Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Men's Soccer Signs Two for 2006
4/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
April 10, 2006
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall men's soccer head coach Bob Gray has announced the signing of two student-athletes for the 2006 season. Sterling Flunder, a midfielder/defender from Bothell, Wash., and Matt Fessenden, a midfielder/defender from Knoxville, Tenn., will join the Thundering Herd for the 2006 season. With the loss of four seniors and a move toward a smaller roster, the 2006 recruiting class is smaller than usual, but Gray still expects them to have a big impact on the program.
Flunder comes to Huntington after spending a year at Spokane Community College. He will have three years of eligibility remaining. A 2004 graduate of Inglemoor High School, he was a two-time Region IV A team player and was in the national pool and participated at the adidas ESP camp. He also was a three-time Washington State ODP team player.
"Sterling is a very athletic flank player who we expect to have an immediate impact as an outside midfielder, and he is equally competent as an outside back," Gray said. "Sterling's speed is clearly an asset and we look forward to his contributions for the next three years."
Flunder also was invited to the Italy tour in 2003 and 2004 and was listed on Topdrawersoccer.com's top 100 recruits in the nation list. His club team, Snohomish United, won four Washington state championships and he also earned a state championship in Idaho with the Sandpoint Strikers. He played last summer with current Marshall freshman Osric Flores for the Skagit PDL team.
Fessenden plays with the Tennessee Futbol Club, the three-time Tennessee state champions and two-time Region III North Central Premier League Champions. The team also was a 2005 Southern Region III Championship Finalist and the first Tennessee boys team to win the top bracket at the Bethesda College Showcase and the top bracket at the CASL College Showcase.
"Matt comes from a youth team rich in success at a very competitive level," Gray said. "Matt is a very good athlete and can play both centrally and wide. Matt's versatility will give us several options as he will have the opportunity to contribute immediately."
Fessenden also plays for Sevier County High School, where he was Coaches First Team All State and TSWA First Team All State. He also was a Freshman Impact Player of the Year, defensive MVP as a sophomore and team captain as a junior. He was named to the all-district and all-region teams and was team MVP. He also was honored as the PrepExtra Defensive MVP and AAA Region 4 Defensive MVP.
