The Flyers have brought in three freshmen this year who were rated among the top 100 recruits in the nation, including Marlon Duran of Duncansville, Texas, a former captain of the U.S. national U17 soccer team and a current member of the U20 national squad.
Victor Duru of Powder Springs, Ga., and Jonathan Nelson of Lawrenceville, Ga., also made the TopDrawSoccer top 100.
UD’s recruiting class was ranked 20th overall by College Soccer News.
“We have a higher pedigree of player,” said Currier, who is beginning his sixth year. “You look at Marlon Duran ... one of the top five prospects in the country. We weren’t seeing those kids have as much interest as they do now.”
UD has ranked among the top 20 nationally in scoring the last two years, and that aggressive style appeals to recruits.
“We’ve really established ourselves as an attacking offense,” said Currier, whose team opens the season at Cincinnati on Wednesday, Sept. 1. “We’ve attracted kids who want to play in that style. We hope to maintain that and continue that high-powered offense.”
Getting bigger
A thumping by Virginia Tech in the NCAA tournament last year has prompted UD women’s soccer coach Mike Tucker to tweak his recruiting focus.
UD has always been athletic, though somewhat on the small side. Tucker has been looking for more size of late to be better equipped to win those battles for the ball in the air.
“Frankly, last year when we played Virginia Tech, it looked like little girls against women out there physically,” said Tucker, who is in his 16th year. “We were as good as soccer players. We did everything else as well. But they were throwing 5-10 and 5-11 kids at every position.
“This year, we go from being maybe the smallest team in the A-10 to maybe the biggest, and we’re just as quick and just as athletic. We’ve closed that gap, and I don’t see why we can’t compete with just about anyone in the country if we get into the (NCAA) tournament.”
The Flyers finished 16-1-6 last year and are picked to win the A-10 again. They’re 2-0 going into a trip west to play Colorado College and the Air Force Academy this weekend.
Baby on way
UD volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield and his wife, Cathy, are expecting their first child on Sept. 24. That’s the same day the Flyers play at A-10 rival Saint Louis.
Not exactly ideal timing.
“I talked to her about seeing if she can cooperate and have it on a day off,” Sheffield said.
Contact this writer at (937) 225-2125 or
dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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