University of Massachusets Athletics
O'Leary Announces Six Talented Newcomers for Fall 2016
June 01, 2016 | Men's Soccer
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass men's soccer head coach Fran O'Leary announced today the addition of six newcomers to the incoming class for the 2016 season. Forward Ceasar Adim (Roxbury, Mass.), midfielder Luis Carvalho (Brockton, Mass.), centerback Konrad Gorich (Eberbach, Germany), outside back Jordan Howard (Medford, Mass.), midfielder Christian Labeck (Charlestown, Mass.), and midfielder Connor O'Dwyer (London, England) will join the program as part of 11 newcomers this fall.
The group of six will join forwards Andrew Barrowman (Marshfield, Mass.) and Donnie Igo (Natick, Mass.), midfielder/forward Ibrahim Na-Aata (Fall River, Mass.) and centerback Ryan Saul (Petersburg, N.J.) who were previously announced. The Minutemen also welcomed Ohio State transfer Stephen Ravazzoli to the program earlier this spring.
"I'm very excited to have this class joining our program; they are all very good students and talented players. We are excited to welcome them to the University of Massachusetts this fall," said O'Leary who enters his second season the Minutemen. "All of them possess the talent to play at the collegiate level. Talent alone, however, does not guarantee a successful college career. The challenge ahead for this group is to work hard while possessing the mindset, drive and dedication to get better on a daily basis."
"I would also like to thank our associate head coach Mike Mordocco along with our assistant coach Fred Balbino for the work they did in bringing this class together. They have played an integral role in helping identify and secure this incoming class," said O'Leary.
Adim played at the Brooks School where he was an all-conference selection each of his first three years as a striker. Along with his time at the Brooks School, he played for the SF Vikings at the club level. A big target at 6-foot-4, Adim was also all-conference basketball player and two-time national AAU champion.
"Ceasar is a physically imposing striker with a big upside," said O'Leary. "We are happy to be adding him to the program and very much looking forward to his development."
Carvalho played last season at Ancilla College in Donaldson, Ind. Last fall as a sophomore, he tallied four goals and had three assists in 13 games played. The midfielder had a season-high two goals in a win over Lake Michigan. Originally born in Cape Verde, South Africa, Carvalho was a Region XII First Team All-Region selection as well as an All-MCCAA First Team pick. Prior to his time at Ancilla, Carvalho played at Brockton High School.
"We are pleased to welcome Luis to our program. He possesses great technical ability along with a versatility that allows him to play in many positions," said O'Leary.
Gorich will immediately add experience and maturity to the Minutemen's defense. The 21-year old from Eberbach, Germany, will be a sophomore in eligibility after playing at the club level in Germany. The 6-foot-4 centerback most recently played for SV Sandhausen II of the Oberliga Baden-Wurttemberg. He appeared in 12 matches with two goals and an assist. He also saw time with SV Spielberg.
"The experience Konrad gained from playing at a good level in Germany will be an asset to our young squad," said O'Leary. "His physical presence and composure on the ball will help improve our defensive unit."
Howard played right back Medford High School where he helped the Mustangs to a 28-7-6 record over the last two years. The speedy, 5-foot-10 defender was a two-time Greater Boston League All-Star and was named Team MVP as a senior after adding four goals and five assists to his career totals.
"We first saw Jordan at our ID Camp and it quickly became apparent that he possessed blistering pace along with good 1-on-1 defensive skills. He has the potential to become a very good college player," said O'Leary
Labeck was a standout at Boston College High School where he was a highly decorated player. After leading the Catholic Conference with 21 points last fall, he earned league MVP honors. He was named to the All-New England, All-Massachusetts and All-Eastern Mass All-Star teams and was a two-time Catholic Conference All-Conference selection. Academically, he was an all-scholastic honoree by the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald and the Patriot Ledger. At the club level, he played for the FC Boston Bolts Under 18 U.S. Development Academy team.
"Christian is an athletic striker who will add depth to our attacking options. He has played at the highest level of club soccer and this experience will help him transition to the college game," said O'Leary. "We have followed his progress over the past year and look forward to him joining our squad."
O'Dwyer joins the Minutemen after playing at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va., the last two seasons. The midfielder was an all-region second team selection in 2014 after scoring eight goals and adding six assists. Last year, he scored four goals while recording five assists in a transition to a more defensive role. The London native is a civil engineering major who was a scholar All-American and was named PHCC's Male Athlete of the Year.
"We look forward to Connor joining us in the fall. He will immediately compete for playing time in the center of our midfield," said O'Leary. "Strong in the air and comfortable in possession, Connor has the ability to play both a holding or more attacking midfield role."
The 11 newcomers figure to be key additions to the program as O'Leary and the Minutemen look to build off their season-ending momentum last fall. UMass closed out the season with a 4-2-1 record en route to a tie for fourth in the Atlantic 10 standings. The Minutemen suffered a first round loss in the A-10 Championship Tournament to finish the season 5-13-1 overall.
