Wisconsin Men's Soccer Adds Wealth of Regional Talent
February 05, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Wisconsin men's soccer head coach Jeff Rohrman announced the addition of 11 players for the Badgers' fall 2003 roster Wednesday. The new Badgers consist of 10 recruits and one transfer student-athlete.
'This incoming class will clearly help rebuild and reestablish Wisconsin soccer,' Rohrman said. 'Not only do we believe that we are getting some of the best players in the state and the region, but we feel that these are some of the best people around.'
Leading the pack is Aaron Hohlbein, a Middleton High School senior who earned The Capital Times Boys Prep Soccer Player of the Year honor for 2002, and National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas High School All-Americans Aaron Witchger (Edina, Minn.) and Jake Settle (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Hohlbein will join his older brother Jed, a sophomore transfer from Southwest Missouri State University, on the Badger roster. The elder Hohlbein was also a Cap Times Player of the Year in 2000, an award he shared with current Badger Nick Van Sicklen.
Wisconsin swept the state's top talent from around Milwaukee with six strong additions to the UW squad. First-team All-State players Reid Johnson (Mequon, Wis.) and Hamid Afsari (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) will join second-team All-State players Andrew Cardona (Waukesha, Wis.), Matt Jelacic (Brookfield, Wis.), and Tommy Worboril (Brookfield, Wis.) on the 2003 Badger roster. Additionally, Milwaukee-native John Scripp, considered to be one of the Greater Metro Conference's top attacking backs, will don the Cardinal and White this fall for Wisconsin.
La Crosse Central goalkeeper Mike Hood (La Crosse, Wis.), a member of the Minnesota Olympic Development Program, will join Frank Iaizzo (Toronto, Ontario), a member of the CS Azzurri club team of Toronto, to complete Rohrman's incoming squad.
'This class will clearly complement our returning players well,' Rohrman said. 'We have done what we had to set out to do one year ago ' to reconnect with the soccer community, not only in Madison, but in Milwaukee, Minnesota and this region.
'These players are coming to Wisconsin because they believe that this program will be regionally competitive and nationally competitive and they are extremely excited to help get it here.'
A brief breakdown of each player is provided below in alphabetical order:
Hamid Afsari
Defender ' Whitefish Bay, Wis. (Whitefish Bay H.S.)
2002 first-team All-State ' 2002 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel first-team All-Area ' 2002 North Shore first-team All-Conference ' Considered to be one of the top defenders in the city of Milwaukee ' Joins Reid Johnson as one of the North Shore Conference's top players ' Also Plays for the FC Milwaukee club team with Reid Johnson and John Scripp
Andrew Cardona
Defender ' Waukesha, Wis. (Catholic Memorial H.S.)
2002 second-team All-State ' 2002 first-team Classic Eight All-Conference ' valuable experience in State, Regional and National Olympic Development Program (ODP) teams ' Also plays for the Brookfield Lightening soccer club team with Aaron Holbein, Matt Jelacic and Tommy Worboril ' Brookfield Lightening U-17 club team claimed 2002 State Championship last summer
Aaron Holbein
Defender/Midfielder ' Middleton, Wis. (Middleton H.S.)
2002 first-team All-State ' The Capital Times Boys Prep Soccer Player of the Year ' 2002 first-team Big Eight All-Conference ' Also plays for the Brookfield Lightening soccer club team with Andrew Cardona, Matt Jelacic and Tommy Worboril ' Brookfield Lightening U-17 club team claimed 2002 State Championship last summer ' long-time member of State and Regional ODP teams, as well as team captain of the `85 Regional team ' brother Jed Hohlbein is also joining UW team after transferring from Southwest Missouri State University
Jed Hohlbein
Forward - Middletown, Wis. (Middleton H.S. / Southwest Missouri State University)
Transfer from Southwest Missouri State University ' Led the Bears in scoring in 2002 with seven goals and six assists for 20 points ' Selected to the Verizon Academic All-District VII men's soccer team by the College Sports Information Directors of America with a 3.42 GPA this past fall ' Played all 40 games for the Bears with 25 starts in two years ' Posted four goals and one assist, including two game-winning goals, as a SMS freshman ' A two-time All-State selection at Middleton High School ' Shared The Capital Times Boys Prep Soccer Player of the Year Award in 2000 with current Badger Nick Van Sicklen
Mike Hood
Goalkeeper ' La Crosse, Wis. (La Crosse Central H.S.)
Late bloomer from La Crosse, Wis. ' involved in Minnesota ODP ' physical presence will help him compete immediately ' also a talented basketball player
Frank Iaizzo
Midfielder/Defender ' Toronto, Ontario (Dante Alighiere Academy Prep)
One of Toronto's top talents ' also a member of the CS Azzurri club team ' will compete to play immediately in the Badger lineup
Matt Jelacic
Forward ' Brookfield, Wis. (Marquette University H.S.)
2002 second-team All-State ' 2002 first-team Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel All-Area ' 2002 first-team Greater Metro All-Conference ' Also plays for the Brookfield Lightening soccer club team with Andrew Cardona, Aaron Hohlbein and Tommy Worboril ' Brookfield Lightening U-17 club team claimed 2002 State Championship last summer ' Member of State ODP ' Physical at 6-4, 200 pounds and will add a different dimension to Badger lineup ' also a talented basketball player
Reid Johnson
Forward/Midfielder ' Mequon, Wis. (Homestead H.S.)
2002 first-team All-State ' 2002 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel first-team All-Area ' 2002 first-team North Shore All-Conference ' Joins Hamid Afsari as one of the North Shore Conference 's top players ' Also Plays for the FC Milwaukee club team with Hamid Asfari and John Scripp ' A staple of the State ODP and a member of the 84 Regional pool last summer
John Scripp
Defender/Midfielder ' Milwaukee, Wis. (Marquette University H.S.)
2002 second-team Greater Metro All-Conference for the much-heralded Marquette University High School team ' Considered one of the top attacking backs in the Conference ' Scored both goals in 2-1 semi-final win over Appleton ' Also Plays for the FC Milwaukee club team with Hamid Asfari and Reid Johnson
Jake Settle
Goalkeeper ' Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Kennedy H.S.)
2002 first-team All-State goalkeeper 'Named team's 2002 Most Valuable Player ' 2002 Mississippi Valley Conference Player of the Year ' Posted nine shutouts in Spring 2002 to lead Kennedy to a 15-3 mark ' an NSCAA/adidas High School All-American ' 2002 NSCAA/adidas High School Scholar Athlete of the Year with a 4.07 out of 4.00 GPA ' Member of Iowa State ODP team and Region II ODP pool ' Played with the Des Moines Menace of the Professional Development League in Summer 2002 ' Also a honorable mention All-State in football and plays basketball
Aaron Witchger
Midfielder ' Edina, Minn. (Edina H.S.)
2002 Minnesota All-State ' NSCAA/adidas High School All-American ' 2002 All-Conference and Metro Player of the Year ' Helped Edina win three state championships during four years on the team ' Member of the Bangu FC club team with current Badgers Pat Cronan and Alec Neal where he played in the next highest age-group
Tommy Worboril
Midfielder/Defender ' Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield Central H.S.)
2002 second-team All-State ' 2002 first-team Greater Metro All-Conference ' Considered one of the top players in the Greater Metro Conference ' Member of the State ODP ' Also plays for the Brookfield Lightening soccer club team with Andrew Cardona, Aaron Hohlbein and Matt Jelacic ' Brookfield Lightening U-17 club team claimed 2002 State Championship last summer
