Men's Soccer Incoming Class Ranked 24th in the Nation
July 16, 2002 | Men's Soccer
BOSTON - The Boston University men's soccer team's incoming freshman class was ranked as the 24th best recruiting class in the country by CollegeSoccerNews.com.
B.U., along with 2000 national champion Connecticut, were the only teams from the Northeast Region to rank among the Top 40. Virginia was ranked first and joined six ACC teams in the Top 40.
The Terriers welcome a class of 15 newcomers, including midfielders Jamie Johnson and Sedrick Chin, and defenders Matt Cross and Devon Henkis.
"For third straight year we're bringing in a strong recruiting class," said Terrier head coach Neil Roberts, entering his 18th season at the helm. "A number of these players has a chance to make an immediate impact."
Johnson (Brisbane, Australia) spent six seasons with the Australian national team and will look to help replace the scoring efforts of graduated Joachim Kaland. In his recordbreaking 2001 season, Kaland scored a program-best 20 goals and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring.
Chin (St. Mary, Jamaica), a member of Jamaica's under-20 team, could make an immediate impact in the Terriers' midfield with his speed and game sense, according to Roberts.
Among the incoming defenders, Cross (Pembroke, MA), an outside back from Boston College High School, and Henkis, a speedy striker (Carrolton, TX), will bolster the Terriers' backfield.
Boston University returns nine starters and 16 lettermen from the 2001 squad that finished the season with a 13-5-1 overall record and won its first America East regular-season title in seven years.
The Terriers open their 2002 campaign on Friday, August 30, when they take on UCLA in the opening round of the Fila Classic at Cal State-Fullerton. Game time is 4:30 p.m. (PST).
