Four Freshman English Soccer Players Sign Letters of Intent
 Posted June 22,  2007
 Four freshman soccer players from the United Kingdom have signed Letters of Intent to play men's soccer for the Scorpions this fall.

Englishmen Mike Hudson, Chris Miller, Stuart Rodgers, and Aaron Scutt will be part of a truly international soccer team for the Scorpions. All but Hudson played for Lincoln College, a soccer specific high school in the United Kingdom.

 

"All four of these guys are all obsessed with soccer which has been in there blood since they could walk," Scorpion men's soccer coach Dan Balaguero said. "Over the years I have managed to develop a wonderful pipeline with Lincoln College. They produce some magnificent players, more importantly all the players are well-coached and understand life as a student in the USA. I’m happy to continue the pipeline here."

 

The players will report for the start of Scorpion men's soccer practice in early August. The Scorpions begin play Thursday, August 23, against Instituto Technologico Superiores de Poza Rica.

 

Mike Hudson (defender)

"Mike is a very accomplished defensive specialist who can play anywhere in the defense, a dominant force in the air and in the tackle," Balaguero said. "He is a great communicator who will ensure we are organized defensively."

Hudson comes to UTB/TSC after being a mainstay on the Somerset County Schools team. He attended Wevern Community School, where he was a star player and team captain.

Chris Miller (Midfielder)

"Chris is an exciting wide player who has the rare ability to beat defenders on the run," Balaguero said. "He loves to run at players and deliver quality crosses for the strikers. He is blessed with pace and balance and also has an eye for goal."

Miller was a two-year starter for Lincoln College.

"I'm really exited about playing in South Texas as we've got a really strong team with a good mixture of youth and experience," Miller said. "As soon as Coach Balaguero told me about the university and the soccer set up I knew where I wanted to go. It's going to be a life-changing experience for me as I've never been to America before and now that I've got the chance to go out there and further my education as well as my soccer."

Stuart Rodgers (defender)

"Stuart reads the game tremendously well, is a great man marker who distributes the ball well out of the back," Balaguero said. "He strikes a great ball over distance."

Rodgers was team captain and a two-year starter at Lincoln College. He plans to major in Health and Human Performance.

"'With college soccer really gaining momentum I am very excited about the opportunity to play for UTB/TSC," Rodgers said. "I'm looking forward to developing my skills and playing alongside very experienced local and international students. Coach Balaguero has high aspirations for the team and I have always been totally dedicated in my approach to both sport and academic studies and I will be working hard to reach our goals."

Aaron Scutt (midfielder)

"Aaron is a midfielder with great feet who has great passing range," Balaguero said. "Look for Aaron to dictating the pace of the game for us.  His work ethic is also very high which I’m sure our fans will love."

Scutt was a two-year starter at Lincoln and represented Lincolnshire schools and Lincoln City FC at various age groups.

"I am really excited about joining UTB/TSC and hopefully winning a national championship," Scutt said. "The team is very strong and competitive. Coach Balaguero has great plans that can make us a successful team. This is a great opportunity for me to play at a high level and hopefully make a difference in the team."