June 17, 2013
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF's incoming recruiting class is one of the best in the country, according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. The website listed its top-35 recruiting classes and the Knights were ranked No. 28.
Head coach Bryan Cunningham's recruiting class consists of 11 players who will compete for the Knights starting this fall during the program's inaugural campaign in the American Athletic Conference.
UCF was one of six programs from The American on the TopDrawerSoccer.com recruiting rankings. The Knights and USF were the lone programs from the Sunshine State to receive recognition.
The Knights' class is led by Javier Clavijo, who is No. 20 on the TopDrawerSoccer.com IMG Academy Top 150 for the class of 2013.
Here is a look at the group:
Joe Amico/Right Back/Columbia, Mo./Sporting KC MLS Academy
? Played on the high school level at Pike High School in Indianapolis
? Received Indiana Soccer Coaches Association All-State honors as a sophomore and junior
? Led team to sectional championship each year and a regional championship as a sophomore
? Attends Rock Bridge High School
Elhadj Barry/Forward/Henrietta, N.Y./Monroe Community College
? Recorded five goals and nine assists as a sophomore in 2012 at Monroe Community College
? Helped Monroe reach the NJCAA Division I national tournament semifinals ? Received NJCAA All-Region 3 Team honors
? Attended Greece Olympia High School and was a first-team all-county selection as a senior
? A native of Guinea
Javier Clavijo/Center Back/Weston, Fla./Weston FC U.S. Soccer Development Academy
? Ranked as the No. 1 player in Florida, No. 4 defender in the nation and No. 20 overall player in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer.com
? Earned NSCAA All-America honors in 2012
? As a junior, led Cypress Bay High School to the Florida Class 5A state title
? Recorded six assists and four goals
? In 2011, dished out seven assists and scored two goals and led Cypress Bay to the Florida Class 6A state title
Giovanni DiMauro/Center Back/Delray Beach, Fla./Team Boca
? A member of the top-ranked prep team in the country at Boca Raton High School
? Named the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach County Player of the Year as a senior
? Recorded 22 goals and 22 assists
? Earned Palm Beach Post All-Area First Team honors as a junior
? Tallied 12 goals and 15 assists in 2012
? As a freshman, helped Boca Raton claim the Florida Class 5A state title
? Member of Team Boca squad that finished second at the 2012 Disney Showcase
Andre Diouf/Left Back/Huntersville, N.C./North Meck Soccer Club U.S. Soccer Development Academy
? Playing with FCAA Premier, helped team to Kepner Cup state championship
? Also played football at Southlake Christian Academy and starred as a defensive back and punter
? Received all-state recognition as a senior
? Recorded nine interceptions as a junior and earned all-county honors
? Holds school career record with 28 interceptions
? A native of Senegal
Dener dos Santos/Center Mid/Joinville, Brazil/Houston Dynamo MLS Youth Academy
? A native of Brazil who attends Dulles High School in Houston, Texas
? Listed as the No. 31 player in Texas by TopDrawerSoccer.com
? At the U17 level, led team to state finals and an eighth-place finish at the national championship
Parker Dixon/Goalkeeper/Jacksonville, Fla./Jacksonville United USSF/Orlando City U.S. Soccer Development Academy
? Led JUFC 94/95 to the 2012 Florida U17 state championship and a spot in the Southern Regional finals
? Was a member of the Florida ODP team in 2010 and 2011
? As a sophomore at Fletcher High School in 2010, received all-conference first team and all-district third team honors
Matt Laux/Center Back and Forward/Boca Raton, Fla./Weston FC U.S. Soccer Development Academy
? A member of the top-ranked prep team in the country at Boca Raton High School
? Finished with 14 goals and 10 assists as a senior
? Earned South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post All-Palm Beach County First Team honors as a senior
? As a junior, earned Sun-Sentinel All-Palm Beach County Second Team recognition
? A four-year all-conference selection
? Helped Team Boca finish second at 2012 Disney Showcase
Fernando Laverde/Mid/Dallas, Texas/FC Dallas MLS Youth Academy
? Helped lead FC Dallas to the 2012 U18 Development Academy national championship
? A member of the U.S. U17 National Team residency program
? Attends Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas
Soren Yuhaschek/Center Back/Orlando, Fla./Darton College
? As a sophomore, earned NJCAA All-America Second Team recognition
? In two years at Darton, led the Cavs to a 38-3-1 record and two NJCAA Final Four appearances
? In 2012, helped Darton limit its opponents to 12 goals in 20 matches
? A native of the Netherlands
? Attended Freedom High School in Orlando and graduated in 2009
Abdi Yusuf/Right Back/Herndon, Va./DC United MLS Youth Academy
? As a junior, led Herndon High School to the AAA Concord District title
? A native of the Netherlands