Team signs 4 state player-of-the-year recruits

Four high school seniors -- all players of the year in their respective states -- have signed letters of intent with the IU men's soccer team, coach Jerry Yeagley said.\nAll the signees, including National Soccer Coaches Association of American Prep Player of the Year Ned Grabavoy of New Lenox, Ill., are national team pool players in their age divisions. The players could start for next year's team and remind Yeagley of former Hoosier All-Americans.\nGrabavoy turned down Virginia and UCLA and professional teams in Germany and Holland for the Hoosiers. He has captained the under-18 national team and scored 40 goals last season for Lincoln-Way High School.\nThe other signees are Mike Ambersley of Ballwin, Mo., J.D. Johnston of Portage, Mich., and Dan O'Rourke of Columbus, Ohio. Ambersley played high school soccer at DeSmet High School with Hoosier All-American Pat Noonan, a junior, and has competed at the club level with Grabavoy.\nAmbersley said he chose IU instead of Saint Louis, Creighton, Southern Methodist and South Carolina.\n"I guess Coach Yeagley had a big influence on me," said Ambersley, a forward. "He knows everything about the game."\nJohnston led Portage Northern High School to the Michigan Division 2 state title last season. He scored two goals in the state final game and could stabilize the Hoosiers as a wide midfielder. He is similar to former Hoosier Chris Klein, an All-Big Ten selection in 1997 and a member of Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards, Yeagley said.\n"He's got a lot of speed and can get behind the defenders," Yeagley said of Johnston. "He plays well wide. He can provide strength where we were weak last season."\nJohnston also boasts excellent discipline and one-on-one skills, Portage Northern boys soccer coach Chris Riker said. Johnston, a national team pool player, has also competed for the club team Vardar.\n"He's got a tremendous work ethic," Riker said. "He has high expectations for himself and his teammates. He'll be one of the hardest working players at practice and one of the last to leave. He's also extremely fast."\nWhile Johnston would likely play in the outside midfield, and Ambersley and Grabavoy could strengthen the offense, O'Rourke could stabilize the defense. O'Rourke played as a defender for Ohio champion Worthington Kilbourne High School.\n"He reminds us a lot of (former Hoosier All-American) Nicky Garcia," Yeagley said. "He's an outstanding leader. He can play in the back or in the midfield. He could have an opportunity to step in for (the graduating) Justin Tauber."\nGrabavoy, a 5-foot-7 forward, and Ambersley, 5-foot-6, also remind Yeagley of another former Hoosier All-American -- Dema Kovalenko. Like Kovalenko, both compensate for lack of size with potent offense. Grabavoy scored more than 100 career goals for Lincoln-Way, and Ambersley tallied 17 goals and 16 assists last season.\n"(Ambersley) and Ned play bigger than they are," Yeagley said. "They're both scrappy."\nThe Hoosiers lose only three players from last year's roster -- forward Matt Fundenberger, goalkeeper T.J. Hannig and Tauber, a defensive midfielder.\nDespite an incoming class of more than 20 last season, IU relied on few freshmen, as the Hoosiers advanced to the NCAA Final Four and lost to Creighton 2-1 in three overtimes. Only two freshmen -- Lucas Christian and Vijay Dias -- competed in the final game and earned significant playing time during the season.\nAlthough few newcomers played last year, Ambersley said he thinks he could immediately start for the Hoosiers.\n"I'm pretty confident in my abilities," he said. "The coaches have said I have the chance to start right away, so I think I can.\n"Starting right away is my main concern. I want to contribute as much as I can, if that means off the bench. Who knows? I'll probably play attacking midfielder. They really haven't told me exactly"