North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Soccer Recruiting Class Nationally Ranked
8/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 23, 2010
RALEIGH, N.C. - A final ranking of No. 23 nationally, a trip to the ACC championship game, and an NCAA Tournament berth all last season have paid off for the NC State men's soccer team. The Wolfpack's 15-member 2010 incoming class has recently been ranked No. 19 nationally by CollegeSoccerNews.com.
"It is rewarding to be nationally recognized for our efforts in recruiting," said head coach George Tarantini. "We continue to strive to be in the national rankings every season, and with this class of newcomers, we feel they will help us accomplish this goal while they are here.
"We are replacing a lot of talented players from last year's squad that finished ranked No. 23, so these newcomers will be counted on to step right in and contribute. We are hoping to build on the good season we had last year, and this class will mix with a good core of returning players to form a talented squad."
This year's incoming class features two NSCAA All-Americans, two international players with national team experience, and one Gatorade state Player of the Year among others.
The Pack took to the field for the first time this past weekend in an exhibition game at Davidson. Five newcomers were in the starting lineup, and a total of nine first-year Wolfpack players saw action and will continue to fight for starting jobs leading up to the season opener on September 3.
CollegeSoccerNews.com's recap: The Pack will be a work in progress in 2010 since they lost the guts of a very good 2009 team due to graduation. No problem. Their talent rich 14 member recruiting class that includes NSCAA High School All-Americans midfielder Mamadou Kansaye from Baltimore, Md., and center back Sonny Mukungu from Durham, N.C., will give the Pack the boost they need to remain competitive.
