Poly - Maryland comitment

[TMAN]

Now I know what Sasho was doing on the other goalie for 2011 (besides Cardona). See below....Not surprised.... Had to have another goalie... S


Although Jordan Tatum was planning on playing Division I soccer somewhere, he didn’t think it would be at the University of Maryland.



But after earning MVP honors among the 25 high school goalies in attendance at an identification camp Maryland held in July, Tatum received a call from Terrapins assistant coach Brian Rowland the day after the camp ended. Rowland asked the Osbourn High School senior if he was interested in visiting the school.



Tatum and his family took Maryland up on its offer and went to College Park last Wednesday. From there, things picked up. Tatum met with Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski, who asked if Tatum wanted to commit to the Terrapins.



The family talked about it over lunch, but by that afternoon, Tatum was on board. He wanted to play for the Terrapins.



“My head is spinning,” Tatum said. “I never thought I would be committed to Maryland.”



The Terrapins are one of the nation’s top men’s college soccer teams. Under Cirovski, Maryland has won two NCAA titles (2005, 2008) and have reached the NCAA Tournament nine straight years.



The Terrapins entered this season ranked third in the country by College Soccer News and sixth by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.



Tatum had been considering North Carolina, Clemson and Virginia Tech after participating in each school’s identification camp this summer. Maryland didn’t pop up on the radar screen until Tatum’s goalkeeping coach suggested that Tatum think about the Terrapins.



Tatum emailed the coaching staff a video of his play. The next day, he got a call from Maryland, inviting him to come out to their identification camp that ran over a few days.



“I thought there was no way I could play for Maryland,” Tatum said. “They’re a top five school.”



Tatum, who plays for the McLean Youth U18 Development Academy, is currently one of two high school goalies to have committed to Maryland for the class of 2011. The other is Keith Cardona from Glen Rock, N.J.



Cardona was one of three goalies named to Parade Magazine’s 2010 High School Boys All-American Team. He also was a member of the U.S. Under-17 World Cup team that played last October in Nigeria.



Besides Maryland’s reputation for its men’s soccer team, Tatum also liked the fact that the school is an hour away and the possibility of earning early playing time.



Maryland has two goalies on its 2010 roster, senior Will Swaim and junior Zac MacMath. MacMath was a third-team all-American last season and a first-team all-ACC selection last season.



Last spring was Tatum’s first as Osbourn’s starting goalie. As a freshman, he came up to the varsity midway through the season, but missed his sophomore year after having knee surgery.



Tatum said he is looking into the possibility of bypassing playing his senior season at Osbourn and enrolling at Maryland in January. To finish early, Tatum said he needs three classes to graduate from Osbourn.



Tatum said he plans on taking the courses on-line. Maryland told Tatum it would like him to be on campus in January, but the school and the NCAA needs to approve the on-line courses before it can happen.

 

[POLY1967]

Hey TMAN: As good as MacMath has looked lately, you can almost bet that this is his last year. Makes sense that another goalie comes in. You knew Sasho was not going to leave himself unprepared.

I still think Kassel will also go early. So we may have another XMAS surprise coming our way.

Have you been surprised at Carolina winning both of their games on PKs !!

 

[TMAN]

Poly.... there's been some chatter as well that DC United is interested in Ethan White. White came up through DC's Acadamy program. So he's one to watch as well. But if the terps bring back the hardware, whose complaining about the kids cashing it in for the coin.

The kid Keith Cardona is six foot five. Shades of Chris Seitz. Didn't know Cardona was that big. Wow!

Back to your Carolina quesition. Talk about being frikn lucky. They scored with 20 seconds left against MSU to tie the game. Survival and advance. That's the name of the game. Still UNC has now scored 1 goal in the last three games. When they meet the iron, I believe they're in trouble. You have to be able to score goals...

BTW,.... if Ethan does go, my feeling is the kid Helge Leikvan, the Norweigian kid whose played holding mid for Maryland this year coming off the bench, will get a long long look at central back next year. He's too talented to keep on the bench IMO.

t.

 

[Fekula]

Question

TMAN, is this an article you wrote or did you cut and paste it from somewhere. If it is yours it is excellent stuff! If it is not yours it is still excellent stuff!

Man, that game yesterday was a baffler. I was sitting right behind the goal Maryland was attacking in the 1st half. PSU was not using very tight man-marking -- looked like a zonal D stretched wide to prevent runs around the corners -- and as such, Jason Herrick and Casey Townsend were finding sufficient space -- Maryland just couldn't get the ball to them. Credit PSU for cutting off passing lanes, but I am shocked this game was scoreless until 88 minutes. I hope it is a case of having to get it out of their system. Sasho pointed out afterward that Michigan beat PSU twice including the Big10 Final, so this ain't gonna be a piece of cake.

 

[TMAN]

Re: Question

From a Virginia online paper that I scurried upon. Article was actually dated in September so Sasho holding back on us.... the rascal.

t.

Yea the game was a bit strange. PSU loaded the box like u said. Never though it would come down to the 88 minute for the first goal.

What gets me really happy though! The game coming up against Michigan is saturday at one o'clock. A heck of alot warmer than this past Sunday night.

t.
This post was edited on 11/29 5:38 PM by TMAN

 

[Fekula]

Re: Question

OK, thanks for doing the research on the recruits. Not a surprise that the news about recruits takes awhile to catch up; not as many people paying attention to who comes/goes.

Yeah, PSU loaded the box but they were so spread out you could drive a pick-up truck through it. They do a good job of doubling down when under threat, plus, Terps didn't put a lot of shots on the frame -- big statistical shooting advantage, but not many that really threatened. Looking forward to seeing what Michigan has got.