(San Francisco) – USF men’s soccer announces a highly skilled group of incoming recruits for the 2009 season as released today by head coach Erik Visser. Two highly-touted newcomers have signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) – 6-6 goalkeeper Brendan Roslund (Denver, CO), and 6-1 striker Oscar Englund (Stockholm, Sweden), while 5-11 defender Kyle Dagan (Westlake Village, CA/Notre Dame) and 5-10 goalkeeper Franco Carotenuto (Phoenix, AZ/Grand Canyon) have signed scholarship agreements as transfers.
 
In addition, the defending West Coast Conference champions welcome seven additional student-athletes to the roster – 6-3 goalkeeper Ryan Newland (Truckee, CA), 5-10 goalkeeper Jojo Vitale (Las Vegas), 5-9 defender Cody Barnett (Las Vegas), 6-3 midfielder Vinny Caloiaro (Saratoga, CA), 5-8 midfielder Nick Rihn (Glendale, CA), 5-7 midfielder Gabe Goldsmith (Oakland, CA) and 5-10 forward Gijs Niehe (Bussum, Holland).
 
“I’m quite pleased with the class we were able to bring in and specifically fill the needs we had to address due to graduation,” USF head coach Erik Visser said. “Overall, I think the recruiting class addressed our immediate needs. I think it’s a well-balanced recruiting class. We brought in a lot of talent with an eye towards future development.”
 
GOALKEEPERS:
Visser on the final line of defense: “The number one position we needed to fill was the goalkeeping position. We had two starting goalkeepers that graduated and we needed to fill this position with talent and depth.
 
BRENDAN ROSLUND, 6-6, 205, Fr., Goalkeeper (Denver, CO/Denver Christian)
Roslund turned in a highly decorated prep career at Denver Christian and competed in the prestigious Colorado Rapids Development Academy. As the final line of defense for the Crusaders, Roslund posted a career prep GAA of 0.71 and helped the Crusaders to the State Championship as a junior and a semifinals appearance as a senior. The three-time All-Metro League selection captured All-State, Colorado Coaches All-State, All-State Academic (HM) honors and served as team captain. Roslund competed in the U-18 US National Team Pool and spent three seasons on the ODP State Team.
 
Visser on Roslund: “Brendan is athletically gifted. He’s impressed us by being able to make the big save we really look for in our goalkeepers. He’s still young and still has to develop and continue to grow in various areas of his game, but he has terrific distribution and is able to punt the ball 80-90 yards. I think he’s going to bring a different dimension to our team.”
 
FRANCO CAROTENUTO, 5-10, 180, Sr. Goalkeeper (Phoenix, AZ/Grand Canyon)
A highly decorated collegiate goalkeeper, Carotenuto was a two-year starter at Division II power Grand Canyon and led the nation in saves percentage (.875) and was fifth in GAA (0.56) last season and established new single-season records for the Antelopes in both categories. A two-time Pacific West Goalkeeper of the Year, Carotenuto posted 16 shutouts with 162 saves in two seasons between the pipes at Grand Canyon. A standout prep and club player, Carotenuto played club soccer with former Dons standouts and current MLS players Brandon McDonald and Rob Valentino with the Sereno Soccer Club.
 
Visser on Carotenuto: “Franco brings much needed experience to our goalkeeping corps. He has a tremendous presence. He’s very athletic, very quick and he’s very confident. He communicates well with his defense. Overall, his experience and leadership were very important for us to add to the goalkeeper staff.”
 
RYAN NEWLAND, 6-3, 205, Fr., Goalkeeper (Truckee, CA/Truckee HS)
Newland was the starting goalkeeper for three Nevada state championship teams at Truckee High School. A two-time All-State Player, Newland was named Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was a two-time all-league and all-region selection. Newland competed for the San Juan Lightening and helped the club team win the 2008 Surf Cup and achieve a No. 7 national ranking in 2009.
 
Visser on Newland: “Ryan has good size and athletic ability. He has continued to develop well over the last couple years and he’s good on the ground and he’s also good coming out on crosses. We feel that he is a goalkeeper of the future and he can really help us.”
 
JOSEPH “JOJO” VITALE, 5-10, 180, Fr., Goalkeeper (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman HS)
Vitale comes to the Hilltop after a strong prep career at Bishop Gorman High School, serving as the final line of defense as the Gaels won back-to-back state championships in 2006-07. A two-time All-State and All-Region selection, Vitale helped Bishop Gorman to four consecutive Nevada Regional titles. While playing for the Las Vegas Premier, Vitale helped his club team to the 2009 State Championship.
 
Visser on Vitale: “Jojo had a very solid high school career at Bishop Gorman. He has many of the ingredients that we look for in a goalkeeper. He’s quick. He’s athletic. He has good presence and good feet. He is capable of making the big save and I think he will be competing right away.”
 
DEFENDERS:
KYLE DAGAN, 5-11, 195, Sr., Defender (Westlake Village, CA/Notre Dame)
Dagan transfers to USF after capturing three varsity letters at Notre Dame. An experienced leader with strong organizational skills, Dagan appeared in 23 matches for the Irish with 10 starting assignments. Notre Dame captured back-to-back Big East Blue Championships (2007-08) and twice advanced the NCAA Quarterfinals (2006-07). A strong performer in the classroom, Dagan earned BIG EAST Academic All-Star selection. A highly decorated prep and club player, Dagan helped So Cal United to the 2003 U-16 National Championship and three consecutive California Premier titles.
 
Visser on Dagan: “Kyle is a very versatile player and can play in the center back or on the outside. He’s very athletic with great desire and anticipation. He’s capable of playing the ball out of the back. We expect him to bring the leadership and the ability to communicate with the back of the defense to create a solid unit.”
 
CODY BARNETT, 5-9, 165, Fr., Defender (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman HS)
Barnett enjoyed a solid career at Bishop Gorman High School and helped the Gaels win back-to-back state championships in 2006-07. In four seasons at the Nevada prep power, Barnett helped Bishop Gorman to four consecutive Nevada Regional titles.
 
Visser on Barnett: “Cody is a late addition to our program. Like Jojo Vitale, he played at Bishop Gorman. He’s a good, quick, fast defender. Obviously coming in there’s going to be a lot of competition in the back, but Cody has the tools and the ingredients to compete for playing time.”
 
MIDFIELDERS:
NICK RIHN, 5-8, 138, Fr., Midfielder (Glendale, CA/St. Francis HS)
Rihn turned in a strong prep career at St. Francis High School, capturing team MVP honors and All-CIF Second Team accolades. As a senior captain, Rihn helped the Golden Knights to the CIF Southern California Regional Div. II crown. An accomplished club player, Rihn spent four seasons with Real So Cal, which won three national championships.
 
Visser on Rihn: “Nick is a creative, crafty, quick midfielder in the mold of former USF standout Cameron Kolovos. He’s very good on the ball. He’s very quick, he dribbles well, takes players on and gives us some creativity and pizzazz  in the midfield.”
 
VINNY CALOIARO, 6-3, 170, Fr. Midfielder (Saratoga, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS)
Caloiaro emerged as a force as a senior at Archbishop Mitty and captured all-Western Catholic Athletic League honors following his senior season. In addition to a solid prep career, Caloiaro played for the De Anza Force and helped the club team secure the Super Y League Championship and the Disney Showcase title. Caloiaro’s brother, Angelo, is a sophomore forward on the USF men’s basketball team.
 
Visser on Caloiaro: “Vinny’s development has been really remarkable. The progress he’s made from his junior year to senior year has been tremendous. He’s been improving in all areas of his game in the midfield with leaps and bounds. If the progress he’s made in the last season is any indication of how he’s going to develop he can look forward to a fine career at USF.”
 
GABRIEL GOLDSMITH, 5-7, 160, Fr., Midfielder (Oakland, CA/Head-Royce)
A Bay Area product, Goldsmith was a heavily decorated prep player at Head-Royce School, helping the Jayhawks to four consecutive league championships. Goldsmith also lifted Head-Royce into the NCS Finals as a freshman and as a senior. During club play, Goldsmith helped Marin FC to the U-18 2008 Surf Cup Championship and the 2009 State Cup title.
 
Visser on Goldsmith: “We’re very pleased to add Gabe to the roster. We felt we needed a little more depth and a little bit more speed on the left side. He’s a pure left-footer, which is something we don’t have much of on the team. We feel his ability to play the midfield as well as the back with his versatility and speed will give us a different dimension on the left side.”
 
FORWARDS:
OSCAR ENGLUND, 6-1, 190, Forward (Stockholm, Sweden/Frans Schartau)
Englund brings a high level of soccer skill to the Hilltop and competed for the Division III Huddinge IF in his native Sweden.
 
Visser on Englund: “We are very happy to add Oscar Englund. He’s a very technical striker, who combines very well and takes players on. He’s a scoring threat and I really feel that Oscar as a freshman will make an immediate impact and become a very good college player for the Dons.”
 
GIJS NIEHE, 5-10, 165, Fr., Forward (Bussum, Holland/Sint Vitus College Bussum)
Niehe spent 14 seasons competing for BFC-Bussum and helped the club team to four league championships. During his stint with BFC-Bussum, he was selected to compete on the regional squad three times.
 
Visser on Niehe: “Gijs is a young, talented player from the Netherlands. He will be a young freshman coming in. He has all the ingredients to be a good college player. He probably needs to develop his strength and speed but he has a great attitude and work rate which will fit in really well in our program”
 
FOR TRANSACTIONS: Division I Men’s Soccer: University of San Francisco has signed 6-6 goalkeeper Brendan Roslund (Denver, CAO), and 6-1 striker Oscar Englund (Stockholm, Sweden) to National Letters of Intent (NLI) while 5-11 defender Kyle Dagan (Westlake Village, CA/Notre Dame) and 5-10 goalkeeper Franco Carotenuto (Phoenix, AZ/Grand Canyon) have signed scholarship agreements. In addition, 6-3 goalkeeper Ryan Newland (Truckee, CA), 5-10 goalkeeper Jojo Vitale (Las Vegas), 5-9 defender Cody Barnett (Las Vegas), 6-3 midfielder Vinny Caloiaro (Saratoga, CA), 5-8 midfielder Nick Rihn (Glendale, CA), 5-7 midfielder Gabe Goldsmith (Oakland, CA) and 5-10 forward Gijs Niehe (Bussum, Holland) will also play for USF in the 2009 season as announced by head coach Erik Visser.