June 5, 2001

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University men's soccer head coach John Rennie has announced the signing of nine student-athletes to play soccer and attend Duke University in the fall of 2001. Arriving in Durham, N.C. next fall will be Jeff Miller (Durham, N.C.), Joseph Kelly (St. Louis, Mo.), Mark Valdez (St. Louis, Mo.), Matthew White (Ellicott City, Md.), Matt Ahumada (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Justin Trowbridge (Tampa, Fla.), Evan Harrell (Boca Raton, Fla.), Victor Victorsson (Iceland), and Owolcho Adogwa (Trinidad).

"It is kind of a good news, bad news type of recruiting class," said Rennie on the class. "The good news is the group of nine student-athletes has both quality and quantity, but the bad news is they have really big shoes to fill. The senior class they are replacing had the best record we have ever had in the ACC during a four-year period. We are going to miss their experience and talent. The challenge for this class is to grow up quickly."

Miller is a midfielder out of Jordan High School in Durham, N.C. He was the 2000 PAC 6 Player of the Year, two-time All-Region NCHSAA, two-time All-Conference, and a two-time N.C. State Games selection. Miller lived in Belgium for three years from 1995-98 and played on the R.J. Wavre and FC Rixensart Club teams, while going to school at St. John's International.

Kelly will come to Duke by way of St. Louis Priory High School after being named Conference Player of the Year as a senior. The 5-10, 175-pound defender was a four-time All-League, three-time All-District, and two-time All-Metro and All-State selection. He scored 18 goals and notched 13 assists for 49 points as a senior.

Valdez, a 6-0, 165-pound goalkeeper, attended St. Louis University High School. In 1999, he was selected the Missouri Goalkeeper of the Year by the Missouri State High School Coaches Association, named Missouri NSCAA/adidas All-State, second-team All-Metro, and won the Sam Coppple Award. Last season, Valdez earned the area's top goalkeeper award by the Missouri Athletic Club, All-Midwest by NSCAA, second team All-Metro, and was selected to play in the Missouri Athletic Club Senior All-Star game.

White is a 6-2, 180-pound defender out of Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Md. At Mount Hebron he was a four-year letterwinner in both soccer and basketball. For soccer, he was a 2000 NSCAA/adidas All-America, Howard County Player of the Year, All-South, All-State, All-Washington Metro, and All-Baltimore Metro, while leading his team to the State Championships.

Ahumada is the lone transfer of the nine newcomers for the Blue Devils in 2001. The 6-0, 185-pound defender spent one year at Indiana University before deciding to make the move to Duke. He played in six games before injuring his knee as a freshman and will be a sophomore with the Blue Devils in the fall. Ahumada attended Horizon High School where he was named the Regional Player of the Year as a senior. He was a two-time All-Region, three-time National Team pool player, four-time Olympic regional team member, and was selected the Region IV Germany Tour MVP in 1999.

Trowbridge (5-11, 177 pounds) is a goalkeeper from Tampa, Fla. and attended Jesuit High School. As a senior, he totaled 17 shutouts and a .59 goals against average, which led the county last season. He led his team to a national ranking of number one, 30-2 record, and a State Championship as a senior, while being selected Florida 2A Player of the Year, first team All-State, Florida State All-Star, and NSCAA All-South. His junior year he led the county with a .57 goals against average and 16 shutouts.

Harrell is a midfielder from Pine Crest School in Boca Raton, Fla. where he was a four-year letterwinner. The 6-0, 165 pounder led Broward county in scoring as a senior with 43 goals and 37 assists in 21 games, which were county records. Harrell notched a school record six goals in one game at the midfield position. In 1999, he was the MVP of the Final Four at the State Championship.

Victorsson is a 6-1, 176-pound midfielder out of Iceland, where he played on the National Youth team. Adogwa attended St. Mary's College in Trinidad, West Indies. The 5-10, 153-pound forward was a member of the Under-20 National Team Player Pool in Trinidad.

"We have a solid group of players coming in that should step in and play immediately, which we will need," said Rennie. "Positionally, we did a real good job replacing all five starters we lost to graduation."

Of the nine incoming student-athletes, eight will be freshmen and one a sophomore. The Blue Devils return six of 11 starters off last year's 15-6 team, which finished tied for first in the ACC.