Niners get soccer commitments

Charlotte 49ers men's soccer Jeremy Gunn has received commitments for 11 new players including three from the North Carolina. Among the signees are South Mecklenburg standout and Southwestern 4AA player of the year Owen Darby, goalkeeper Robert Propst from Concord's Robinson High and Forsyth Country Day's Justin Tucker, who was named the N.C. player of the year.

Four players from Colorado are also joining the team. Gunn was a former coach at NCAA Division II power Fort Lewis College in Colorado. Signing with the 49ers are Isaac Caughran from Castle Rock, Colo., Isaac Cowles from Arvada, Colo., Alexander Deitz from Fort Collins, Colo., and Kellen Frye from Denver, Colo., who is transferring from San Diego State.

Also joining the team are Rutgers transfer Jonathan Frances of Newark, N.J., Julien Brown of Toronto, Charles Rodriquez of Franklin, Tenn., and Matt Weston of Louisville, Ky.

"Last fall we had a tremendous season," Gunn said. "Having said this I really didn't feel we had enough internal competition for playing time throughout the squad -- we were thin in many areas.

"Coupling the added maturity of our current returners with this excellent class of newcomers, we will succeed in creating a very competitive squad in 2008. We want to see these players winning conference championships and competing in the NCAA tournament on a regular basis."