Feb. 2, 2005
University of New Mexico men’s soccer coach Jeremy Fishbein announced the signing of five players to National Letters of Intent for the 2005 season. The Lobos have received commitments from Jason Aul (Dallas, Texas), Brandon Barklage (St. Louis, Mo.), Mike Giffin (St. Charles, Ill.), Jack Smithson (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Chris Wright (Sacramento, Calif.).
All five players come from elite club programs and have years of experience in the United States Olympic Development Program. Both Barklage and Smithson have won United States Youth Soccer Association National Championships with their club teams.
New Mexico finished the 2004 regular season ranked No. 1 in the Soccer America Top-25 ranking and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. UNM losses six players to graduation and returns 18 letter-winners, including seven starters from a team that finished with a 17-1-2 record. The Lobos have won three of the last four Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years. The new signees will look to mix with a very experienced squad to make the trip back to the NCAA Tournament in 2005. This group of players will also have one of the best home field advantages in the country. The Lobos are 23-1-2 in three under Fishbein at the UNM Soccer Complex and averaged 2,379 fans per game in 2004, ranking second in the country in that category.
“We are very excited about the guys we are bringing in,” stated Fishbein. “All of these players are capable of helping us out immediately, but more importantly, they have the talent and dedication to help New Mexico continue to be an elite program for years to come. Each has special athletic attributes and all are extremely dedicated to academic and athletic excellence. Each of these student-athletes will be excellent representatives of the University of New Mexico for the next four years.”
The following are the new players who will suit up for the Lobos in 2005:
| Name | Pos. | HT | WT | Hometown (High School/Club) |
| Jason Aul | D | 6-2 | 160 | Dallas, Texas (Plano West HS/Dallas Texans) |
| Brandon Barklage | F/MF | 5-11 | 165 | St.Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers HS/Scott Gallagher) |
| Mike Giffin | D/MF | 6-2 | 165 | St. Charles, Ill. (Burling Central HS/Sockers) |
| Jack Smithson | MF/F | 5-9 | 145 | Hinsdale, Ill. (Hinsdale Central HS/Chicago Magic) |
| Chris Wright | MF | 6-4 | 185 | Sacramento, Calif. (Jesuit HS/San Juan Rangers) |
Jason Aul |
Jason Aul D 6-2 160 Dallas, Texas Plano West HS Dallas Texans
Three-year starter for Plano West high school, which is currently ranked sixth in the nation in the NSCAA top-25…Plays for the Dallas Texans club team who won the 2004 Disney and Premier league championships…Was a Region III semifinalist with the Texans in 2004…Finished third in the USYSA national championships in 2003…The Dallas Texans are one of the elite clubs in the U.S. and have produced world class players…Born on October 27, 1986, Jason is the son of Kevin and Jacquelin Aul…He has one sister, Megan (16)…His father played Division I basketball at Pittsburgh.
Quoting Coach Fishbein
“Jason is a tenacious, athletic defender who is dominant in the air. He has played for outstanding coaches and has a great understanding of different systems of play. He can play either as a center-back or right-back and his athletic ability will allow him to comfortably compete as a freshman. I am confident that Jason can become one of the best defenders in collegiate soccer.”
Brandon Barklage |
Brandon Barklage F/MF 5-11 165 St. Louis, Mo. Christian Brothers HS Scott Gallagher
Scored 16 goals for his Missouri State Champion Christian Brothers high school team that finished 2004 ranked No. 5 in the nation by NSCAA…1st team all-state performer as a senior in what is traditionally one of the hotbeds for soccer talent in the country…Club team, Scott Gallagher, won the 2004 U-17 and 2003 U-16 USYSA National Championships…Two-time member of the Missouri State ODP team…Born November 2, 1986, Brandon is the son of Gary and Rhonda Barklage…He has one sister, Andrea (15).
Quoting Coach Fishbein
“Brandon is a fierce competitor who has won at every level he has participated. His winning attitude exemplifies the type of player we want here at New Mexico. I expect him to come in and immediately compete for playing time as a freshman. He can play any of the attacking positions, either center-midfield, wide-midfield or as a forward. We feel that Brandon is going to be an impact player at the collegiate level.”
Mike Giffin |
Mike Giffin D/MF 6-2 165 St. Charles, Ill. Burling Central Sockers FC
Played only two years of high school soccer, starting his freshman and sophomore seasons for Burling Central…Was all-conference and all-area both seasons… His junior and senior years he was a member of Sockers FC top-talent program…His Sockers club team won the state cup championships in 2003 and 2004…His club team also won the Jefferson Cup and Raleigh Shootout in 2004 with Sockers…Mike has been fortunate to play for some of the best coaches in the country and on one of the top club teams in the nation…Member of the Illinois State ODP team for four years…Born December 14, 1986, Mike is the son of Ken and Debbie Peterson…He has one sister, Kelly (20).
Quoting Coach Fishbein
“Mike is a good-sized natural athlete, who is extremely comfortable on the ball. He is a natural left-footer and can play anywhere in the back or midfield. Mike’s passing skills, decision-making and ability to attack from a defensive position are what greatly excite our coaching staff. He has some big-time players playing in front of him next year, but we think he is going to compete next fall and after that become a mainstay in our line-up.”
Jack Smithson |
Jack Smithson MF/F 5-9 145 Hinsdale, Ill. Hinsdale Central HS Chicago Magic FC
Talented midfielder/forward who has played for the six-time Illinois club state champion Chicago Magic, one of the top club teams in the country…Scored the game-winning goal in the 2003 USYSA U-17 National Championship game…Seven time member of the 1986 Illinois State ODP team and a three time Region II ODP pool player…MVP of both his club and high school teams…Named to the 2004 Illinois high school all-state team…All-time leader in career goals (53) and goals in a season (22) at Hinsdale Central…Scored 22 goals and 17 assists for a Hinsdale team which finished the 2004 season ranked No. 18 in the final NSCAA Top-25 with a 21-1-2 record…Born on June 27, 1986, Jack is the son of Craig and Clarice Smithson.
Quoting Coach Fishbein
“Jack has had a very successful career thus far and brings a winning attitude to our program. He has been instrumental in the success of his high school and club teams. He has played and been successful in a lot of high-pressure situations and that will definitely help his collegiate career. His vision and ability to make medium and long-range passes out of the midfield are what make him such a special player. He loves soccer, is versatile and will come in and push players at a number of positions. He is going to play a major role in our future success.”
Chris Wright |
Chris Wright MF 6-4 185 Sacramento, Calif. Jesuit HS San Juan Rangers
Big, athletic midfielder who is technical and great in the air…Starter on Jesuit High School’s national championship team in 2003, scoring 11 goals and 15 assists…Trained with Athletico Paranaese in Curitiba, Brazil, in the fall of 2004…Three year member of the Cal-North ODP program…Member of Jesuit’s track team, competing in the 110 hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles, long jump and triple jump…Born on February 27, 1987, Chris is the son of Philip and Alynn Wright…Has a younger sister, Taryn (16) and younger brother, Steven (10)…Father played soccer at Stanford…Mother played soccer and volleyball at Santa Clara.
Quoting Coach Fishbein
“Chris is a guy who was overlooked early on by many major programs. He is a very technical player who is dominant in the air. Rarely do you see a player with his height move so well and be so comfortable on the ball. He is very passionate about soccer and comes from an athletic family. He is goal-driven in everything he does, and we are confident he is going to grow into a great player for us. He can play as a central-defender, center-midfielder or as a forward, and his versatility is going to make it hard to keep him off the field as a freshman.”