Charlotte Eagles News Release - www.charlotteeagles.com
Thursday, April 17, 2008
CHARLOTTE, NC -- The Charlotte Eagles professional soccer team kicks off its 2008 season at UNC Charlotte's TransAmerica Field on Saturday, April 19th at 7:00 pm. Charlotte made public the 2008 roster today, giving fans a glimpse of what they'll see in the opener against the Bermuda Hogges.
The 2008 Charlotte Pro Soccer Team will have an exciting new look this season with a dozen new players on the squad and international talent from Canada, Colombia, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Thirteen players from the 2007 team will be returning for 2008 including 11 year veteran, captain and all-time team scoring leader Dustin Swinehart.
The team dynamic this season in combination with a larger playing field is expected to produce a team that is strong in prosession, attacking in numbers as opposed to the direct style of play in the past.
A few roster highlights:
• Mark Steffens enters his 12th season as the Eagles Head Coach. Steffens was inducted to the USL Hall of Fame last fall.
• Robert Ssejjemba comes to the Eagles from the Richmond Kickers. The Ugandan forward was the 2006 USL-2 MVP and will bring additional speed and MLS talent to the Eagles attack.
• Jeff Bilyk will anchor the central midfield in his 1st season with Charlotte. The former Clemson standout spent his previous years with the Virginia Beach Mariners (USL-1) and Miami Fusion (MLS).
• Terry Boss returns as the likely pick for starting goalkeeper. Boss recently recorded a shutout win for the Puerto Rican National Team in a World Cup Qualifier. Terry's brother Kevin Boss is a tight end for the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.
• Kevin Trapp will be competing for the top goalkeeper spot with Boss. Trapp is a Charlotte native and is a product of Charlotte Soccer Club and Myers Park High School. Kevin started the 2007 season for the Western Mass Pioneers.
• Brady Bryant comes to the Eagles after spending last year as a wide receiver in Arena Football. Bryant, a defender, brings outstanding athleticism and speed to Charlotte's back line. Bryant also played for the Wilmington Hammerheads in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
• Jonah Long, former Eagles player 02-05, rejoins the team after a two years playing abroad with the Sutherland Sharks of the Australian Premier League and IBV Iceland.
The 2008 Roster is shown below, you can also visit www.CharlotteEagles.com/eagles/roster.htm
