When Andrew Oliver heads off to college in the fall of 2012, it will only be an hour south of his Indianapolis home.
Oliver, the No. 2 ranked player in the 2012 class according to Top Drawer Soccer, committed to Indiana today. The 5-foot-9, 160 pound forward plays for the U-17 U.S. National Team. The proximity of IU to his Indianapolis home played a part in Oliver's decision.
"I just thought being close to home was a big plus," Oliver said. "And Indiana definitely has lots of young talent coming up that's looking really good for the program. It was the right fit for me."
He has been discussed as the next Landon Donovan.
Of course he still has a ways to go, but his club coach had good things to say about him.
"He's got a crazy vertical," said his club coach, Josh George. "When he first went to residency he was one of the youngest players there and he tested out as the fifth best athlete, with the 40, vertical, all that type of stuff. A lot of people don't realize it cause he's got so many aspects to his game, but he's got some crazy skills in the air. He moved over here at 14 and played until he went to residency when he was 15. You could see from the time he got here that he had it, that he was something special and he just had to put it all together." "
Here's some footage of a goal Oliver scored during a U-17 National game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRCc6KAKugk
Will Bruin-esque anybody?
