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Club News
2006
- 2007
• Vardarstars |
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Norman and
Omekanda selected for MLS Combine |
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Vardar players Nate
Norman, University of Notre Dame, and
Simon Omekanda, Penn State
University, are among a select group of players that have
been selected to the Major League Soccer Combine in Fort
Lauderdale. These two accomplished collegiate players have
capped their college careers with this very distinguished
honor, as they will compete with some of the finest players
in the country.
The Vardarstars Soccer Club are very proud of
the accomplishments of both these young men and wish them
the best of luck at the combine and with their future
careers.
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Class:
Senior |
Height / Weight:
6-1 / 170 |
Hometown:
Rochester, MI |
Position:
Forward/Midfield |
High School:
Rochester Adams |
Birthdate:
03/02/1985 |
Notre Dame University
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NEWS |
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Three-time monogram winner • will look to play a significant
amount of time in the wide area of the midfield • excels at
moving up to spearhead the Fighting Irish attack • makes good
decisions and knows how to beat defenders one-on-one • great
knowledge of the game • brings experience, instant offense and
excitement to the Irish lineup • has appeared in 59 career
matches with 10 starts • five goals and six assists for 16
points. AS A JUNIOR: Played in 22 games, making five starts •
third on the team with nine points coming on three goals and
three assists • tallied two game-winning goals • scored a goal
in the 4-1 season-opening victory against No. 7 SMU • named to
the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament all-tournament team as
he notched the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Boston
University and assisted on the game-winner in the 1-0 overtime
win against Saint Louis • scored in a 3-3 tie versus West
Virginia • assisted on a goal in a 2-1 overtime win versus
Providence and in a 2-1 loss to Cincinnati • named to the
2005-06 BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team • fifth on the team with
30 shots • earned a monogram.
AS A SOPHOMORE:
Started five of 18 games that he played in during the 2004
season • scored two goals and assisted on three others for a
total of seven points • assisted on the game-winner in the
season-opener versus Oregon State at the adidas/IU Credit Union
Classic to earn his first collegiate point • collected an assist
in the 49th minute to help give the Irish a 2-1 lead and the win
against the Beavers • netted first career goal in the very next
game, a 2-0 win versus Boston University, as he sent in an
unassisted shot in the 61st minute to give the Irish their
second goal of the match • dished an assist versus
Loyola-Chicago as the Irish went on to win 4-0 • recorded the
final score in Notre Dame's 3-0 win against No. 22 Michigan in
the 86th minute • assisted on the game-winner versus Connecticut
in the 85th minute • Notre Dame would add a late insurance goal
against the Huskies to make it a 2-0 final • named to the
2004-05 BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team • selected the to the
Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament all-tournament team.
AS A FRESHMAN:
Key member of Notre Dame's bench players in the midfield •
appeared in 19 contests during his rookie season in 2003 • also
competed as a member of the U.S. Under-20 National Team • played
a career high 75 minutes in his first career match vs. UAB at
the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic • drew a key foul vs. No. 19
Indiana in Notre Dame's 1-0 victory over the eventual national
champion • picked up an errant Hoosier pass and took a deep run
into the Indiana zone, eventually drawing a yellow card foul at
the top of the penalty box • Chad Riley's free kick from that
spot was sent into the net by Kevin Goldthwaite for the
game-winning score • put two shots on goal in his first career
match vs. UAB • member of the 2003-04 BIG EAST Academic All-Star
Team.
HIGH SCHOOL AND
PERSONAL DATA:
Member of Under-18 National Team • has been a yearly member of
the US National Team program since 1999 • a three-time National
Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America team •
McDonald's and Parade magazine All-America honoree as a senior •
named one of the top 12 prep forwards in the country by Parade
magazine • tallied 45 goals and 46 assists during his career at
Rochester Adams High School • netted seven goals and eight
assists in his final scholastic campaign • four-year
letterwinner on a team that compiled 64-16-9 mark over four
seasons • led his team to a state runner-up finish and an
overall record of 21-2-1 in his junior year as team captured
Oakland Athletic League championship as well as district and
regional titles • as a freshman, he was a member of state
championship team that also won both district and regional
crowns • also led team to district title in sophomore season •
four-time all-state, all-regional, all-county and all-district
honoree • named to the Michigan Dream Team in 2001 and 2002 •
captained Vadar III Soccer Club that won State Cup championships
in '01 and '02 • member of the Michigan state Olympic
Developmental Program for seven years, as well as the U.S. Youth
Soccer Region II Team for six seasons • father Brad played
basketball at Baker University • one of three children • son of
Brad and Wendy Norman • born March 2, 1985 • enrolled in the
College of Arts and Letters as a theology major with a minor in
political science • possesses a 3.333 cumulative GPA.
Norman's
Career Bests
Goals
Game 1 (five times)
Season 3 (2005)
Assists
Game 1 (six times) |
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Class:
Senior |
Height / Weight:
5-8 / 178 |
Hometown:
Rochester Hills, MI |
Position:
Forward |
High School:
Rochester Adams |
Birthdate:
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Penn State University
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NEWS |
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2005 (Junior):
Named First Team All-Big Ten…Honored on NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic
Region First Team…Earned a spot on the Penn State Nike Classic
All-Tournament Team...Possesses a team-high 52 career
points…Tied for sixth on Penn State’s all-time career assists
list with 22...One of five Nittany Lions to start all 22
games…Finished second on the team in goals (6) and first in
assists (9)…Scored game-winning goal in 1-0 upset victory over
No. 6 Maryland (9/21), earning him Big Ten Offensive Player of
the Week honors…Netted double overtime game-winners against Ohio
State (10/16) and Michigan State (10/23)…Scored second goal of
season in tie with St. Bonaventure (9/27)…Had first multi-goal
game of career vs. Hartwick (11/4), recording two goals in 3-0
win...Recorded an assist in regular season win over Indiana
(9/30) and in Big Ten Championship game versus the Hoosiers
(11/13)…Assisted on overtime game-winners against Wisconsin
(10/9) and Michigan (10/30)…Notched two assists in 2-0 win over
Michigan State in second round game of Big Ten Championship
(11/11)…Registered assists against Cal State Fullerton (9/18),
Akron (10/3), and Northwestern (10/7).
2004 (Sophomore):
Omekanda entered the 2005 season with more career points (31)
than any other returning player...Second on the team in scoring
in 2004... Recorded first goal of season off a penalty kick
against No. 8 Wake Forest (9/5)...Had a goal and two assists
against Georgetown (9/10)...Named to the Maryland Classic
All-Tournament team...Scored the opening goal against Virginia
Tech (9/18)...Had two assists against Wisconsin (10/10)...Netted
a goal against No. 21 Maryland (10/14)...Scored fifth goal of
season, a game-winner, at Lehigh (11/7).
2003 (Freshman):
Started all 20 games and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshmen
team...Tallied an assist in first collegiate game versus No. 1
UCLA (8/29)...Scored first career goal, a game-winner, in Penn
State’s win over Bradley (9/5)...Picked up another game-winning
goal and had seven shots on goal in victory over Tulsa
(9/7)...Named Ohio State Classic MVP for two game-winning
goals...Named to the College Soccer News and Soccer America
National Teams of the Week for his efforts at the Ohio State
Classic... Assisted on both Nittany Lion goals in 2-1 win over
Boston College (9/12)...Scored one goal and had three shots in
win over St. Bonaventure (9/21)...Recorded two assists in 3-1
win over Northwestern (10/2)...Notched an assist on game-winner
in Big Ten Championship first round win over Michigan State
(11/13).
High School:
Named 2002 Mr. Michigan and was selected to the All-State
team...NSCAA All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year.
Background: Simon
Okende Omekanda was born Sept. 15, 1984, in Rabat, Morocco...Son
of Avoki and Marie Omekanda...Majoring in Electrical
Engineering.
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