Jan. 30, 2004

CLEVELAND - Stephen Ademolu, a junior forward on the Cleveland State men's soccer team, has been named to represent his home nation of Canada in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament next week in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Canadian Soccer Association announced today. Ademolu, a native of Windsor, Ontario, was named to the 20-man roster that will compete for one of two spots in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

"I think he's earned this opportunity to represent his country with his performances over the past two years," Cleveland State head coach Pete Curtis said. "He's matured from a raw athlete to a menacing presence on the field. His work ethic and willingness to do whatever it takes for his team make him an extremely attractive prospect for their Olympic team, one that they were not about to overlook."

Canada, placed in Group A of the qualifying tournament, will open the tournament on Tues., Feb. 3, against Honduras in Guadalajara, Mexico, before taking on the United States two days later. Their final match in group play will be on Sat., Feb. 7, against Panama. The top two teams will be paired up with the top two teams of Group B, which includes host Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Costa Rica, with the semifinal winners advancing to the Athens Olympics.

Ademolu was placed on the roster after an extended tryout with the Canadian team camp in Sunrise, Florida, from Dec. 27 to Jan. 22. During the extended camp, he played well in a pair of exhibition matches, collecting an assist in a 2-2 tie with Martinique.

"I believe this is just the first step for Stephen," Curtis said."The whole Olympic experience, where he will play with and against many top quality players, will prove invaluable in his development as a premier player and accelerate the progression of his game to the next level. He has something that you cannot coach, raw speed and an intense desire to learn. These qualities make him a pleasure to work with in training and a tremendous offensive threat on the game field. We are all extremely proud of his accomplishments."

At the conclusion of the 2003 season, in which Ademolu led Cleveland State and the Horizon League with 12 goals, including a memorable three-goal, two-assist game in the home opener against UIC on September 20, he was named Horizon League Player of the Year by the league's coaches. This followed his 2002 award as Horizon League Newcomer of the Year. He has accumulated 54 points (23 goals, 8 assists) in his two seasons at Cleveland State.