Valparaiso men’s soccer head coach Mike Avery announced today the addition of two recruits that will join the Crusaders for the 2008 soccer season.  Israel Bisoni (Senador Amaral, Brazil) and Rodolfo Lucas (Mogi Mirim, Brazil) each spent the last two seasons as teammates at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas, and will transfer to the Crusaders as juniors with two years of eligibility remaining.  The duo joins the seven previously announced newcomers to the 2008 Crusader squad.

“With Israel and Rodolfo, Valparaiso soccer just took another step forward,” said Avery.  “What we are getting are two terrific young men that are a fit for us on the soccer field, in the classroom, and, most importantly, in terms of the type of people they are.  Being a talented soccer player is one thing – and these two both have that talent in spades – but to be successful here at Valparaiso, we need more than just talent.  These guys are mentally tough, they are winners, and they are leaders.  The additional fact that they hail from ‘the soccer nation’ in Brazil gives them a great passion for the sport and a very high level of soccer intelligence. They are perfect complements to what looks to be a very good recruiting haul for us this year.”

Bisoni, a 5’11” forward out of Senador Amarol, Brazil, trained at Oscar Inn, the famed Brazilian training center founded by Oscar Bernardi, the veteran center back for the Brazilian national team that competed in three World Cup competitions (’78, ’82, ’86).  In 2006, he landed at Coffeyville C.C. in Coffeyville, Kan., where he helped lead the Red Ravens to the 2006 NJCAA Regional Championship.  An All-NJCAA Region selection, Bisoni served as a captain for Coffeyville while playing an attacking midfield role.  A standout in the classroom, Bisoni is a 2007 Dean’s List appointee and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.

“Israel is a very fast, skillful and smart attacking player that will complement our team perfectly,” said Avery.  “He is extremely dangerous in the final third with his quickness, one-on-one ability and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.  His creativity and technique also show up when he is on the ball for set pieces, and he will become a real threat around the goal on dead ball situations. Out of necessity Israel played as a midfielder for Coffeyville, though his natural position may be further up the field as a striker.”

Lucas, a 5’10” midfielder out of Mogi Mirim, Brazil, trained at Oscar Inn alongside Bisoni for a year and a half and joined him at Coffeyville C.C.  A two-year starter for the Red Ravens, Lucas helped lead the squad to the 2006 NJCAA Regional Championship and was named to the 2007 NJCAA All-Region team.  Also an outstanding student, Lucas is a 2007 Dean’s List appointee and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.

“Rodolfo is a very talented midfield player that is the rare combination of technical and tough,” said Avery.  “He has a great soccer IQ and finds the game very well.  His positioning is impeccable, and he is hard tackling.  He is technical enough to solve tight spaces on his own or can play others into the game.  He is an ideal man to hold the middle of the field for us in our system of play.”

The duo joins Garrison Draper, Nathan Fitzgerald, Daniel Jeftich, Tyler Sellers, Chadd Sult, Lenny Young and Kyle Zobeck as newcomers to the Crusader side for the 2008 campaign.