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GCCC men's soccer scores again with top Minnesota recruit
Published 6/30/2009 in Sports : GCCC
By MIKE KESSINGER
If eight returning starters and a recruiting class full of talent wasn't enough, the Garden City Community College men's soccer program added another name to its high-caliber roster Monday for the 2009 season.
Whitney Browne, the Minnesota Gatorade boys soccer player of the year, signed a national letter of intent with the Broncbusters, making him the 17th commitment to the GCCC program this season. With 31 goals to his credit last season as a senior at Osseo High School in Osseo, Minn. — ranking him third in the state in goals scored — Busters' third-year head coach Stephen Gorton said he plans to utilize Browne at any attacking position.
"He's a difference-maker," Gorton said.
Committed to play at Western Illinois this season, Browne did not qualify by ACT standards. Gorton, a Western Illinois alum, found out that Browne would probably not qualify for this school year about two weeks ago when he was talking to his college coach Dr. Eric Johnson.
"It was kind of funny because I knew Whitney's brother Martin was at Western Illinois and has been pretty successful and so I was asking (Johnson) how he thought Whitney was going to be," Gorton said. "He told me he didn't think he was going to qualify."
Gorton was then in contact with Browne and had him committed to becoming a Buster.
"I think he's our highest caliber recruit we've had," Gorton said. "And the thing is he was doing it as a 16-year-old senior."
Browne, now 17, joins a program coming off its first appearance in the NJCAA national tournament where GCCC placed fourth. Along with Browne, and a recruiting class that consisted of one NCAA Division I transfer, and three others who will be sophomores, the Busters' will also have midfielder Tariq Al-Lugman returning.
Al-Lugman sat out last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Al-Lugman was on the Busters' schedule poster last season and was the conference freshman of the year in 2007 and an All-Region selection.
Gorton said he is excited about Browne joining the already loaded core the program has put together, and he feels as though the players will be more than willing to welcome him in when practice starts in August.
"I think they'll react well to him," Gorton said of his team. "They've embraced new kids really well."
With the talent Garden City returns and the players coming in, Gorton said can certainly feel a little more pressure building for success.
"It's putting the pressure on my shoulders," Gorton said. "With eight returning starters and what we have coming in, I just see it as better problems for us."
On the Web:
GCCC men's soccer: http://www.gcccks.edu/Athletics/soccer/msoccer.htm
What do you think the GCCC men's soccer season will be like this year? Talk about it at SWKTalk.com.
Found 3 comment(s)!
Whitney is a great player i just wanted to let u guys know that, he has amazing foot work and is really fast, hes is very good at running at defenders, this kid is the total package.
Posted by: fan minnesota on 7/9/2009
W. Browne
I would like to welcome Whitney Browne to the Buster Soccer Family. We are glad you are coming and look forward to watching you boys play this fall.
Posted by: Soccer Dad on 7/2/2009
WOW.
I can't believe Coach Gorton and his ability to bring in so many talented players. I'm very excited to be able to watch the soccer in GC.
Posted by: Buster Soccer Fan on 6/30/2009
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