SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford College men’s soccer head coach Ralph Polson has announced nine student-athletes whom have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Terriers for the 2012 season. Joining the squad are Connor Bauknight, Stevin Bienfiat, Connor Copeland, Connor Davis, Tanner DeFreitas, Kevin Hady, Nestor Jaramillo, Joe Marshall, and Will Puckett.
“We are excited about the class were signing,” stated Polson. “We believe that it could be one of the best in the history of our program. This group of young men has had tremendous amount of success and experience at the club level that should translate to success on the field for us in the future.”
Connor Bauknight is a defender from Charleston, S.C., where he has been a starter at Fort Dorchester High School since his freshman year. Following the 2011 season, Bauknight earned All-Region and All-Lowcountry honors, and was named team captain for the 2010 season. He has also been a part of the South Carolina United Battery club team, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, helping lead his squad to appearances in the USDA playoffs. He also was part of the South Carolina Olympic Development Program (ODP) team. He intends to major in Environmental Studies at Wofford.
“Connor is an outstanding young man who plays at very high level for his U.S. Developmental Academy team,” stated Polson on Bauknight. “He brings a great deal of athleticism to the squad and is a versatile player that can satisfy several roles on the field.”
Stevin Bienfiat is a midfielder/forward from Norcross, Ga., where he has started at Greater Atlanta Christian School since his freshman year. He helped lead the team to a state championship his freshman year, and appearances in the state finals each season. He is also a part of the Norcross Fury Premier club team, ranked No. 1 in the state of Georgia and No. 29 in the nation. He is also part of the Georgia ODP team and is a member of the track and field team at his high school. Bienfiat intends to major in pre-med at Wofford.
“Stevin has a tremendous pace and will add depth to our flank players,” said Polson about Bienfiat. “He brings a great deal of athleticism to the field and will provide a quality attacking option.”
Connor Copeland joins the Terriers from Mansfield, Texas, where he has started as a forward at Mansfield Legacy High School since his freshman year. Tallying a total of 75 goals and 43 assists throughout his high school career, Copeland has led his team to a combined overall record of 70-14 over the past three seasons. He earned first-team All-District honors the past two seasons, as well as 2011 Offensive Player of the Year honors. Copeland has been a part of the Solar Academy club team, leading his team to four state championships while being its leading goal scorer. He plans to major in pre-med while at Wofford.
“Connor comes from a very competitive background, having played for Solar Academy,” stated Polson on Copeland. “He has had success in scoring goals every season with the club, and will compete immediately for playing time at the forward position.”
Connor Davis comes to Wofford from Roswell, Ga., where he has started every match in his high school career at Centennial High School in the back line. He has tallied a total of 23 goals throughout his high school career thus far, and was named Team MVP, Offensive MVP, and received All-Region team honors in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, he also played in part of the Georgia ODP team, leading his team to a 10-0 record and the ODP national championship. Davis is also currently a member of the Georgia United club team, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, helping the squad earn three Disney championships. He has also earned All-Region honors as a placekicker for his high school football team
“Connor is a highly sought after defender whose versatility could see him making an instant impact,” said Polson about Davis. “He has a unique skill set that makes him an important addition to the 2012 recruiting class.”
Tanner DeFreitas is a midfielder from Spartanburg, S.C., where he has been a starter the past two seasons at Spartanburg High School. Throughout that time, he has totaled six goals and 13 assists, and has earned All-Region and All-Academic honors. In 2011, he led his club team to an overall record of 17-1-3 and the Challenge League championship. DeFreitas’ father, Pablo, was a member of the Wofford soccer team, ranking second all-time in goals scored with 32 throughout his career, and was inducted into the Wofford Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. DeFrietas intends to major in finance while at Wofford.
“Tanner is a great left sided player who is expected to compete for playing time,” stated Polson on DeFreitas. “He is a skillful, creative player that will be a solid addition to the program.”
Kevin Hady, from Alpharetta, Ga., has started throughout his high school career at Chattahoochee High School as a midfielder/forward. In 2011, he helped lead his squad to the 4A state championship, scoring 16 goals for the team that went 19-3-1 overall and finished at No. 29 in the POWERADE FAB 50 rankings. He also plays for the Georgia United club team, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with Connor Davis, where he led the team with seven goals this past season. Hady was also the placekicker for his high school’s football team that went 15-0 and won the 2010 4A state championship. He was also a part of his school’s wrestling team. Hady plans on majoring in Biology while at Wofford.
“Kevin is a tremendous athlete that has a knack for scoring goals in big games,” said Polson about Hady. “He provides creativity on the field and has a tremendous work ethic.”
Nestor Jaramillo, from Lexington, S.C., joins the Terriers from Cardinal Newman High School, where he helped the team to a 25-5 overall record in 2011 and the SCISA 3A championship, finishing at No. 29 in the POWERADE FAB 50 rankings. For the season, he tallied 26 goals and 15 assists as a forward/midfielder, earning team MVP honors. He also was named a NSCAA High School All-American, and has received All-Area, All-State, and NSCAA High School All-South honors. He is currently ranked the No. 43 college prospect by TopDrawerSoccer.com. Jaramillo has also been a part of the South Carolina United Battery club team, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. This season, he has scored 10 goals, while the previous season, he led his squad with 15 goals. He intends to major in business during his time at Wofford.
“Nestor is an all-around complete player with the ability to change a game on his own,” stated Polson on Jaramillo. “He is an excellent playmaker unlike any player currently on our roster. We expect him to have an immediate impact on arrival.”
Joe Marshall is a forward from Mooresville, N.C., where he has started the past three seasons at Lake Norman High School. He helped lead his squad to the state quarterfinals the past two seasons, and has received NSCAA Scholar Athlete honors. He is also a part of the North Mecklenburg club team, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, and has also played on the North Carolina ODP team. Marshall plans to major in accounting while at Wofford.
“Joe is a speedy, athletic forward who has the ability to score goals,” said Polson about Marshall. “He will be enrolling early and will have the opportunity to train with the team this spring, giving us the chance to further develop his skill set.”
Will Puckett is a midfielder from Greenville, S.C., who has been a starter throughout his career at Mauldin High School. He has helped lead his squad to two regional championships and an appearance in the Upper State finals. Thus far at Mauldin, he has tallied 28 goals and 41 assists throughout his career, and has been named to the All-Region team twice and has earned Offensive MVP honors. Puckett has also been a part of the CESA ’93 club team, helping the squad win six state championships, and is currently ranked No. 1 in the Under 18 National Blue League and No. 7 in the nation. He intends to study in political science while at Wofford.
“Will is a technically gifted midfielder with the opportunity to excel at a number of positions,” stated Polson on Puckett. “He should prove to be one of the most fit players on the squad.
The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to Wofford College and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
