Men's Soccer Welcomes 2013 Recruiting Class

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Six newcomers will be joining the University of Hartford men's soccer team for the upcoming 2013 fall season, as announced by third-year head coach Tom Poitras on Wednesday. Jeff Tryon.jpg" target="_blank">Jeffrey Tryon (Oakdale, Conn.), David MacKinnon (Easton, Mass.), Scott McKirgan.jpg" target="_blank">Scott McKirgan (Indiana, Pa.) Nathan Bodenstein (Harrington Park, N.J.), and David Abunaw.jpg" target="_blank">David Ako Abunaw III (West Hartford, Conn.) will arrive on campus as true freshmen while Matt Barry (Wethersfield, Conn.) comes to Hartford as a sophomore transfer.

Highlighting the newcomers are three student-athletes who were high school All-Americans as well as a pair of Connecticut Gatorade Players of the Year. A trio of student-athletes hail from the Nutmeg State, with the remaining three footballers representing Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Among the members of the 2013 incoming class are two midfielders, a pair of forwards and two goalkeepers.

A native of Connecticut, Barry, a forward, comes to Hartford from Providence College, where he spent one year with the Friars. A three-year member of the soccer team at Wethersfield High School where he played for former Hartford Hawk Rob Jachym, Barry captained his team as a senior, earning NSCAA All-American honors that year while being recognized as the 2011 CJSA High School Player of the Year and the Hartford Courant Player of the Year.

Wethersfield's single season goal scoring record holder (32) as well as the program's top career goal-scorer (56), Barry added 23 career assists to finish with 135 career points. A two-time All-New England and all-state honoree, he helped lead his high school team to a state title in 2008 and an appearance in the semifinal round of the state tournament in 2011. Barry also succeeded in the classroom as he was a three-time CCC North All-Academic Team member. He also played club ball for Oakwood Soccer Club Academy where he scored 16 goals this past academy season under Dave Farrell, while also spending time with the Soccer Plus Football Club.

Also a native of Connecticut, Tryon is a forward from Oakdale, Conn., Tryon he was coached by Collin Delaney at Montville High School. During his career at Montville, he played soccer for four years and was a member of the golf squad for three. As a senior, he scored 36 goals and handed out 18 assists en route to earning All-American accolades as well as Connecticut Player of the Year honors that season.

In his final two seasons at Montville, Tryon racked up the accolades as he was a two-time All-New England honoree who also earned all-state and all-conference recognition at the conclusion of his junior and senior years. In addition, he was tabbed Player of the Year by both the New London Day and the Norwich Bulletin in both 2011 and 2012. Tryon played his club soccer for Southeast United Soccer Club under head coach Joe Mendonca.

MacKinnon is a two-sport standout from Oliver Ames High School that comes to Hartford to play both soccer and baseball. One of two netminders joining the Hawks for 2013, MacKinnon has a long list of accolades, highlighted by All-American and All-New England distinction as a senior in 2012. A three-time All-Hockomock honoree, he was tabbed the conference's Player of the Year and the Brockton Enterprise Player of the Year that season while earning All-Scholastic recognition from the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe. At Oliver Ames, MacKinnon was coached by John Barata.

As a senior captain, MacKinnon allowed just six goals on his watch during the regular season, recorded 14 shutouts and even scored one goal and two assists of his own. A two-time All-State and All-Eastern Mass athlete, he finished his career with 40 career shutouts, while owning a .74 goals-against average and an overall record of 47-17-15.

McKirgan joins the Hawks as another new face in between the posts. A native of Indiana, Pa., McKirgan played four years of both soccer and lacrosse at Indiana Area High School. A three-year starter in net for head coach Todd Myers and the varsity squad, he recorded 10 shutouts as senior, helping lead the team to a 13-5-1 overall record as well as the 2012 WPIAL Section 1-AA championship. That year, he received the Outstanding Senior Award and was voted to the All-WPIAL Section 1 AA Team.

Twice voted as “Soccer's Finest Fifteen” by the Section 1 AA Coaches, McKirgan, who captained the team in his final two seasons, set the school record in shutouts with 12 as a junior. A member of the Olympic Development Program Region I Team Pool for two years, he also represented the Western PA Soccer Association for five seasons. Recently, McKirgan also spent time playing for Chris Karowksi as a member of the FC Pittsburgh.

A midfielder from Harrington Park, N.J., Bodenstein played three years of soccer at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan in New Jersey under head coach Mike Hancher. During his career, he totaled 26 goals and 14 assists and played an integral role in helping his team capture the Bergen County title in 2011-12.

Bodenstein was a two-time all-league first team honoree who earned all-county recognition on two occasions, including first team accolades as a senior. In addition, he was twice named all-state, earning a spot on the second team in 2011. A scholar-athlete award winner as a senior, Bodenstein also played soccer for TSF Academy where he was coached by Dan Christian.

Abunaw, a midfielder, will not have to go far to start his college career as he attended Hall High School in West Hartford where he played for coach Zeke Seguro. A team captain as a senior, he played four years of varsity soccer, ending his career with 22 goals and 30 assists for 74 points while helping Hall amass a record of 43-13-11 during his tenure. Twice named All-Conference CCC West, Abunaw, who led his team to a pair of CCC West titles and two CIAC Class LL state championship appearances, also earned recognition from the Hartford Courant as a member of the All-Courant Team on two occasions.

Off the pitch, Abunaw has found success inside of the classroom as he was rewarded with All-Academic distinction from the CCC West. A two-time team offensive MVP, Abunaw was a member of the Oakwood Soccer Club Pre-Academy Team and currently represents the FSA Football Club U17 Boys Team.

The future looks promising for the Hawks as they return a solid veteran class in Damion Lowe, David Bernhardsson and Anthony Santaga.

Lowe recently took his talents to the international level where he represented the Jamaica National Team at the 2013 CONCACAF Under-20 Championships in Puerto Rico. He scored the game-winning goal in the Group C opener against Puerto Rico before playing in his team's 4-0 setback to Panama. As a sophomore in 2012, Lowe finished third on the team in scoring with three goals and an assist and will again serve as the anchor of the Hawks' back line for the upcoming season.

Bernhardsson, Santaga and Javoni Simms will lead the offense in 2013. Bernardsson got his junior campaign off to a strong start after notching at least one point in three of his team's first four games. His season was cut short due to a knee injury. Fortunately for the Hawks, he is expected to make a complete recovery and will be back on the attacking side of the ball.

An America East All-Conference Second Team honoree in 2012, Santaga was second on the Hawks' squad in scoring with 17 points after netting seven goals and adding three assists, a team-high. Three of Santaga's goals were game-winners against Central Connecticut, Massachusetts and Binghamton.

Javoni Simms was a unanimous pick for the 2012 America East Rookie of the Year. Also an all-conference first team choice and an NSCAA All-Region Third Team selection, Simms tallied a team-best 19 points on nine goals and an assist during his debut season with the Hawks.

Rounding out the top returners for the 2013 campaign is Viltsu Tuumi, who was named to the America East All-Rookie Team as a goalkeeper.

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