Nickolas McCreath, forward, senior, Rhode Island (Atlantic 10 Conference) – The Rams go to man who is a quick, creative, and consistent goal scorer.  An exciting player to watch he is very tough to defend particularly when he receives the ball at his feet in the attacking third.  McCreath had 21 goals and 11 assists in 2000.  Seven of his goals were game winners.  A consensus All American selection who may very well end up being the University of Rhode Island’s all time leader in points scored, goals and assists.  A prime time player for the Rams.  Look for him to be a heavily marked man in 2001 but expect a great season from him.  

 

Justin Cook, forward, sophomore, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference) – A natural finisher.  Cook was a two time All State selection at Oviedo High School in Winter Springs, Florida before entering the collegiate ranks.  He led the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2000 with 10 goals and 6 assists.  Cook was the 2000 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.  He has a knack for finding the back of the net and is very tough to defend in the attacking third.  Count on Cook burning more than a few opponents during his tenure as a Buckeye.  

 

Jack Jewsbury, forward, junior, Saint Louis University  (Conference U.S.A) – Jewsbury scored a total of 124 goals during his four seasons as a high school player.  He successfully made the transition to the next level contributing 8 goals and 4 assists his freshman season at St. Louis University in 1999.  Jewsbury was the Billikens’ leading scorer in 2000 with 13 goals and five assists.  Four of his goals were game winners in 2000.  A third team All-America selection in 2000 by Mad Dog College Soccer, Soccer America, and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.  Jewsbury is a clutch player with the ability to make the big play.  He was the Conference U.S.A. player of the year in 2000.   

 

Gavin Glinton, forward, senior, Bradley (Missouri Valley Conference) – Glinton is a great finisher who has found the back of the net 43 times over the past three years for the Bradley Braves.  Twelve of those have been game winners.  In 2000 Glinton scored 15 goals and added 11 assists.  Going into his senior year in 2001, Glinton is already Bradley’s all-time points leader and all- time goal scorer.  He is an explosive goal scorer who can play with anyone.  Definitely a prime timer.  Glinton teamed with Bryan Namoff and Hamid Mehreioskouei to give Bradley one of the top goal scoring trios in the country in 2000.  Namoff has graduated and is now playing professionally with D.C. United.  The loss of Namoff will enable opponents to focus more on Glinton but it is likely that he will continue to find the back of the net on a regular basis in 2001.   

 

John Barry Nusom, senior, forward, Furman University – (Southern Conference) A creative and decisive finisher who has had a big impact on the Paladin program over the past three years.  He scored 18 goals and recorded 12 assists in the 2000 season. Simply stated Nusom has been a nuisance to Paladin opponents for the past three seasons.  A prime time player who already ranks as Furman’s all-time leader in total points with 122.  He is second in career goals with 45 and is third in career assists with 32.  Those who like to downplay the Paladins because they compete in the Southern Conference are living in the past.  Furman has been very successful when playing ranked opponents and the Southern Conference has some very talented teams who have held their own when competing with teams from the nearby Atlantic Coast Conference.  Nusom, like Furman, can play with anyone, anywhere.  

 

Ryan Coiner, junior, forward, San Diego (West Coast Conference) – Coiner burst onto the collegiate scene in high fashion in 2000.  He quickly and decisively established that he could consistently find the back of the net.  Coiner’s 17 goals and six assists were a big factor in the success of the Toreros in 2000 as they won the West Coast Conference and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tourney before losing to Creighton University. Coiner will be a marked man so to speak in 2001 so it should be interesting to see if he can continue to produce at the level he did in 2000.  Look for both San Diego and Coiner to be solid in 2001.      

 

Pat Noonan, junior, midfielder/forward, Indiana University (Big Ten Conference) - Noonan is another in a long line of talented high school players coming out of the St. Louis area.  He had an outstanding freshman season for the Hoosiers in 1999 starting every match and scoring seven goals during the season.  In 2000 he again played very well scoring 11 goals and adding 6 assists.  Matt Fundenberger, Indiana’s top scorer in 2000, has graduated.  Midfielder Ryan Mack recently suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament for which he has undergone surgery.  Those are two difficult players to replace.  Regardless, the Hoosiers are going to have plenty of talent in 2001.  Look for Noonan in particular to pick up the pace and led the Hoosier attack in 2001.

 

Abe Thompson, sophomore, forward, University of Maryland (Atlantic Coast Conference) -   Thompson scored 84 goals and recorded 18 assists at W.T. Woodson High School.  Coming into the 2000 season for the Terps;  Thompson had some big shoes to fill when All-American forward Taylor  Twellman passed up his final two years of collegiate eligibility to play professionally.  To further complicate things, Maryland faced an unusual number of injuries that hampered their play.  Regardless, Thompson led the Terp attack with 13 goals and 5 assists in 2000.  Thompson is a  strong forward and finisher in the mold of U.C.L.A.’s McKinley  Tennyson Jr. He is a very effective ball winner who will punish defenders who are not alert.  Look for Thompson to have a very good year in 2001.  Also keep an eye out for Maryland to bounce back in style.  

 

Arturo Torres, junior, forward, Loyola Marymount University (West Coast Conference) - Torres, who had 11 goals and 10 assists in 2000, scored or assisted on 21 of the Lions 26 goals during the 2000 season.  Three of his goals were game winners.  Entering his junior year, Torres already holds five single-season and career Loyola Marymount scoring records.  Torres was honored as the West Coast Conference co-player of the year in 2000.  Coach Paul Krumpe’s 2000 Loyola Marymount team concluded the season with a 10-7-1 overall record which established a new school record for wins in a single season.  Look for Torres and his teammates to shatter more records and to take the Loyola Marymount program to a higher level. 

 

Jason Thompson, sophomore, forward, Eastern Illinois (Missouri Valley Conference) - Thompson put the ball into the net more times than any Division I player in 2000 scoring a total of 21 goals.  He also contributed 7 assists.  Not a bad freshman season!  The Panthers scored a total of 48 goals in 2000 as compared to a mere 17 in 1999.  Thompson was one of the main reasons for the significant increase in output.  He was honored as the All Missouri Valley Freshman of the year in 2000 and was a second team All Conference selection.  Eastern Illinois losses five starters from the 2000 season due to graduation but with returning players like Thompson you can expect Coach Adam Howarth to again field a competitive and explosive team in 2001.