The Georgetown University men's soccer team signed nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play on the Hilltop. The Class of 2021 boasts some of the top talent from the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) system.  Along with the NLI signings, Head Coach Brian Wiese announced the addition of transfer goalkeeper Jimmy Coyle to the roster.

“We are extremely happy with this recruiting class,” said Wiese.  “It’s a bigger-than-normal class for us, but more importantly, it’s the quality of it that has us excited. This group has the potential for being the backbone of Georgetown soccer over the next four years.”

Jack Beer
F/M
Thornwood, N.Y./New York Soccer Club

Prior to Georgetown: A two-year starter and one-year captain for his high school squad, earning two varsity letters ... Named NSCAA All-American and NYSPHSAA Section One Player of the Year in 2016 … Selected as the Journal News Westchester/Putnam Player of the Year in 2016 … Combined for 31 goals and 20 assists in 35 games over his final two seasons … A four-year starter and captain with New York Soccer Club … Club teammate of current Hoya Rio Hope-Gund … Has trained with a number of international squads … Squad won back-to-back NPL National Championships in 2015 and 2016 … Squad won the U-17 Dallas Cup and the Disney Showcase … Holds the club record for goals in a season with 28 goals in 25 games as a U-13/14 player … Plays the piano.

Wiese on Beer: “Jack is the best number 10 player in the class that I’ve seen. He scores goals and he can set the table for others as well. He’ll be a fun player to play with and a problem to play against.”

Witt Conger

F/M
Raleigh, N.C./CASL Railhawks Academy

Prior to Georgetown: Started as a sophomore earning one varsity letter in his time playing high school soccer … Named all-conference in 2015 … Team won the 2015 state championship … Scored 23 goals in his championship season to lead the squad … A four-year starter and two-year captain with his club team … Team was 2015 NCYSA State Cup Champions and 2015 NCYSA Premier League Champions … Squad also won the 2014 NCYSA State Cup and the 2013 Disney Showcase Tournament.

Wiese on Conger: “We became sold on Witt after he came to camp last summer. He’s a top-level athlete who can score goals. His athleticism and work rate will allow us to look at him at a variety of different positions.”

Derek Dodson
F/M
Aurora, Ill./Sockers FC

Prior to Georgetown: A three-year starter and one year captain for Sockers FC … Club team qualified for the playoffs all four years … Among the top 10 leading goal scorers in the Development Academy for three seasons … Member of the High Honor Roll … An Indian Prairie Scholar … Participated in Warrior Nation in high school … Brother, Ryan, played college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2011) and at the University of Denver (2012-14) … Sister, Kristen, will be a senior on the Auburn University women’s soccer team.

Wiese on Dodson: “Derek has established himself as one of the best goal scorers in the Development Academy over the last few years. He’s got a great change of pace, but it’s his ability to think on the ball and combine well that makes him special.”

Rio Hope-Gund
M/D

New York, N.Y./New York Soccer Club

Prior to Georgetown: A four-year starter serving as captain as a senior in high school … A three-time all-league honoree … High school squad won the league for three-consecutive seasons, winning the state championship in 2016 … Scored 43 goals in his high school career … A four-year starter and three-year captain with the New York Soccer Club … Club teammate of current Hoya Jack Beer … Squad won back-to-back NPL National Championships in 2015 and 2016 … Squad won the U-17 Dallas Cup and the Disney Showcase … Member of the Student of Color Alliance … Twin brother, Kofi, will play soccer at Amherst College

Wiese on Hope-Gund: “Rio has a captain’s personality and toughness to him. He’s athletic, hard and his simplicity on the ball belies some real technical ability. I expect him to help in the middle of the park or across our back four.”

Ethan Koehler

GK

Maplewood, N.J./PDA

Prior to Georgetown: Played club with PDA … A four-year starter and captain as a junior … Team was a national semifinalist in 2016 … Appeared with the U.S. U-14 Men’s National Team … Member of the Honor Roll.

Wiese on Koehler: “We’ve seen a lot of Ethan over the years with his time at PDA as well as here at camp. He has a great presence in goal and consistently comes up with big saves for his team. He’ll have the benefit of understudying JT Marcinkowski, and which is ideal since he is built in the same style of goalkeeper as JT.”

Chris Le

M/D

Dallastown, Pa./PA Classics

Prior to Georgetown: A four-year starter and two-year captain with PA Classics … Team was the top seed in the Development Academy playoffs in 2014 … Club teammate of current Hoya Sean O’Hearn … Has played against international competition … Skilled 3v3 player … Member of the Distinguished Honor Roll … Part of Mu Alpha Theta and the Link Crew … Finished first one year and second another at the Dallastown Science Fair.

Wiese on Le: “I think I’ve seen Chris play every position with his PA Classics team other than goalkeeper. He’s got a great left foot that gives him a nice arsenal of passes, and can deliver wonderful crosses. He may well be the most versatile player in the class.”

Foster McCune

M

Bethesda, Md./Bethesda SC

Prior to Georgetown: A four-year starter with his club serving as captain his final two seasons … Also a starter on the St. Alban’s golf team … Was the president of his high school’s Booster Club … Sister, Maisie, played soccer at the University of Maryland.

Wiese on McCune: “Foster is one of the top local products in the DC area. He is so competitive and tough. He’ll be a bulldog-type presence in the midfield that also has the ability to control the tempo and unlock teams when we have the ball.”

Jacob Montes

M

Bearverton, Ore./Portland Timbers

Prior to Georgetown: A three-year starter, serving as captain his third and final season playing high school soccer … Played first two seasons at Park Vista High School, and his junior season at The Benjamin School … Named the team MVP and won the Student-Athlete Award at Park Vista … Earned MVP as leading scorer with 16 goals and 13 assists and won Student-Athlete honors at The Benjamin School … Both the Palm Beach Post Player of the Year, and the Sun Sentinel Player of the Year as a junior … Team won the district and were regional finalists in 2015 … Played club with FC Florida 98 Elite White before joining the Portland Timbers Academy … FC Florida was a state cup finalist in 2015 and 2016 … Has trained with international squads including a trip to Qatar for a youth tournament … Member of the Honor Roll.

Wiese on Montes: “Jacob is one of the smoothest players you’ll ever see. He sees the game quickly and has the rare ability to be a tremendous one-touch player or to glide by defenders with the ball at his feet. He makes the game look so easy to play, which is the mark of a great player.”

Sean O'Hearn

D

Mountville, Pa./PA Classics

Prior to Georgetown: Played with PA Classics from 2011-17 serving as a four-year starter and a two-year captain … Named to the 2016 Academy Top XI in the Eastern Division … Played with the U.S. U-19 Men’s National Team in for two months in 2016 … Team was the top seed in the Development Academy playoffs in 2014 … Member of the Honor Roll … Club teammate of current Hoya Chris Le.

Wiese on O’Hearn: “Sean is a winner. Like Chris Le, Sean is a product of PA Classics and Coach Steve Klein, so he has a lot of really good habits already. His 1v1 defending is as good as I’ve seen, he’s really good in the air, and I absolutely love his passing. He’ll compete for a place along our back four or as a holding midfielder for us.”

Jimmy Coyle

GK

New Hope, Pa./The Berkshire School/Elon

At Elon: Appeared in one game for the Phoenix with nine minutes in goal.

Prior to Georgetown: High school squad was ranked No. 1 in the nation in soccer and won a national championship in 2014 … Posted 17 shutouts in his first season playing at The Berkshire School … Named All-Pre Goalkeeper of the Year at The Pennington School.