May 13, 2011
Duquesne University fifth-year men's soccer coach Jake Ouimet announced today his newcomers for 2011 as eight student-athletes made commitments to Duquesne and will attend classes this fall. Joining the Dukes for the 2011 season will be Nick Anderson (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange), Johnny Contreras (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West), Nick DiSomma (Sparta, N.J./Sparta), Matt Essig (Holland, Ohio/St. John Jesuit), Austin Lange (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area), Colin Phillips (Ottawa, Ontario/Brookfield), Karter Sell (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) and Filip Velasevic (Toronto, Canada/Silverthorn Collegiate Institute). Ouimet's class boasts a U18 Canadian National Team member, two NSCAA Regional All-Americans and three All-State players.
"We are very pleased with our incoming class and feel they will make an immediate impact to our program," Ouimet said. "These young men are both talented on the field and in the classroom. They are excited to become part of Duquesne soccer and will integrate well with our returning players."
Anderson joins the Dukes as an NSCAA All-Region Team honoree as well as a First Team All State and First Team All-District selection. A three-year high school starter, he was also a three-time All-Conference choice and was named Conference Player of the Year as a senior. His Team Ohio Blast FC team played in seven state finals, three Midwest regionals and was MRL league champions.
Contreras brings a fine resume with him to Duquesne. The Sockers FC Chicago U18 Academy captain was named one of the 2011 Top 20 "Players to Watch" in the Midwest Region by Top Drawer Soccer.com. His U15 team was Dallas Cup champions in 2007 and he played for the US Development Academy U16 national champions. His high school accolades include 2008 Rookie of the Year, and 2009 Defensive Player of the Year as well as All-Conference and All-Area laurels.
DiSomma comes to Duquesne as a Third Team All-State honoree in New Jersey. The Sussex County Player of the Year, he was also First Team All-West Jersey as well as Second Team All-Group 3. He was a four-year varsity starter and two-year team captain. He was also an NSCAA Academic All American.
Essig was a three year starter at St. John Jesuit which was ranked #19 in the country during 2010. His senior year he led a defense which allowed just 14 goals in 23 games and posted 17 shutouts. His team went 21-2, winning the regional championship and losing in the state semifinals. Essig has also been a starter for Pacesetter Premier since 2007. His 2010 team won the state championship and advanced to the regional finals.
Lange was an All-State selection in 2010 and was named the Valley News Dispatch Player of the Year. He was also named to the All-WPIAL team twice, the All-Section team twice and was the Section I Player of the Year. He led his team to its first section title and first play-off victory in scoring a school record 35 goals as a senior. He also holds the school record with 84 career goals, topping the previous record of 67 by former Duquesne standout, Stefan Lundberg.
Phillips joins the Dukes after winning the city tier high school championship. He was a two-time team MVP and was the school's Male Athlete of the Year as a junior. His club team, OSU Force, is #3 ranked team in Ontario and finished third place at the Disney Showcase. His teams also won ERSL regional league, regional cup and indoor league championships.
Sell comes to Duquesne as an NSCAA All-Region Team honoree and First Team Ohio All-State selection. A four-year varsity letterman, he was a three-time All-Northern Lakes League honoree, a two-time All-District choice and a Second Team All-Sate choice as a junior. He is his school's all-time leading scorer with 59 career goals and 28 career assists. He also played for Pacesetter Soccer Club, which won the U17 state championship in 2010.
Velasevic was recently named to the U18 Canadian National Team. He has also played for Erin Mills SC which won the Canadian club national championship in 2007, the Ontario Youth Soccer League championships in 2007 and 2008 and the Robbie International and Ontario Cup championships in 2007 and 2008. He was also the MVP and top goal scorer at the Adidas Cup. In high school, he scored 24 goals in 30 games for the city and district champs.
