April 4, 2005

Cleveland State men's soccer head coach Pete Curtis has announced the signing of four players for the 2005 season.

Kobe Gamliel, Roshard Gilbert, Kim Kroken and Nenad Stojkovic will play for the Vikings beginning in the fall.

Gamliel, a 6-2 defender from Tel Aviv, Israel, comes to Cleveland State from "D." Municipal High School. The captain of his junior club team, he will bring strong passing skills and a smart style of play to the Vikings this fall.

"Kobi is a big, aggressive defender whose excellent left foot is equally adept at delivering both strong passes out of the defense and powerful shots on an opponent's goal," Curtis said. "His strength, work rate, and ability to read the game will further strengthen an ever-improving Viking defense. Kobi will be one of the cornerstones of the defense over the next few years."

Gilbert, a 5-11 transfer from York University in Ontario, graduated from Senator O'Connor College School in 2004. He was named the varsity team's MVP as a sophomore, junior and senior after being named the junior varsity team's MVP as a freshman. He also was a member of several soccer clubs during his high school days, including Richmond Hills Soccer Club, Wexford Soccer Club and Hearts Azzurri.

"Roshard is a talented hard-working player who is comfortable anywhere across the midfield," Curtis said. "His strength on the ball, passing ability and quickness will add a different dimension to the Viking midfield and his ability to deliver the right pass at the right time will make him an integral part of the Viking `engine room' this year."

Kroken is a 6-1 transfer student from the University of Oslo Business College. A strong defender, he attended the NTG Soccer Academy, one of Norway's most prestigious soccer clubs, for three years.

"Kim is a big and strong defender who has an excellent left foot," assistant coach John Harr said. "He is strong to the ball and reads the game well. He is a very mature player."

Stojkovic, a 5-8 striker from Valley Forge High School, was an all-state third team selection as a junior and senior, as well as first team all-Greater Cleveland. A three-time all-conference first team member, he scored a school-record 97 goals during his career and was named conference MVP as a junior and senior.

"Nenad is an exciting local player who will bring some much-needed goal-scoring instincts to the Viking line-up," Curtis said. "I believe that, in Nenad, we have signed the premier striker available in the Cleveland area this year. He has shown the confidence, balance, quickness, instinct, and unerring eye for goal to lift himself above the majority of his peers in the striking department."

The Vikings open up the 2005 season on Sept. 2 at Buffalo beginning at 7:00 p.m.