Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech’s men’s soccer program has inked ten signees for the upcoming season, including five Virginia natives, as well as recruits from as far away as Florida and Iowa. Head Coach Mike Brizendine stressed the group’s versatility as well as their character, both on and off the field.
“We’re very excited about bringing this group in,” said Brizendine. “Coach [Kevin] Doyle and [Patrick] McSorley have worked dilighently at putting a group together that meets our needs both on the field and off. Our goal with every recruiting class is to have a couple of players that can impact the program immediately while also adding depth. With this class I think that we achieve that goal.”
Here are the Hokies’ ten signees, listed alphabetically.
Jahti Anderson (Decatur, Ga.)
Anderson was a captain of his squad at Decatur High School, where he specialized as a forward and midfielder. He lettered all four years on the team and earnd MVP honors in his freshman season. He played on three club teams during his prep years as well. He played two years with the North American Soccer Association, where the team was named Disney Champions. In one season with the Gwinnett Soccer Association, out of Gwinnett County, Ga., he helped the team earn a state championship. He also played one season with an ODP club, where he won the ODP National Championship.
Hunter Byrnes (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Byrnes was a midfielder and team captain at FW Cox High School, where he has played on the varsity squad all four years, helping them to AAA State Championships in 2009 and 2010. In his sophomore season, he was named to the All-District second team. His junior year, he made first team All-District, All-Regional, All-Tidewater, All-State and All-South squads. He played club soccer with the Beach FC Fire and on the 92 State ODP team from 2006-2009. He helped his squads earn three state championships, as well as the regional finals and semifinals.
Drew Hartell (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Hartell spent his prep years with three different squads, playing forward and midfield at Edison Academy, Norfolk Christian High School and finally FW Cox High School. He earned first team All-TCIS accolades, as well as second team All-State, Rookie of the Year and Tournament MVP honors. He was a multi-sport athlete at Norfolk Christian as well, serving as the kicker on the football team and as a guard on their basketball team. He played club soccer with the Beach FC Fire squad since 2002 and had additional stints with the Hampton Road Piranhas, Super 20s and the Virginia ODP Regional, State and District teams. His Beach FC Fire were three-time state champions and three-time state champion runners-up and made it to the regional finals. Hartell was selected to the U17 US National Team Residency (Bradenton) and was selected to the VCCL All Star Team.
Zachary Hoover (Manassas, Va.)
Hoover lettered all four years at Osbourn High School, helping his squad to the All-District and All-State quarterfinals. He also played four seasons with the Virginia ODP team, in which they won the Region I Championships and made it all the way to the National Championships, where they placed fourth.
Hunter Maricle (Clearwater, Fla.)
Maricle was the starting goal keeper at Countryside High School, where he earned All-County honors. He started in between the posts with his club squad, the Clearwater Chargers Academy, and was part of the 2010 spring showcase select game. He was also on the ODP state team from 2006-2008 and helped them become 2007 Regional Champions.
Kevin Reitzel (Ashburn, Va.)
Reitzel started on the varsity soccer squad at Broad Run High School all four years and served as a team captain his senior season. In his junior season, he earned first team All-District and second team All-Region honors and was also named an honorable mention for the All-State and All-Met squads. Broad Run was a AA State semi-finalist in 2009 and 2010, Region II Champions in 2010 and Dulles District Champions in 2009 and 2010. He played on four club teams over the years, including state and regional ODP teams. Reitzel was a Virginia State Cup Champion from 2007-2009 and earned a trip with the U14 ODP National Camp. His state ODP team placed fourth nationally in 2009, and the Region I squad was the tournament champion in 2008.
Ryan Schmidt (Catlett, Va.)
Schmidt earned the starting keeper position at Liberty High School in Bealton, Va., his freshman season, becoming only the second freshman starting keeper in school history. He continued earning varsity letters his next three seasons at Kettle Run High School in Nokesville, Va., helping lead the team to their first ever Region II semi-final last season. As a result of a succesful 2010 campaign, he was named to the Evergreen All-District Boy’s First Team. In 2009 he was his high school’s MVP and was selected to the Northwestern All-District Boys’ Second Team. In 2008 he helped guide his club team, NVSC Jr. Royals ‘92, to the NCSL D-1 Finals as the sixth-ranked team in the state. With the Northern Virginia Royals USL Super-Y, his U16 squad was 2008 South Atlantic Champions and his U17 2009 team went to the North American Finals.
Ben Strong (Mendham, N.J.)
Strong started three years at center midfield with the varsity squad at West Morris Mendham High School, playing in every game during that period. He also holds the school’s single-game assist record (5). As the leading scorer and co-captain his senior year, Strong earned MVP Player of the Year at his high school and was named first team NJAC Group 3 All-Conference, All-Morris County, All-Area Daily Record, All-Group 3 and third team All-State. As a team co-captain in 2009, he earned his high school’s Best All-Around Player Award and was named to the first team NJAC Group 3 All-Conference and All-Morris County. He helped guide his club team, FC Copa Forza U18, to three consecutive trips to the Dallas Cup and Disney Classic, from 2008-2010. In 2008, they were US Club New Jersey State Champions and US Club National Finalists. In 2006, they earned a Regional 3v3 Championship and made it to the National 3v3 Finals. They were also 2003 NJ State Cup Champions and 2004 NJ State Cup Finalists, with Strong earning State Cup MVP honors for the 2003 campaign.
Mike Wilkie (Harrison City, Pa.)
In three years playing at Penn-Trafford High School, Wilkie was twice an All-WPIAL selection, in 2009 and 2010, and was named All-Section from 2008-2010. At forward, Wilkie tied for second in the WPIAL in scoring (23 goals) his junior season, and led his team in scoring during his junior and sophomore campaigns. He led his club team, Allegheny Force FC, in scoring five out of the six years he competed with them and helped them earn a State Cup Championship in 2006. His Region I ODP team was Interregional Champions at Disney’s Wide World of Sports and was selected for an international trip to the United Kingdom. The PA West ODP were Region I Champions in 2009 and took third at the Nationals in Arizona in 2010.
Will Witherspoon (Ankeny, Iowa)
With the Ankeny Soccer Club in 2007, Witherspoon helped steer them to a Iowa State Cup Championship and earned a Kansas State Cup Champion with Sporting Kansas City’s U18 club in 2009. He was with the ‘92 Iowa ODP State Team from 2004-2008, and in 2008 they made it to the finals of the 2008 Denmark/Sweden Tour Vildbjerg Cup. Witherspoon was also selected to the ‘92 ODP Region 2 Team from 2006-2008 that went to the 2008 Barcelona Tour, 2007 Interregional and 2006 England/Scotland Tour.
2011 Virginia Tech Signees by State
Virginia (5)
Hunter Byrnes (Virginia Beach)
Drew Hartell (Virginia Beach)
Zachary Hoover (Manassas)
Kevin Reitzel (Ashburn)
Ryan Schmidt (Catlett)
Florida (1)
Hunter Maricle (Clearwater)
Georgia (1)
Jahti Anderson (Decatur)
Iowa (1)
Will Witherspoon (Ankeny)
New Jersey (1)
Ben Strong (Mendham)
Pennsylvania (1)
Mike Wilkie (Harrison City)