Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh announces Class of 2006
9/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Bethlehem, PA – Following an 11-win season and its first national ranking in quite some time, the Lehigh men’s soccer program has reloaded in preparation for another strong season in 2002. The Mountain Hawks have announced their 2002 recruiting class, which features a wealth of talent in all areas of the field. Lehigh is bringing in 11 new players in hopes of capturing another Patriot League title.
"We are delighted with our incoming class of freshmen, representing one of our strongest recruiting classes in terms of numbers and talent," explained Lehigh head coach Dean Koski, set to enter his 12th season. "Our goal was to bring in six to eight freshmen, but the quality of our recruiting pool was so strong that we yielded 11."
Lehigh’s defense will likely receive a strong lift from members of the incoming group. The Mountain Hawks already boast one of the Patriot League’s stingiest defensive units, which will be bolstered by the likes of newcomers Charley Evans (Mill Valley, CA/Marin Academy), Keith Ritchings (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick), James Stevens (Clifton, VA/Centreville), Nathan Wiita (Martinsville, VA/Carlisle School), and Kevin Deger (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic). Evans was an All-League First Team selection, while Ritchings, Stevens, and Wiita all participated in their local Olympic Development Program. Deger was a First Team All-Western Pennsylvania selection, and the Player of the Year for his section.
Incoming freshman Jim Morahan (Englewood, CO/Kent Denver School) brings impressive credentials to Lehigh. In high school, the goalkeeper was an All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), and he was featured in Sports Illustrated’s "Faces in the Crowd" segment for his superb play in net. Cracking the Lehigh lineup won’t be an easy task for Morahan, however. Senior Ryan Grzeszczak recorded eight shutouts last season, and sophomore Sam Bishop was a solid backup.
The Mountain Hawks’ already solid midfield will be bolstered by the addition of James Lawler (Willow Grove, PA/Abington), Adam Williamson (Petersburg, NJ/Ocean City), Jose Larin (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo), and Manbaj Gill (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick). Lawler earned First Team All-League honors and Larin captured league MVP recognition. Both Williamson and Gill will look to jump-start the offense from the midfield; both were members of the New Jersey Olympic Development Program. Williamson was rated the top midfielder in south Jersey.
Offensively, Peter Classi (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South) joins an already-potent Lehigh attack. Classi was a First Team All-New York and First Team All-Long Island selection. He joins a Lehigh offense that features three of the Patriot League’s most prolific goal scorers in senior All-American Evan Bruno, and juniors Doug Cusick and Steve Fisher.
Despite talent at every position, Koski expects many of the newcomers to push the returning players for minutes. "In some instances, we anticipate a couple of freshmen competing for starting positions," Koski points out.
Lehigh’s incoming class features players from seven states. "The geographic representation of this class is also an indication of our ability to recruit at a national level," Koski adds. "We are looking forward to integrating these freshmen into our program in August."
The Mountain Hawks open their season on Friday, August 30 against Davidson in the first round of the Army/Lehigh Soccer Classic in West Point, New York.
Name | Pos. | Hometown/High School |
F | Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South | |
B | Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic | |
Charley Evans | B/M | Mill Valley, CA/Marin Academy |
Manbaj Gill | M | East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick |
M | Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo | |
James Lawler | M | Willow Grove, PA/Abington |
G | Englewood, CO/Kent Denver School | |
Keith Ritchings | B | East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick |
James Stevens | B | Clifton, VA/Centreville |
M/F | Petersburg, NJ/Ocean City | |
Nathan Wiita | B | Martinsville, VA/Carlisle School |
For more information, contact Jeff Tourial, Lehigh Sports Media Relations.
