PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers men's soccer head coach Bob Reasso has announced the program will welcome eight recruits in the fall of 2007. The incoming class includes five New Jersey natives as well as players from Delaware, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
The list of eight recruits includes: Mike Volk, a defender from Bear, Del.; Dilly Duka, a midfielder from Montville, N.J.; Chris Edwards, a defensive midfielder from West Orange, N.J.; Mike Handlin, a defender from Bealeton, Va.; Paulie Calafiore, a back/midfielder from Howell, N.J.; Ben Gery, a forward from South Dennis, N.J.; Andrew Kontra, a forward from Lancaster, Pa.; and Justin Smith, a goalkeeper from North Brunswick, N.J.
"We are delighted with our recruiting class; it's one of the best we have had in years," Reasso said. "We had needs to fill after graduating some outstanding seniors, especially in the back and in the midfield. We are very pleased with the way we were able to answer our needs by adding some excellent players in those positions."
The first recruit, Mike Volk, is a defender from Bear, Del.Volk attends Salesianum High School and comes to Rutgers with an impressive resume, both athletically and academically. He earned First Team All-State honors in both 2005 and 2006 and All-Conference honors from 2004-06. Volk was ranked second in the state of Delaware and 15th in the nation in 2006, and was named a regional All-American as a senior. He led Salesianum to three-straight state titles and helped his team record 45-straight wins, a state record. During his senior season, Volk amassed 30 goals and 16 assists as a defender.
In addition, Volk was a member of the Kirkwood Premier club team from 1997-2007. As a member of Kirkwood, Volk won the state championship in 2000 and again from 2002-04. He was also a member of ODP in 2001 and from 2004-06, and was named ODP team captain in 2005-06 and the Region I ODP captain in 2006.
A two-sport athlete, Volk also played basketball at Salesianum for four years. Volk is a standout student, as well, as he is a member of both the National Honor Society and the student council.
"Mike is the Region I ODP team captain, the top defender available in the Northeast Region this year and one of the best in the country," said Reasso. "He comes from a very successful high school program. He is a tough competitor who we are expecting to come in and play right away."
Dilly Duka is a midfielder who will come to Rutgers from Montville Township High School in New Jersey. As a senior, he was named to the All-Conference and All-County first teams. He was the leading goal scorer in Morris County this past season with 30 goals while also finishing with 12 assists. He was named his team's Most Valuable Player two years in a row. Duka was also a member of the ODP 2007 Super Y National Team.
"We rated Dilly as the top attacking midfielder graduating this year from New Jersey," Reasso said. "He is very skillful with great vision, the ability to go by defenders and to make and get goals. We expect him to have an immediate impact on our program."
Chris Edwards, a native of West Orange, N.J., will join Rutgers as a defensive midfielder. Edwards, who is a senior at West Orange High School, earned All-State honors following a senior season in which his team won the Group IV state championship title. The Mountaineers also finished the season ranked 17th in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Edwards is also a member of the ODP N.J. state team and is a Region I ODP player.
"We rated Chris as the best defensive midfielder graduating this year from New Jersey," said Reasso. "He is very quick, technical and a very good defender who will only get better. He has the potential to play on the next level."
Mike Handlin, a defender from Bealeton, Va., comes to Rutgers as a four-year starter at Liberty High School. Handlin is a three-year All-Conference selection and will be playing his senior year of high school soccer this spring, as is typical of many Virginia high school soccer programs. He was also a member of the Region I ODP Team in 2006, as well as a member of the Virginia ODP State Team from 2002-07 where he had the opportunity to play in Germany.
"Mike is an outstanding athlete and a very competitive young man," said Reasso. "He is a quick, left footed wing back who has the ability to get forward and join the attack which fits our style of play."
Paulie Calafiore is the third New Jersey native to join the program, hailing from Howell. He was a three-year captain at Howell High School and played several positions for the Rebels. He played both forward and center midfield as a freshman and a sophomore, scoring 12 goals and recording 28 assists during those years. Calafiore made the switch to defense in his final two years at Howell, finishing with an additional 14 goals and 25 assists. He earned Most Valuable Player honors in three-consecutive years, en route to earning First Team All-Central Jersey and Third Team All-State honors. As a senior, his team recorded an 18-2-2 mark to finish 12th in the state.
Calafiore is also a three-year varsity wrestler at Howell and was a member of the 2005-06 A-North championship team. He has also seen success in the classroom, as he currently holds a 3.9 GPA and is a member of the National and Italian Honor Societies at Howell.
"Paulie is an outstanding student and a very versatile player," Reasso said. "He can play a number of positions and is another very competitive player. He is comfortable in the back and the midfield which will give us a number of options to use him."
Ben Gery, currently a senior at New Jersey's Wildwood Catholic High School, will join the program as a forward after finishing his high school career with 46 goals and 55 assists. Following his senior season at Wildwood, Gery earned Second Team All-South Jersey honors. He was also named the Most Valuable Player at the N.J. High School All-Star game. In addition, Gery played with the Ironbound club soccer team which won the N.J. State Championship. Gery has also been a member of the Wildwood swim team for the past three years.
"Ben is very versatile player who has excellent technique and is capable of scoring goals," said Reasso. "He is a quick player who can play a number of positions."
Andrew Kontra will join Rutgers as a forward from Hempfield High School in Landisville, Pa. Despite missing his senior season with a torn ACL, Kontra totaled 16 goals and 10 assists during his three years at Hempfield. He was his team's leading goal-scorer as a junior en route to being named his team's Player of the Year and Most Valuable Offensive Player. He was chosen as team captain during both his junior and senior years and took on the role of assistant coach while recovering from his injury. Kontra is also a multi-sport athlete, participating in track and field and varsity football at Hempfield. He currently holds the school record in the 800 meter and was a Pennsylvania state finalist in the event.
"Andrew is an outstanding soccer player and track runner, specializing in the 800 meter," Reasso said. "He is fast and technical and reminds me a lot of (former Rutgers player) Josh Gros when he was in high school. Andrew unfortunately tore his ACL at the end of last summer and was forced to miss his senior season, but he has since made a full recovery and is back running and playing. He is a great student and should be able to fight for playing time right away."
Justin Smith, a goalkeeper from nearby North Brunswick, N.J., posted nine shutouts during his senior season at North Brunswick Township High School. As a captain of his team, Smith allowed just 13 goals this past season as his team finished with a 16-4 record. The senior earned First Team All-Division honors as well as Second Team All-Central Jersey honors. During his junior season, his Raider team was Middlesex County champions as well as Central Jersey Group IV champions. Smith is a well-rounded athlete, having also participated in track and field and volleyball at North Brunswick.
"Justin is a big goalkeeper who is an outstanding athlete," said Reasso. "He has a great upside and possesses the athletic ability to be an exceptional Division I goalkeeper."
