Men's soccer gets 10 commitments

Charlotte 49ers men's soccer coach Jeremy Gunn has received 10 commitments - including three from Charlotte Catholic High, for the 2009 season. The newcomers will join a roster featuring nine returning starters and a team that received its first national ranking last season in 10 years.

Joining the program from Charlotte Catholic are Nate Badke, Patrick Eavenson and Donnie Smith. Badke, Eavenson and Smith led the Cougars to the 2008 N.C. 3A state championship.

Badke, a defender who was a two-year captain at Catholic, was named All-Queen City Conference, All-Region, All-Mecklenburg County and First Team All-Charlotte Observer in each of the last two seasons. Eavenson, a goalkeeper, played on three NCYSA State Champion Teams. Smith, a midfielder/forward, co-captained Catholic and was named to NSCAA/adidas All-Region III team as a senior. He is a two-time Region Player of the Year who also earned All-Conference, All-Region, All-Charlotte Observer, All-Mecklenburg County and All-State honors as a junior and a senior.

Also joining the program are T. J. Beaulieu from Apex, Klay Davis from Jacksonville, N.C., Tyler Gibson from Knoxville, Tenn., Robert May from Asheville, Anthony Perez from London, Ontario Canada, Jennings Rex from Boone and Steven Saballos from Miami.

"I truly believe that we will enter the 2009 season with a much stronger squad than the previous two seasons. Our team will be more mature, and there will be an incredible amount of competition for playing time, something that I didn’t feel we had previously," Gunn said.