MADISON, Wis. -- Kyle McCrudden, the reigning Illinois high school player of the year, will join the Wisconsin men’s soccer program for the 2009 season after signing a national letter of intent to the play for the Badgers on Wednesday.

 

McCrudden, a native of Wilmette, Ill., is expected to play at defender or midfielder for the Badgers, who will begin their first season under the direction of new head coach Todd Yeagley.

 

“We are very excited to have Kyle join us next fall,” Yeagley said. “His versatility, ability to read the game and physical presence will immediately help us in the back and midfield positions.

 

“Kyle is also an outstanding young man who will be an excellent representative for the University of Wisconsin and our soccer program.”

 

McCrudden concluded his senior season at New Trier High School last November by leading the Trevians to a 21-1-1 record and their second Illinois Class 3A state championship in three years. He led the team in scoring with 22 goals and nine assists.

 

For his efforts, McCrudden earned All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, which also placed him on its All-Midwest Region team. He earned all-state distinction from The Chicago Tribune and Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association, whose membership also voted McCrudden the state’s player of the year.

 

In addition, McCrudden was named a second-team All-American by ESPN Rise, which also had his New Trier team ranked fourth in the nation in its final ratings of 2008.

 

In three years of varsity competition, McCrudden accounted for 42 goals and 23 assists as the Trevians claimed state titles in 2006 and 2008 and finished as state quarterfinalists in 2007, when he earned all-conference and all-sectional honors.

 

On the club side, McCrudden most recently played with the Chicago Fire Academy, which advanced to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy national finals and finished sixth in the nation two seasons ago. In 2008, McCrudden was named to the Mid-America Conference Starting XI team, an all-conference squad in the league’s under-17/18 division.

 

McCrudden also played for the Rockford Raptors and FC United club teams and was a three-year member of the 1991 Illinois Youth Soccer Olympic Development team, helping the team to win the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP national championship in 2007.

 

In addition to soccer, McCrudden also played baseball and is an honor-roll student at New Trier.

 

His father, Dan, was a four-time all-conference pick at Rhode Island and earned first-team All-America honors from the NSCAA as a senior in 1977. Dan McCrudden still ranks fourth in school history in both scoring and goals for the Rams.

 

For 2009, Kyle McCrudden joins a UW team returns 13 letterwinners and nine of its top 12 scorers from a squad that went 9-7-3 in 2008.