University of Wisconsin men’s soccer head coach Jeff Rohrman announced the signing of five recruits to the Badgers’ 2002 fall roster. Mike Jelenic, Erik Insko, Chris Lipinski, Alec Neal and Seth Byers have signed national letters of intent to attend Wisconsin this fall.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to meet these new players and work with them here at Wisconsin,” said Rohrman, who was hired as the UW’s head coach Feb.4. “The coaching staff has brought in some quality athletes who will certainly look to add to the program.”
Mike Jelenic, a 6-foot-1 NSCAA high school All-American from Bay Village, Ohio, was the starting goalkeeper at Bay Village High School for four seasons and set a state record with 11 consecutive shutouts his senior year.
In addition to helping Bay Village claim four straight district championships, Jelenic competed with the Cleveland United club team from 1994-2002 and was a member of the 1999 U-16 U.S. National Team. Jelenic has been a member of the Olympic Development Program Region II Team since 1998, which included international ODP competition in the Netherlands and Mexico in 1999 and 2000, respectively.
Midfielder Erik Insko, an all-state selection from Hononegah High School in Rockton, Ill., was named team co-MVP his senior year. Insko was a three-year letterwinner with Hononegah, helping the Lions to NIC-9 championships in 1999 and 2000. He has played with the Rockford Raptors Soccer Club since 1998 and was a member of the 2001 Illinois ODP state select team. A four-year honor-roll student, Insko earned honorable mention on the 2001 Chicago Fire All-Academic Team.
Chris Lipinski, from New Berlin, Wis., was a four-time all-conference selection, including a first-team honoree his junior and senior seasons at West High School. He was named team captain and MVP his senior year, scoring 11 goals and recording eight assists as West finished with a 14-5 overall record. A defender on Wisconsin’s ODP 84 State Team the past three years, Lipinski helped the team win the regional title and claim second at nationals in 2000.
Alec Neal, a defender out of South High School in Minneapolis, Minn., was a three-time all-conference selection and a first-team all-state honoree his senior year. Neal helped South to City Conference titles each of his four seasons and a State Region V runner-up finish as a senior. He started for the Minnesota ODP state select team and played club soccer with Kelix Intra, a member of the Midwest Region II Premier League the past four years.
Seth Byers, a forward from Cincinnati, Ohio, was a four-year starter at Colerain High School, helping the Cardinals to a pair of conference titles and an Ohio State Cup runner-up finish. Byers set the school’s career goal-scoring record with 70, was twice named conference player of the year and earned three all-state selections. Byers was a member of the Region II ODP Team since 1997, and his team trained last summer with the Columbus Crew.
