Cleveland City Stars - www.clevelandcitystars.com

Monday, March 5, 2007

CLEVELAND, OH -- Following the announcement of Mark Schulte as the first signed player for the new Cleveland professional soccer team this past week, CCS announced the addition of six players to the pro team roster earlier. Three of the new Stars previously played for the Cascade Surge PDL team in Oregon including CCS Executive Director Aaron Tredway, who signed on as one of the team’s goalkeepers.

Tredway guarded the net for four years at California State University-Stanislaus before heading overseas. He played professional soccer in several countries throughout Africa then returned to help develop soccer in the United States.

Tredway will again share the field with former Cascade Surge teammates Ian Leibbrandt, a forward from Azusa Pacific University and Glen Duerr, a forward who played his college soccer in Canada. Both Leibbrandt and Duerr earned conference honors while in college. Leibbrandt is still one of the all-time scoring leaders for Azusa Pacific University.

Duerr is currently working on his PhD in Political Science at Kent State University and has been published in the Canadian Free Press where he outlines a strong connection between sports and social structure. Both men look forward to bringing their expertise into the communities around Cleveland and inspiring underprivileged youth to set and accomplish personal goals.

Two of the Stars additions, John DeVae, forward, and Brandon Moncrief, defender, were identified through open tryouts.

DeVae grew up in the Chicago Magic youth program in Illinois and made his State ODP team while in high school. He went on to play for Butler University where he established himself as the second leading scorer and earned All-Great Lakes Region honors in 2006.

Moncrief, a 6’3” 180 pound defender, first caught the attention of the CCS coaching staff during the USL Combine in Florida and will now help anchor the CCS defense. He graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland and then went on to play for the Reading Rage and the Greenville Lions. In 2005 he earned a trial with Manchester City from the English Premiership.

Perhaps the most exciting signing is Andrew Peterson, a defender out of Creighton University. Peterson was the third overall draft pick in the 2007 USL First Division College Draft and was slated to play for the Minnesota Thunder.

Amos Magee, the Thunder head coach noted after the draft, “He is quick, tough, and has a great left foot. His versatility will give us a lot of options on the left side.”
Fortunately for Cleveland soccer fans, they won’t have to travel to Minnesota to see the brilliant defensive play of Andrew Peterson, they can witness it in their own back yard on the Krenzler Field pitch this spring.

Regardless of the path these new players took to arrive at the patch of green in the center of Cleveland, whether they are seasoned veterans who have traveled the world to play against the best, or whether they are taking the next step in their young careers, they all share a passion for the game. They understand its power to unify, to inspire, to entertain and to excite.

These players will spend the next few months working to come together as a team, to deliver “the goods” to Cleveland fans who have waited so long for a new champion. They will also work as a team to champion the causes which will most improve our inner cites and create an environment for success for tomorrow’s stars.

To find out more about tickets for the Cleveland City Stars upcoming season and how you can be part of the future of soccer in Cleveland, please visit our website at www.clevelandcitystars.com or call us 216.916.6586