GNAC Men's Soccer

Men's 2008 Soccer Recruits

Montana State Billings

Yellowjackets Add Players from England, Montana (4/8/08)

England native Ross Carmichael and Garion Holian have signed national letters-of-intent to play soccer for Montana State Billings.

Carmichael, from Dorset, joins fellow Englanders Scott Dixon, who also is from Dorset, and Sam Charles who played at Budmouth Technology College where Carmichael is now. Carmichael won the state title as a center-midfielder in 2003 and was named to the all-state team in 2006 as well as being named Most Valuable Player in both 2005 and 2006.

Playing with the Portland Club, Carmichael helped the team to a 26-0 record, scoring nine goals and reached the county final. He also played on the Weymouth Club.

“Ross is a first class soccer player, McNally said. “He comes from the same soccer background in England as current MSU Billings all-region student athletes Scott Dixon and Sam Charles and I expect him to make a similar impact on our squad.

"He has great athleticism and excellent technique. I expect him to be a leader in this program throughout his career and he has the potential to be a very special player at MSU Billings”

Holian was born in Houston, Texas, but went to high school in Missoula at Hellgate. He was named Montana Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior midfielder. He was an all-state selection his sophomore-senior years, as well as being named Western Conference Player of the Year as a senior.

During his high school career, he scored 36 goals and had 10 assists and was a team caption as a junior and senior. In addition to playing at Hellgate, he played club soccer with the Bozeman Blitzz and the Missoula Strikers as well as playing on the Region IV Olympic Development team.

“Last season Garion was the best high school soccer player in Montana,” McNally said. “He has excellent technique and vision and I think he has the ability to be a great player here at MSU Billings. Garion represents a change in how players in Montana view our program. Just like in the 2007 class when we signed Chris Andre (Billings Senior), Garion demonstrates that the best high school players in Montana want to play for MSU Billings men's soccer.”

Seattle Pacific

Falcons Add Midfielder, Defender (4/30/08)

Midfielder Tyler Schultz (Scottsdale, AZ - Pinnacle) and defender Griffin Fahling (Tupelo, MS - Tupelo) have signed letters-of-intent with Seattle Pacific University.

Schultz is a three-time all-state player and was the Northeast Valley Player of the Year each of the last two seasons. He totaled 64 goals and 74 assists in his career and led Pinnacle High School to the 2008 State Championship.

“Tyler is a dynamic wing player who we see playing up front and wide in the midfield. He has good speed and likes to take players on 1v1,” said SPU first-year head coach Mark Collings. “His teams have also been very successful winning both the high school and club state championships in Arizona. We look forward to the winning ways continuing at SPU.”

Fahling hails from Mississippi where he was a two-time first team all-state selection and the Dailey Journal (Mississippi) 2008 Player of the Year. “We really feel fortunate to have Griffin,” commented Collings. “He has a great understanding of the game as well as the ability to keep possession of the ball under pressure.”

Five Sign With Seattle Pacific (4/2/08)

Five players have signed letters of intent to play soccer for Seattle Pacific University.

Joining the Falcons next fall are forward Ryan Brand (Portland, OR - La Salle Catholic), midfielders Drew Williams (Bend, OR) and Joshua Hensley (Taos, NM), goalkeeper Hunter Huffman (Colorado Springs, CO - Cheyenne Mountain), and defender Elliot Morton (Tacoma, WA - Bellarmine Prep).

Brand is a highly regarded forward who has tallied 74 goals and 65 assists while being named first team All-State three consecutive years at Oregon's 4A level.

Williams and Hensley are both regulars at the ODP State and Regional Camp level and could make an immediate impact at SPU.

Huffman is the net-minder for Real Colorado Academy, one of the top club teams in the nation. He will compete for the starting goalkeeper position as the Falcons lose Kellen Rosten, who also hails from Colorado Springs, to graduation.

The Falcons lone in-state recruit is Morton, a towering 6-4 defender who is the reigning Narrows League Defender of the Year. He plays his club ball for Washington Premier FC where Collings has seen him develop into a defensive stalwart.

Western Washington

Vikings Three Midfielders To Letters Of Intent (2/20/08)

Midfielders Tyler Bjork from Juanita High School in Kirkland , Matt Dutson from Rogers High School in Puyallup and Oscar Jimenez from Mount Vernon High School have signed letters of intent to play for Western Washington University.

Bjork was a first-team all-Kingco League pick as a junior at Junaita, leading the league with 16 goals. He was a second-team Associated Press Class 4A all-State pick and Seattle Times KingCo League Player of the Year as a sophomore, scoring 14 goals and having eight assists.

Dutson was a second-team all-South Puget Sound League South Division pick as a junior at Rogers and will play for the Crossfire Premier club team this spring.

Jimenez was the Skagit Valley Herald Player of the Year as a junior at Mount Vernon , helping the Bulldogs to a 13-1-3 record by scoring a team-best 14 goals.

Previous Recruits