Still no sign of an announcement on the UConn athletics website publicizing the incoming class to the men's soccer team, something many Division 1 schools do in the spring or early summer. Still, this is hardly unusual for Ray Reid, as it is something doesn't ever seem to do. I find this lack of publicity to be rather unusual considering the popularity of the men's soccer team.
Whatever the case, the following article is on the Courant website where Ray Reid and company talk about one of the newcomers, Sebastian Brems, a junior transfer from Southern Connecticut State University.
http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-uconn-soccer-0806-20150805-story.html
STORRS — When Ray Reid left Southern Connecticut State University and replaced legendary men's soccer coach Joe Morrone at UConn in 1996, he made a promise.
He told himself that no matter what — Southern players were off limits.
"Southern was too good to me, it helped me as a player, as an assistant and as a head coach and got me the job," Reid said last month. "So we said we'd never take players."
He stayed true to his promise. But this season, Reid and associate head coach John Deeley won't be the only former Southern guys in the locker room.
In the winter, Southern coach Tom Lang called Reid and told him to take a look at Southern defender Sebastian Brems. Reid liked what he saw.
When the Huskies start the season against St. Francis-Brooklyn on Aug. 28, Brems will be on the roster as one of the team's center midfielders.
"[Lang], give him credit, the Southern coach, called me and said, 'Look, this kid can play at a much higher level and I want to help him,'" Reid said. "We went and saw him and loved him, and we took him."
Brems joins UConn after the Huskies missed the postseason for the first time in 17 seasons. He is the first Southern transfer.
"I talked to my coach last summer and told him I wanted to make the move, and I obviously wanted to go to UConn — it is the best," Brems said. "When I saw them do not so good in the beginning of the season [last year], I just thought it is one season out of how many."
Brems is one of several talented players arriving at Storrs this fall, including forward DeAndrae Brown, goalie Alejandro Cubillo, forward Mikael DaSilva, defender Brendan Hill, midfielder Ben Nicholas, forward Abdou Thiam, midfielder Moustapha Samb and forward Fredrik Jonsson. Nicholas is from Cornwall and Hill is from Tolland and played at Oakwood.
"We got a good group," Reid said. "I can't rate [this group] for about 31/2 years, but we're very excited. I think [associate head coach] Tim O'Donohue has done a fantastic job of putting this class together."
At Southern last year, Brems earned All-America honors and was named the Northeast-10 defensive player of the year as a center back. But when Reid watched him play, he saw him as more than just a defender.
He saw him as a playmaker, and a pivotal piece to any formation.
"He's not a center back; [Lang] put him there because he needed to put out a fire and [Lang] knew how good he was," Reid said. "You put him in the center of the park."
Despite UConn's rare absence from the NCAA tournament last season, Brems liked the program and the personalities. It fit him well. He was ready to move up. And Reid believes Brems will have an impact.
"I like the kid a real lot, he's a very good kid, he's a good student, he's all business," Reid said. "He's smart, unassuming, good feet, good vision and a quarterback."
Brems, who started all 20 games last year for Southern, has fit in well.
"In the spring I was just trying to work and earn my spot; now I'm trying to be more of a leader," he said.
Brems grew up in Denmark but is far from the only new international player on the roster. As it has been throughout Reid's time at UConn, the team is filled with young players from far-reaching locations. Cubillo is from Spain, Jonsson is from Sweden, Simen Olafsen is from Norway and Samb and Thiam are from Senegal.
Co-captain Jakob Nerwinski is excited about the new players.
"They seem to be very serious and very into it, and good players, too," Nerwinski said. "This year could be a big year for us."
The Huskies play Rider Aug. 16 and Syracuse on Aug. 22 in exhibition games. Then comes the opener against St. Francis-Brooklyn.
"We don't have a lot of seniors; we have four seniors in the program, so we're going to be young [this year], but I like the makeup of the group, I like the mentality of the group, I like the talent in the group and I like the mind-set of the group," Reid said.
Whatever the case, the following article is on the Courant website where Ray Reid and company talk about one of the newcomers, Sebastian Brems, a junior transfer from Southern Connecticut State University.
http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-uconn-soccer-0806-20150805-story.html
STORRS — When Ray Reid left Southern Connecticut State University and replaced legendary men's soccer coach Joe Morrone at UConn in 1996, he made a promise.
He told himself that no matter what — Southern players were off limits.
"Southern was too good to me, it helped me as a player, as an assistant and as a head coach and got me the job," Reid said last month. "So we said we'd never take players."
He stayed true to his promise. But this season, Reid and associate head coach John Deeley won't be the only former Southern guys in the locker room.
In the winter, Southern coach Tom Lang called Reid and told him to take a look at Southern defender Sebastian Brems. Reid liked what he saw.
When the Huskies start the season against St. Francis-Brooklyn on Aug. 28, Brems will be on the roster as one of the team's center midfielders.
"[Lang], give him credit, the Southern coach, called me and said, 'Look, this kid can play at a much higher level and I want to help him,'" Reid said. "We went and saw him and loved him, and we took him."
Brems joins UConn after the Huskies missed the postseason for the first time in 17 seasons. He is the first Southern transfer.
"I talked to my coach last summer and told him I wanted to make the move, and I obviously wanted to go to UConn — it is the best," Brems said. "When I saw them do not so good in the beginning of the season [last year], I just thought it is one season out of how many."
Brems is one of several talented players arriving at Storrs this fall, including forward DeAndrae Brown, goalie Alejandro Cubillo, forward Mikael DaSilva, defender Brendan Hill, midfielder Ben Nicholas, forward Abdou Thiam, midfielder Moustapha Samb and forward Fredrik Jonsson. Nicholas is from Cornwall and Hill is from Tolland and played at Oakwood.
"We got a good group," Reid said. "I can't rate [this group] for about 31/2 years, but we're very excited. I think [associate head coach] Tim O'Donohue has done a fantastic job of putting this class together."
At Southern last year, Brems earned All-America honors and was named the Northeast-10 defensive player of the year as a center back. But when Reid watched him play, he saw him as more than just a defender.
He saw him as a playmaker, and a pivotal piece to any formation.
"He's not a center back; [Lang] put him there because he needed to put out a fire and [Lang] knew how good he was," Reid said. "You put him in the center of the park."
Despite UConn's rare absence from the NCAA tournament last season, Brems liked the program and the personalities. It fit him well. He was ready to move up. And Reid believes Brems will have an impact.
"I like the kid a real lot, he's a very good kid, he's a good student, he's all business," Reid said. "He's smart, unassuming, good feet, good vision and a quarterback."
Brems, who started all 20 games last year for Southern, has fit in well.
"In the spring I was just trying to work and earn my spot; now I'm trying to be more of a leader," he said.
Brems grew up in Denmark but is far from the only new international player on the roster. As it has been throughout Reid's time at UConn, the team is filled with young players from far-reaching locations. Cubillo is from Spain, Jonsson is from Sweden, Simen Olafsen is from Norway and Samb and Thiam are from Senegal.
Co-captain Jakob Nerwinski is excited about the new players.
"They seem to be very serious and very into it, and good players, too," Nerwinski said. "This year could be a big year for us."
The Huskies play Rider Aug. 16 and Syracuse on Aug. 22 in exhibition games. Then comes the opener against St. Francis-Brooklyn.
"We don't have a lot of seniors; we have four seniors in the program, so we're going to be young [this year], but I like the makeup of the group, I like the mentality of the group, I like the talent in the group and I like the mind-set of the group," Reid said.