Billiken Soccer Blurb

[moytoy12]

From http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=360855&cc=5901

Saint Louis -- This is a pivotal recruiting year for the Billikens. They need an infusion of talent that will help the program to return to the level of excellence it enjoyed in the past. The Billikens are a good side but the fact that the Billikens have not received an invite to the NCAA Tourney for the past two years speaks for itself. St. Louis mentor Dan Donigan has announced the signing of three recruits who will join the program in 2006.

Midfielder Tim Ream, who is from St. Louis out of St. Dominic High School, should contribute immediately. Ream was a 2005 NSCAA All-Midwest selection who helped take St. Dominic to the 2004 Missouri Class 2 state title. Forward Jimmy Holmes, who is from Louisville, Kentucky out of Priory High School, has the potential to be an impact player. Holmes tallied 43 goals and contributed 8 assists during his senior season. He was an NSCAA All-America selection and was named the Missouri Class 2 Player of the Year. A goal scorer, Holmes finished his high school career with 85 goals and 22 assists. Goalkeeper Ross Kaufman is from Louisville, Kentucky out of Dupont Manual High where he was a three-time All-Kentucky selection and four year starter. Kaufman has ODP experience and has been solid in the goal for the Javanon Soccer Club.

[SLURadioBoy]

Thanks for posting that. One little mistake in that blurb though...Jimmy Holmes is from St. Louis, not Louisville.

"Praises we sing, to you our alma mater,

Praise to the white and blue.

Our hymn shall ring, in tribute strong to you,

We hail Saint Louis U."

Official Billikens.com sponsor of Andrew Latimer

[Box and Won]

What do you guys think about this class? Should we expect to return to the NCAA tournament in 2006?

[SLUBALLS]

My take is this: Donigan feels like recruiting high-impact, blue-chip players over the last four years has biten him in the ass. Its nice to get those but as we have seen, it hurts badly to lose them early. I think he adjusted his recruiting this year and attempted to find solid players that would stay for four years and develop.

The two things I'm curious about is whether Holmes can make an impact his freshman year and if Joe Germanese transfers to SLU after Vandy's program was cut. I've heard from knowledgable people that while Holmes has the talent and assets to compete on a D1 level, it may take him a year or two to get his skills to a level where he can dominate.