May 5, 2004

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's soccer team announced today that seven high school seniors have agreed to attend the College beginning in September, 2004. Midfielder/defender Alex Bury (Shrewsbury, Mass./St. John's), midfielder Ryan Maduro (Bristol, R.I./Mt. Hope), midfielder Ricardo Arocha (Fanwood, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood), defender Matt Otte (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme), midfielder/forward Evan Dufault (Sutton, Mass./Sutton), defender/midfielder Matt O'Donnell (Armonk, N.Y./Byram Hills) and defender/midfielder Pat Gildart (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) will join the Friars in Fall 2004.

"Our focus of this recruiting class has been to bring in players suited to contributing immediately as well as adding quality depth to our large returning freshman and sophomore classes," Head Coach Chaka Daley said. The Friars will be returning 17 players to their roster, including 10 of 11 starters from last season. "This class gives us some depth and competition at every position for the 2004 season."

Bury has been an All-State and All-New England selection in high school over the past two seasons, as well as a member of the Olympic Development Program in Massachusetts since 2000. Bury also has been an integral part of his club team, FC Greater Boston, as team captain and starting center midfielder for the No. 1 ranked club team in the United States.

"Bury's passing ability, vision, and professional demeanor on the field will impact our team immediately," Daley said. "His leadership qualities and individuality will allow him to flourish in our environment and contribute significantly to the evolution of our program."

Maduro has been an All-State and All-New England selection in high school over the last two years, as well as an All-America candidate. Maduro has been a member of the Region I O.D.P. team for the last three years. He also attended the Adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) for the top 150 players in the country and was named to its Top Performer list. Maduro was also named to the Topdrawersoccer.com, Top 100 Recruits in America list.

"Maduro is one of the top recruits in the country," Daley said. "I think that his versatility in the midfield will pay immediate dividends here at Providence College. His ability to create for himself, and others, will allow us to score more goals, play more attractive soccer, and, consequently, win more games."

Arocha was a four-year letter winner and member of three Union County championship teams (2000-02), at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. The team's 2003 campaign culminated with a runner-up finish in the county finals and a New Jersey State Sectional Championship. Arocha also served as a three-year captain for his club team, the Jersey Knights Nomads, and led them to State Cup championships in 2002 and 2003.

"Arocha is a technical midfielder who has the potential to compete for a spot in midfield," Daley commented. "He is a player with good technique and vision whose passion for the game is second to none."

Otte was a four-year member of the East Lyme High School soccer squad and a two-year member and captain of the school's hockey team. A highly decorated player in Southeastern Connecticut, Otte garnered All-State, All-New England and New London Day Player of the Year honors in 2003. He was a member of the 2003 Connecticut ODP team and also captained the Boston Bulldogs' U17 and U19 teams. He was also a member of the Super Y League Regional Team.

"Otte has the potential to push for a spot in the back and will probably get his feet wet early in his college career," Daley said. "His technique and understanding of the position is very good as a result of his experiences with the Bulldogs, regional team, and playing in youth tournaments abroad."

Dufault was a four-year member of the Sutton High School varsity soccer team, served as its captain from 2001-2003 and holds the school's all-time scoring record with 218 points (104 goals and 114 assists). A three-time Dual Valley Conference All-Star and Conference Player of the Year in 2003, Dufault also was named to the Massachusetts All-State, All-Star team in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was a member of the Region I Massachusetts ODP for three years and earned a Rider Cup Championship in 2002.

"Dufault is fantastic athlete with a great work-ethic," Daley remarked. "He has experienced a great deal of success in high school and ODP, and we look for him to continue his ways and contribute offensively early in his college career."

O'Donnell joins the Friars after a three-year career at Byram Hills High School and was named an all-league and all-section player in his junior year. He was a member of the Eastern New York ODP in 2000 and 2002-03. O'Donnell captained F.C. Westchester '87's to the State Cup finals in 2001, Superclubs Finals in 2003 and was a member of the WYSL Select Team and Superclubs National Team in 2002.

"O'Donnell has had some injuries in the past year and a half and has fallen off the radar screen, but now that he is 100 percent healthy, he could definitely figure into our plans in the back or in midfield," Daley stated. "He adds some quality depth, as a wide player, to our squad."

Gildart, a four-year member of the Yarmouth High soccer team, was named the squad's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. A two-time (2002, 2003) All-Western Maine Conference selection, Gildart was also named to the Portland Newspaper's All-State Team and the Maine Coaches All-State Team in 2003. From 2001-2003, he was a member of the Maine State ODP team and has captained two state club teams to state championships: Maine Coast United in 2002 and Coastal Soccer Club in 2003.

"Gildart is a terrific athlete with great strength and stamina," Daley commented. "His background revolved heavily around attacking, but he has all the necessary attributes to become a quality defender/midfielder on this level."

Daley feels that the program is on the rise with the addition of these seven scholastic standouts in combination with 17 returning players. "We want to always qualify for the BIG EAST tournament and compete for the conference title. With the addition of these seven players, we can also focus our efforts, over the upcoming seasons, on potentially qualifying and competing in the NCAA Championships."