Wiseman announces 2011 men’s soccer recruiting class

OLIVET, Mich. -- Olivet College Head Men's Soccer Coach Chad Wiseman recently announced 13 student-athletes have committed to play for the Comets beginning in the fall of 2011.

The commitments include Andrew Green (Pompano Beach, Fla./Palm Beach State College), Camden Iwasko (Livonia/Stevenson), Kyle Kok (Dorr/South Christian), Alex Lang (West Bloomfield/Detroit Catholic Central), John Leutzinger (Washington/Warren De La Salle), Jon Puente (Kalamazoo/Galesburg Augusta), Esteban Russell (Dewitt/Dewitt), Zach Schulz (Farmington/Farmington), Corey Shean (Mattawan/Mattawan), Judd Sikkema (Richland/Gull Lake), Evan Simpson (Washington/Romeo), Matt Van Houten (Northville/Northville) and Jared Wilson-Santos (Lansing/Everett).

"In this recruiting class, we had very specific needs and we set our sights high," said Wiseman. "Our final product is a class of 13 accomplished, ambitious and driven young men. These are players who have set very high goals for themselves, and we are honored that they have chosen to come to Olivet College to make those goals a reality.

"When you build a team, having a variety of pieces and the right types of players is very important. Each of these young men were identified because they fit our style of play and also because they bring something a little different to the table. Their individual honors and accolades speak for themselves but more importantly they represent the type of people that we want representing our program and college.

"This group brings with it a tremendous amount of athleticism and technical ability," continued Wiseman. "In addition, these players have an astonishing attitude toward winning. They are all highly competitive and are committed toward trying to be their very best both on the soccer field and in the classroom. We are really looking forward to having them join the Olivet family and to continue building upon on our success the past two years."

INCOMING FRESHMEN

Andrew Green – Defender – 6'3" – 190 lbs.
(Pompano Beach, Fla./Palm Beach State College)
"Andrew has spent the last couple years down south in Florida. He is an aggressive player that is very eager to contribute to our team's success. He, like many other defenders in this class, brings great size and strength to the team. His composure on the ball and ability to switch the points of attack will be a great asset to the program."

Camden Iwasko – Midfield – 5"11" – 150 lbs.
(Livonia/Livonia Stevenson/Michigan Wolves)
"Camden comes from the outstanding Michigan Wolves club team. He is a play maker who demands control of the center midfield. He has great vision and understanding of the game. Camden will be looked at to help generate attacks for the next four years. Camden wants to win and he also knows how to win."

Kyle Kok – Midfielder – 6'3" – 175 lbs.
(Dorr/South Christian/Georgetown Rangers)
"Kyle has great passing ability to go along with a physical presence which allows him to dominate the opposition in a number of ways. He will bring some much needed toughness to the squad. Kyle has a tremendous attitude and tireless work-rate. He will add a lot to our team both on and off the field."

Alex Lang – Goalkeeper – 5'10" – 155 lbs.
(West Bloomfield/Detroit Catholic Central/Michigan Rush)
"Alex is a very solid goalkeeper. He has a great understanding for the position. Alex has exceptional distribution skills with both his feet and his arm. He brings an attitude of wanting to compete day in and day out. Alex has a confidence about himself that will rub off on all the players in front of him."

John Leutzinger – Defender – 6'4" – 180 lbs.
(Washington/Warren De La Salle/Vardar)
"John is an outside back that brings great size to the team. He has a dominating physical presence in the air. John is also very composed and skilled on the ball. He will not only add to our team defense, he will generate attacks we have not seen over the last couple years. John comes from exceptional high school and club soccer programs."

Jon Puente – Midfielder – 6'1" – 170 lbs.
(Kalamazoo/Galesburg Augusta/Kingdom Premier)
"Jon plays both in the center midfield as an attacking midfielder and can also play up front as a striker. He is very dangerous around the goal, has a great shot and is a free kick specialist. Jon, like all of the others in the class, is very skillful and a good possession player. He also brings good size to the team that should allow him to compete for minutes right away."

Esteban Russell – Forward – 5'10" – 165 lbs.
(Dewitt/Dewitt/TNT Dynamite)
"Esteban was named the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year. He was highly recruited throughout the Midwest. Esteban had the opportunity to work with and be coached by many quality coaches throughout his youth career. He is very fast, extremely quick and incredibly strong. He is also a very skilled finisher and has all the tools to have an immediate impact on our team and in the MIAA."

Zach Schulz – Midfielder – 5'10" – 160 lbs.
(Farmington/Farmington/TNT Dynamite)
"Zach is a superior athlete who has the ability to play many different positions. He is a great student of the game, and is always trying to better himself. Zach is familiar with several of the current and incoming players on the team. He will have an impact right away on all aspects of the program."

Corey Shean – Forward – 5'10" – 145 lbs.
(Mattawan/Mattawan/Kingdom Premier)
"Corey is someone I've been watching develop since he was around 11 years old, and his ability to play soccer and dedication to the game has never been questioned. Corey is an explosive attacker who loves to run at defenders. He is strong in possession. Corey combines well with other players and is a scoring threat with both feet."

Judd Sikkema – Midfield – 5'10" – 155 lbs.
(Augusta/Gull Lake/Kingdom Premier)
"I am thrilled to have Judd join the program and feel his technical skills and knowledge of the game will enable him to excel in the college environment. He is a proven goal-scorer with a lethal left foot. Judd's overall attitude and love for the game will also add much to the chemistry of the team. I expect him to compete for playing time as a flank midfielder and possibly at the striker position."

Evan Simpson – Defender – 6'1" 155 lbs.
(Washington/Romeo/Waza FC)
"Evan brings some much needed speed and quickness to our backline. He can play both centrally and outside on the backline. He has a work rate second to none. Evan will bring with him a lot of energy and a very coachable spirit. He is determined to succeed both on the field and in the classroom."

Matt Van Houten – Goalkeeper – 6'0" – 155 lbs.
(Northville/Northville/Canton Celtic)
Matt is a player who makes all his teammates better and brings a training ethic rarely seen in collegiate players. Technically he is very sound and very good at closing down shooting angles. Coming off his line and competing for balls in the air is another one of Matt's strengths. He is a winner on and off the field.

Jared Wilson-Santos – Forward – 5'8" – 150 lbs.
(Lansing/Everett /Michigan Chill)
"Jared has an explosive first step to beat defenders. He is a skilled finisher with a heavy left foot and is also capable of playing in the midfield. Jared's athletic ability will be a great asset to our program. Scoring goals is something he has done his entire youth career and we expect that to continue at the college level."

NOTE: On the line after the student-athlete's name above, the next three items in order are the athlete's hometown, high school and club team.