Xavier men's soccer announces 2015 class

July 29, 2015

Xavier men's soccer head coach Andy Fleming announced his 2015 recruiting class recently, which includes a total of 12 fresh faces, an NSCAA All-American and four players from U.S. development academies.

The diverse 2015 class features two transfers, players hailing from 10 different states and two student-athletes born overseas.

Announcing their intentions to play at Xavier, the class includes: David Fiflis (Indian Head Park, Ill.), Samson Sergi (Ashburn, Va.), Jacob Goodall (Brandon, Fla.), Travis Rosen (Boerne, Texas), Joshua Neptune (Far Hills, N.J.), Owen Jeffs (Cary, N.C.), Seth Junion (LaGrange, Ky.), Lucas Fancello (Martigues, France), Connor Maki (Naples, Fla.), Joash Sutherland (Christchurch, New Zealand), Robert DeWitt III (Overland Park, Kan.) and Gavin Boyer (Washington, D.C.).

Class Notes:
• Fancello (Lynn University), a Division II National Champion last season, and Jaye (University of South Florida) join the program as transfers.
• Sutherland will become the third New Zealand native on the roster this season, joining Cory Brown and Alex Ridsdale.
• DeWitt is the sixth NSCAA High School All-American recruited by Fleming and his staff in the past six years.
• Goodall, Maki, Rosen and Boyer all come to Xavier with past experience from development academies. 
• Fiflis comes from the Chicago Fire MLS Academy.

Gavin Boyer -- Forward/Midfielder -- Washington, D.C. (Howard HS/Baltimore Celtic Club)
A starting striker for Howard High, Boyer led the Lions to a 4A Regional Championship for the first time in 22 years. He scored 12 goals in 17 matches and was chosen First Team All-County. As a club player, Boyer was a 2014 USYSA U-16 National Champion with Baltimore Celtic. 

He was also recruited by Ohio State and Dayton.

Coach Fleming on Boyer: "Gavin flew a bit under the radar during his time with DC United and then emerged this past year with the rapidly rising Baltimore Celtic Club. He attended an ID camp in January and we were able to get a good find leading up to the February signing day. A smaller, quick player who plays with an edge, Gavin changes gears on the ball very well and reverses/disguises his passes better than most. A midfielder by trade, he could one day become an attacking outside back and in my eyes might be the biggest surprise of the group come August."

Robert DeWitt -- Midfielder -- Overland Park, Kan. (Rockhurst/Sporting Blue Valley SC)
An NSCAA All-American selection, DeWitt was the Missouri Class 4 Offensive Player of the Year after finishing his senior season with 10 goals and 11 assists and leading Rockhurst to a 21-7 record. The No. 15 rated player in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer in 2014, DeWitt led Rockhurst to a state championship in 2013.

He was also recruited by Creighton, Marquette, Saint Louis and Loyola Chicago.

Coach Fleming on DeWitt:
"Robert fits the profile of a Xavier player to a `T.' He's a camp alum coming from Rockhurst Jesuit and Chris Lawson, who have been very reliable to me over the years. Robert was chosen to play in the NSCAA National High School All American game this past fall and is a two-footed, versatile player and top-notch role model and leader. He's a guy who can play in as many as five spots and I think over time will prove to be a glue guy and mainstay in our program."

Lucas Fancello -- Goalkeeper -- Martigues, France (Ft. Lauderdale HS/Lynn University/AC Milan Academy)
Undefeated in goal (11-0) as a freshman at Lynn University, Fancello won a Division II National Championship and was named to the Sunshine State Conference All-Star Team. He made 29 saves in 11 starts, limiting opponents to a 1.00 goals against average as No. 3 Lynn went 19-1-1 overall to claim its fifth national title.

A three-year captain at Ft. Lauderdale High School, Fancello was born in France -- where his father was a professional cyclist.

Coach Fleming on Fancello:
"Lucas' record speaks for itself. He's undefeated as a collegiate starter and was an all-conference player as well as a national champion as a freshman. What he lacks in height he makes up for with his quickness off his line, his bravery in the air and ability to make game-changing saves in the top corners of the goal. He likely will ply his trade for a year as he waits his turn with our two seniors goalkeepers in tow and then will look to assert himself for the 2016 season. He reminds me a bit of William Yarborough of the U.S. National Team and will only get better with a year of training."

David Fiflis -- Goalkeeper -- Indian Head Park, Ill. (Lyons Township HS/Chicago Fire Academy)
A right-footed goalkeeper from the suburbs of Chicago, David Fiflis played club soccer for the Chicago Fire and was one five keepers on the U-18 Academy roster in 2014-15.

A veteran of three club seasons with the Fire Development Academy, Fiflis also played for Lyons Township during his freshman through junior seasons. During his junior season, he led his team to a 17-3-3 record and a sectional finals appearance.

He was also recruited by Wisconsin, Bradley and Yale.

Coach Fleming on Fiflis:
"David is someone who was in and out of the Chicago Fire's development team rotation and is part of a deep and talented goalkeeping crop in the Chicago area. His attitude, training habits and focused approach fit those of a typical Xavier goalkeeper, while his personality and leadership abilities will add to our goalkeeping group -- I think it's important for that group to have camaraderie and leadership within its hierarchy. He's a winner, a fighter and late riser and someone I think will be heard from down the road."

Jacob Goodall -- Defender -- Brandon, Fla. (Riverview High School/Chargers SC)
Rated a three-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer, Goodall is one of four XU recruits to spend time with a U.S. Development Team. He played in three national championships and was the captain of the Florida development team, while carrying a near-perfect 4.98 GPA.

He was also recruited by Providence and Florida Gulf Coast.

Coach Fleming on Goodall:
"Jacob is a left-footed, pass-first technical left back, very much in the mold of former Musketeer Matt Hill. His range of passing, ability to connect to front players and timing of getting forward made him unique and helped him catch our eye. His attention to defending on and off the ball, along with his engine and fitness, will quickly grow once he's in our program full time. After some time growing with the physical demands of the college level, his advanced technical ability will put him into the discussion for our backline depth -- which needs to get deeper over the next year."

Owen Jeffs -- Defender -- Cary, N.C. (Green Hope HS/Triangle Futbol Club Alliance)
A 4A NCHSAA State Champion as a sophomore, Jeffs was part of three conference championships during his time at Green Hope High School and scored six goals as a junior. In 2014, he was part of a team that was a U.S. Youth Region III Finalist.

He was also contacted by Elon.

Coach Fleming on Jeffs:
"Owen was the first to commit to this class and then tore his ACL last summer. He has worked hard this past year getting back and will continue that road leading into August. A stocky and physical defender, Owen has made some highlight-level tackles. He's a very head-down, bring-the-lunch-pail guy in addition to being a quiet leader by example. I think he will add personality and bite to this class and is someone who will be quickly known by our team during training camp."

Seth Junion -- Goalkeeper -- LaGrange, Ky. (North Oldham HS/Kentucky Fire Juniors Premiere)
A 6-foot-6 net minder from LaGrange, Ky., Seth Junion was part of the winningest class in North Oldham history and served as a team captain for both his high school and club teams. In 2013, he set his school's single season records for both goals against average and goals against in a single season.

Also prolific in the classroom, Junion has been named a national AP Scholar with Distinction and a two-time Academic All-State selection.

He was also recruited by Northern Kentucky.

Coach Fleming on Junion:
"Seth is someone who caught our attention at our College Soccer 101 Camp last summer. He has things you can't teach, as evidenced by his height, frame and long arms. His mild demeanor is great for a position that requires resiliency and composure and his selfless attitude will be an asset to our goalkeeping corps. Seth needs game action, a few years in the weight room and year-long goalkeeping progression and then it will be exciting to see where he goes."

Connor Maki -- Defender -- Naples, Fla. (IMG Soccer Academy)
Rated as a four-star prospect by Top Drawer Soccer, Maki played three years for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and was named the U-18 program's most improved player after the 2014-15 season. Prior to his stint at IMG Academy, Maki played for the New York Red Bulls USDA team.

He was also recruited by Boston College.

Coach Fleming on Maki:
"Connor is another guy who fell onto us late, as a relationship with past coach put him on our radar. Right away we saw a very physical left-sided defender who moves well, is strong in the air and certainly likes to tackle. Over time his ability to connect out of the back along with his comfort as both a center and left back grew on us. His father was a player in the Montreal Expos organization and you certainly can see that in his frame and athleticism. Coming from a year-round program at IMG Academy will certainly help ease his transition to the collegiate level."

Joshua Neptune -- Midfield/Forward -- Far Hills, N.J. (Bernards HS/Jersey United ASL)
A First Team All-State selection in 2014 and three-time conference champion, Neptune led Bernards High School with 18 goals and five assists last season. The 6-foot-1, athletic attacker was named a 2014 NJYSCA Top 6 Player in the County.

He was also recruited by UConn, UMass Amherst and Rutgers.

Coach Fleming on Neptune:
"Josh was identified by our staff at a camp on the East Coast and then later attended a one day ID camp here at Xavier. He has quick feet and a change of gear and is an effortless runner who glides with the ball. It will take him some time to adapt to the physical nature of this level and to learn how to play off of his teammates. Once that happens, I see a dangerous attacking player who has a gear not many have and can go in and change a game in a short period of time."

Travis Rosen -- Midfielder -- Boerne, Texas (Boerne Champion HS/San Antonio Scorpions)
A captain on his Scorpions club team, Rosen led the U-18's in scoring and assists the past two years. He was a two-year starter for Boerne Champion High School, scoring 15 goals as a sophomore and helping his team to the state quarterfinal in 2012.

He was also recruited by New Mexico.

Coach Fleming on Rosen:
"We saw Travis at the U.S. Development Academy playoffs and he then attended our College Soccer 101 camp about two weeks later. His ability to drive past players and get to the end line was one of the best we've seen as evidenced by him leading his team in scoring each of the past two seasons in a tough USSDA South region. Further, his decisions when to cut inside and to cut balls back are further along than most his age. His compact and powerful frame allows him to run hard and drive with the ball and fits in nicely as we continue to grow into a high tempo, pressing and attacking program."

Samson Sergi -- Forward -- Ashburn, Va. (Broad Run HS/Bethesda-Olney SC)
A First Team All-State forward from Ashburn, Virginia, Sergi was the captain of Broad Run High School's 2014 State Champion squad -- scoring 26 goals and mixing in 14 assists. He was also the leading scorer for the highly successful Bethesda-Olney U-18 Academy team in 2014-15.

At 6-foot-2, Sergi's size will create matchup problems in the box for many teams. Possessing a unique blend of size, speed and a good first touch, Sergi can finish in a variety of ways. He can also land a standing backflip and dunk a basketball.

A two-sport star, Sergi was named to the Washington Post All-Met Team in both soccer and football. He hit on 14-of-16 field goal attempts as a senior, helping the Broad Run Spartans to deep playoff runs in both seasons.

He was also recruited by Penn State, Drexel, James Madison and West Virginia.

Coach Fleming on Sergi:
"Sam is a guy we pursued for a long time and were able to pick up just hours before signing day. He's a leader on a very deep Bethesda-Olney team and his dad played at Penn State. You can see the bloodlines. Sam is a very savvy attacking player with a great feel for the game, instincts and he makes good soccer decisions. His long frame and surprising fast-twitch athleticism enables him to pass around, dribble through, head over and outrun defenders. Equally adept with his feet and in the air, Sam heard from several strong programs across the country and has impressed us with his efforts to connect fellow freshmen via social media this past winter."

Joash Sutherland -- Midfielder -- Christchurch, New Zealand (Burnside HS/Ole Football Academy)
Sutherland becomes the third New Zealand native on the roster, joining Cory Brown and Alex Ridsdale. He has extensive playing experience, helping his team to a second-place finish in the Wellington Central League as starting midfielder for the Western Suburbs.

Sutherland trained with the New Zealand National Teams in preparation for the U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cup and competed in the Mediterranean International Cup in Spain, playing against Barcelona FC's youth team.

He was also recruited by Milwaukee and Drexel.

Coach Fleming on Sutherland:
"Joash is our third Kiwi and second from Ole Academy, where he played for James Prosser and Ben Sippola. I liken Joash as a combination of MLS players Kyle Beckerman and Dax McCarty with his ability to effortlessly find and connect the game, yet also pose a threat to make a final pass and score from distance. His ability to play with his eyes up and open his body up on the ball is very advanced for his age and I can see him excelling in a variety of roles, especially as a two-way midfielder.

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