Missouri State men’s soccer coach Jon Leamy has announced the addition of nine players who will compete in the program in the 2007 season. Justin Barwick, Brian Collins, Brandon Durk, Ben Johnson, Chad Johnson, Connor Quinn, Tyson Striebel, Justin True and Alex Zenor have committed to play for the Bears.
  "We are bringing in a good-sized, diverse class with kids from different areas of the country who will bring unique qualities and skills to our team," said coach Leamy. "We will look for these players to blend in with our veterans and contribute in the upcoming season."
  Justin Barwick was a four-year starter for coach Dan Bokern at St. Pius X High School in Festus, Mo., where he led the Lancers to a conference championship and was the league’s MVP as a senior. The forward/midfielder was a three-time first team all-state selection and four-time all-district first team member. During his career, Barwick scored 86 goals and tallied 213 points at St. Pius X. As a junior, Barwick scored 33 goals and added seven assists as the Lancers finished third at state. A two-year team captain, Barwick played on teams that won 64 matches during his high school career.
  Brian Collins has been a two-year starter at Hinsdale Central High School near Chicago and finished his senior campaign second in assists and third in points and goals in school history for a season as he led the Red Devils to their conference championship. The midfielder/forward was an all-conference, all-sectional, all-area, and all-state honorable mention and was voted his team’s MVP as a senior. As a junior, Collins Hinsdale in points and goals and was an all-sectional honorable mention. Also a two-year captain, Collins was a three-time academic all-conference honoree.
  Brandon Durk was a three-year starter for coach Dave Thurmer at Duchesne High School in St. Charles, Mo., where he led his team to a 15-5 record and a Gateway North Conference championship as a senior. The midfielder was a first team all-state and all-conference selection as a junior and senior and was named the team’s MVP as a senior. Durk also plays for the nationally-renowned Scott Gallagher club, and last July finished third at the Under-17 National Soccer Championship. Durk’s club team has been the state champion for the past three seasons.
  Ben Johnson has been a four-year starter for Naperville (Ill.) North High, where the Huskies have won back-to-back conference and regional championships and totaled 44 wins during his final two seasons. The midfielder was named all-state, all-sectional, all-conference, all-area, all-city and was the team’s MVP as a senior as he scored seven goals and tallied 19 assists. As a junior, Johnson scored seven goals and added 17 assists as his team was ranked first in the state, fifth in the region, and in the top 25 nationally by the NSCAA. Johnson finished his career with 39 assists to rank second in school history. Johnson also played two years on an Olympic Development Team.
  Chad Johnson was a four-year starter at Putnam City North High in Oklahoma City, Okla., where he led the Panthers to back-to-back state championship game appearances in his final two seasons. This spring, Johnson was a team captain on the Putnam City North team that was ranked in the top 20 nationally in the NSCAA rankings and finished with a 17-2 record. As a senior, the defender netted five goals and added five assists and was named to the all-state, all-city, all-conference, and all-district teams. He was named the All-Oklahoma Defensive Player of the Year, the All-City Defensive Player of the Year by The Oklahoman and was a nominee for the Gatorade All-American team. As a junior, Johnson was a first team all-district and second team all-city selection as the Panthers finished with a 15-3 record.
  Connor Quinn was a three-year starter at goalkeeper for Mills E. Godwin High School in Richmond, Va., where he was a three-year varsity starter. Quinn was an all-district and all-academic honoree last season for the Eagles. A member of the Richmond Kickers club team, Quinn was selected to the 2006 Super Y League Olympic Development Team national camp. Quinn has been a central Virginia Olympic Development Team member since 2002, was a member of the state team in 2002 and 2005, and participated in the Region I tournament in June 2005.
  Tyson Striebel was a three-year starting midfielder for Madison (Wis.) East High School and led his team to sectional and regional championships and helped earn the school’s first state tournament berth as a senior. As a team captain as a senior, Striebel scored seven goals and added 10 assists to earn second team all-city and all-conference honorable mention accolades. Also a member of the Madison 56ers club team since age 13, Striebel has played on three state championship teams. Striebel also was a member of the Wisconsin Olympic Development Team from 2002-05. Also a gifted student, Striebel maintains a 3.93 grade-point average and is in the top four percent of his class.
  Justin True has been a three-year starter for Steve Bettlach at Blue Springs South High School, where True scored eight goals and added six assists as a senior last fall and led his team to the district final. Prior to an injury that kept him out of his junior season, True was named to the all-state team, was an all-Kansas City metro first team selection, and was voted the team’s MVP as a sophomore when he scored 17 goals and set a school record with 18 assists. True has also been very successful with his club team, the Kansas City Pace, as the squad has won back-to-back state championships. Also a member of the state and regional Olympic Development Team, True was selected to the U.S. National Team and has played in tournaments in Mexico, Europe, and Argentina.
  Alex Zenor has played solely with his club team and the Iowa Olympic Development Team for the past three years after playing as a freshman at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids. His Cedar Rapids Soccer Association club team has won the past seven state cup championships and advanced to the semifinals of the regional cup and were ranked nationally last season. As a member of the Olympic Development Team, Zenor has traveled and competed in tournaments in Denmark, England, and Scotland. His brother, Adam, played soccer for Drake and was an academic all-American in 2004.
  These nine high school seniors will join midterm transfers Kenny Boutsabouabane (St. Bonaventure University), Johannes Demarzi (California State University at Northridge), and Brent Madawick (Coastal Carolina University) who participated during the spring season, as first-year players in the fall at Missouri State. Boutsabouabane will be a junior, while Demarzi and Madawick will be sophomores.
