SAN ANTONIO — Jeff Jennings, the captain of Fort Lewis College’s 2009 NCAA Division II national championship team, is one of four players to be offered contracts with the San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League (NASL) after the Scorpions FC recently held tryouts in San Antonio, Arizona, and Maryland, the club announced yesterday.

Jennings, a 6-foot-1 midfielder who prepped at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo., was a four-year starting defender for the Skyhawks from 2006-09. He was named to the NCAA-II All-Final Four team as a senior when he led FLC to a 24-1-0 record and their second national title.

Jennings was also a two-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Confererence (RMAC) first teamer (2007, 2009), a first team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Central Region selection as a senior, a two-time Daktronics All-Region All-Region performer (2007, 2009), a Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team member (2007), and a three time RMAC All-Academic student-athlete (2007, 2008, 2009).

He graduated from FLC with a bachelor of arts degree in Business Administration in 2010.

Jennings is expected to play in the midfield for the Scorpions. He amassed 23 career points on seven goals and nine asssists in 92 career appearances for the Skyhawks, the latter setting the school record for appearances. He ranks 45th in total points in FLC history.

Also joining the San Antonio roster are left wing Walter Ramirez, defender Karsten Smith, and right back Dominic Papa.

“We’ve added experience and depth with these four new players,” said Scorpions head coach Tim Hankinson, who was Jennings’ head coach in 2007 and 2008 at Fort Lewis. “They join our first two signees, Kevin Harmse and Greg Janicki, in forming a strong nucleus for a tough, exciting team.”

“The team-building process will continue with more player signings in the next few weeks prior to the start of training camp in February,” Hankinson said.

The North American Soccer League is the Division 2 men’s outdoor professional soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The NASL member teams include the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, FC Edmonton, FC Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, NSC Minnesota Stars, Montreal Impact (joining MLS in 2012), Puerto Rico Islanders, and the San Antonio Scorpions FC (beginning play in 2012).

One of Jennings’ former national championship teammates, Jamie Cunningham, will face him in the NASL. Cunningham appeared in 1,813 minutes as a defender for Puerto Rico in the 2011 season.

Jennings was one of five Skyhawks to be extended tryouts by the Scorpions. Keane Hamilton (2007-10), Thomas Hoang (2008-11), Tom Settle (2006-09), and Kyle Wood (2006-09) also tried out for the squad.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

ECNL Girls N. Atlantic Players to Watch

Women's NCAA Tournament Round Two Preview

Best of Men's College Soccer Week 13