a freshman. The Bulldog program is on a one-year hiatus due to a lack of funding.
Murphy tallied a goal in Fresno State's 2-1 loss to OSU on Nov. 7.
"Chris fits our system perfectly," Taylor said. "He is a fast, quick, tenacious goal scorer that can play out wide or up top. He has proven himself in the Pac-10 and brings experience to our core in the absence of our graduated seniors."
Quinliven (Bonita, Calif./Bonita Vista HS) is a three-year veteran of the Region IV ODP squad and was also named to the adidas ESP Camp. He's a member of the Hotspurs USA Elite, one of the top club teams in southern California.
"Ryan is one of the top defenders in the country in this year's class," Taylor said. "His physical and psychological abilities are truly special, and those characteristics add a whole new dimension to our back line; we look forward to him being a part of our defending corps."
Webb (Bellingham, Wash./Squalicum HS), a midfielder, is a four-year veteran of the Region IV ODP team and played for the Snohomish United Club.
Webb is known for his tenacity, quickness, and technical abilities on the ball, according to Taylor.
"Mason represents the type of student-athlete that we covet here at OSU," Taylor said. "He is a very intense athlete who plays both sides of the ball, and he will be a future leader of this program."
OSU's last two signing classes have been ranked among the top 20 in the country by College Soccer News; the 2002 group was 20th and the 2003 class ranked 15th.
Coming off two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the Beavers return six starters in 2004 and a host of veteran players to go with this year's group of highly-touted newcomers.
