@OspreyMSOC Announces Eight Additions for 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The North Florida men's soccer program and Head Coach Derek Marinatos announced the signing of eight new Ospreys who inked their National Letters of Intent this week.

Since the arrival of Marinatos in 2011, the Ospreys have annually added top tier talent which led to the program's first ever NCAA Tournament berth and Atlantic Sun Conference Championship in 2015. Last season's A-Sun Co-Coach of the Year has guided the Ospreys to three consecutive conference title games.

"Our goal with the 2016 class was to reload our roster with talent in order to put this program in a position to defend our A-Sun title," said Marinatos. "With this class of excellent student-athletes, our two spring additions and strong group of returning players, we feel confident where we are going into the fall."

Not only has Marinatos and his staff been successful in recruiting high-level talent on the field but his student-athletes have garnered a number of off-the-field accolades. In four years 53 players have been placed on the Atlantic Sun Conference Academic Honor roll and the program is a recipient of three consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Awards.

"This is a group of excellent students with strong work ethics and high character," added Marinatos. "Not only are there some immediate-impact level players in this group but these guys have the opportunity to contribute positively to our campus community."

2016 Signing Class

Cormac Begley – Oviedo, Fla. (Trinity Prep School)
Position: M
Ht: 5-8
Club Team: Orlando City Academy

Notes: Played three years for Orlando City Academy at the club level… Was the team leader in assists on a team that made consecutive playoff appearances… His U15 team was ranked #8 in the nation and reached the Florida State Cup Final Four... He is second on his U-18 Academy team this season with seven goals and 14 assists.

Coach's Quote: "Cormac is a wide player that is capable of playing on either side, as well as centrally. He is equally talented with both feet and capable of both scoring and setting up goals. He has been well prepared at Orlando City's MLS academy program and has a very high soccer IQ."

Bobby Bynum – Haymarket, Va. (Battlefield HS)
Position: M/F
Ht: 5-10
Club Team: Arlington Impact Red

Notes: Member of the Battlefield High School squad that has captured four consecutive District Championship and three regular season championships... Garnered All-Conference honors his first three years of high school including All-Region and All-State accolades as a junior... Scored 29 goals and recorded 25 assists in three years at Battlefield... Played for Arlington Impact Red club team that reach the 2015 National Championship... He leads the Red in assists and scored two goals and notched three assists in National League play.

Coach's Quote: "Bobby is another very quick, dynamic attacking player with very good technical habits. He is capable of playing wide or up top. He played for a 2015 National Championship club team in Arlington Impact that plays an excellent brand of attacking football, similar to ours. Credit to Coach Dunn for identifying him."

Mikey Connell – Lutz, Fla. (Steinbrenner HS)
Position: M
Ht: 6-1
Club Team: FC Tampa Rangers

Notes: One of South Florida's top scorers this season with 24 goals and 18 assists… Tallied 22 goals in his first three years of high school… Helped Steinbrenner high school to District Championship in 2014 and a Regional Championship in 2013… A three-time All-County selection including First Team honors as a Junior and Senior… Scored a school-record five goals in a game against Armwood earlier this season… Father played 10 years of professional soccer with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Coach's Quote: "Michael has a very high soccer IQ and fantastic left foot. He is capable of playing in all attacking positions both wide and as a forward, as well as centrally in the midfield. Michael was a dominant player for one of the top non-academy teams in Florida for his age group, the Tampa Rangers."

Vince Dalessio – St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg HS)
Position: GK
Ht: 6-1
Club Team: Strictly Soccer Futbol Club

Notes: Has made over 160 saves in two seasons as the Barons' starting goalkeeper… Sported a .96 goals against average as a senior… Helped St. Petersburg to a District Championship as a junior… Played for Strictly Soccer (same club team as former UNF star, Alex Morrell).

Coach's Quote: "Vincent is a very quick and dynamic, hard-working goalkeeper with great hands and good presence and organizing ability. He was impressive at our recent January Identification camp."

Cormac Dodd – St. Simons Island, Ga. (Glynn Academy)
Position: M
Ht: 6-0
Club Team: JFC Armada

Coach's Quote: "Cormac is a central midfield player that has outstanding technical ability on the ball and a very good range of passing as a deep lying playmaker. Although he is from just north of the Florida border in Georgia, he played club soccer at JFC in Jacksonville, and we considered him to be a top local talent."

Glenn Johnson – Land O'Lakes, Fla. (Land O'Lakes HS)
Position: M/F
Ht: 6-3
Club Team: Chargers Soccer Club (Clearwater, Fla.)

Notes: A key offensive contributor on Clearwater U-18 Academy team as a senior with five goals and numerous assists... Has scored five or more goalEarned Sunshine Athletic Conference First Team and All-Pasco County honors in 2014 as a sophomore… Scored 13 goals and recorded 12 assists in his final year of High School soccer… Netted a hat trick against Citrus High School in 3A Regional Quarterfinal… Collected Second Team All-Pasco County honors and All North Sun Coast Honorable mention accolades as a freshman.

Coach's Quote: "Glenn is a dynamic attacking player capable of playing forward, as well as midfield. He is very athletic, with great size at 6'3", and good pace and technical ability as well. He is another U.S. Academy product from Clearwater Chargers."

Kobi Mathews – St. Petersburg, Fla. (Shorecrest Prepatory School)
Position: F/M
Ht: 5-10
Club Team: Strictly Soccer Futbol Club

Notes: Averaged nearly a goal a game with Strictly Soccer (same club team as former UNF star, Alex Morrell) this past season... An All-Conference selection as a junior… Has won back-to-back Bay Conference and District Championships… Has tallied 19 goals in 13 games a senior… Scored 12 goals and recorded eight assists as a junior.

Coach's Quote: "Kobi is a left-footed player with excellent speed, both with and without the ball. He can score goals as a forward, play wide, and also played as a left back as well. We identified Kobi at our DMSA overnight summer elite camp."

Micah Smoak – Melbourne, Fla. (Melbourne HS)
Position: M
Ht: 6-0
Junior College: Eastern Florida
Club Team: Central Bravard Soccer

Notes: Became the third player in Eastern Florida men's soccer history to be named National Soccer Coaches Association of America First Team All-American… Played all 19 games in Eastern Florida's run to the NJCAA Division I Men's Championship semifinal round… In high school won four conference titles, three District Titles and a State Championship… Named the Florida Today Player of the Year as a junior and senior… Scored 21 goals and recorded 39 assists his senior year of high school… Will enter North Florida as a junior.

Coach's Quote: "Micah is a center midfielder, also capable of playing center defense. He is fresh off competing for a National Championship with Eastern Florida and was awarded First Team All-American. He has size, strength, technical ability and range of passing and is very strong in the air both defensively and on attacking set pieces."

Players Mentioned

Alex Morrell

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