Virginia has seen a lot of players leave early over the years, dating back to John Harkes and Tony Meola in the 80s and a boatload of P40/GA players in the late 90s and 2000's. Now, they're losing a player before he arrives on campus. (Excuse me,"grounds.") Shane O'Neil, who a MF from Colorado who signed with Virginia in the spring, has signed a homegrown player contract to join the Colorado Rapids. Here are a couple of articles discussing his signing with Colorado and UVa's release about him coming there, which is now moot. http://www.9news.com/news/article/273372/345/Fairviews-Shane-Oneill-joins-Rapids http://blogs.denverpost.com/rapids/...onal-soccer-dream-newest-member-rapids/23540/ http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewA...2&SPID=10604&ATCLID=205408157&DB_OEM_ID=17800 Que sera. This isn't the first time a college soccer player went pro after signing a LOI without ever playing college soccer - Kenny Cooper, Davy Armstrong, Conor Doyle, Conor Shanosky, Villyan Bijev - and it certainly won't be the last.
Because we don't know the specifics of his contract or the % of his scholarship to UVA or his family's economic situation, we are left to speculate on whether he made a good financial decision. But, based on the mounting evidence regarding other recent HG signees, it seems likely that: (1) he will not be playing for the Rapids on a regular basis during the next couple of years, and (2) he will not be getting as much game experience -- whether with Reserves or otherwise -- as he would have had at UVA (assuming, of course, that he could have started at UVA, which may or may not be true). So, from a soccer development perspective, a good argument can be made that he would have been better off going to UVA for a year or two. We can only wish him the best of luck and hope he is resilient, because he'll need to keep his confidence up for a couple (or more) years while waiting for his chance to play.
Any word on Darius Madison going to UVA? Everyone says he definitely going to UVA, but nothing official has come out. I wonder if the O'Neil decision now opens the opportunity for Madison to be formally announced. Any news?
The Rapids are saying that he has looked very good in MLS reserve games and could be ready next year. Perhaps that's hype, but in view of Pareja's youth development background, it wouldn't be surprising to see O'Neill get a shot. Must be embarrassing for the folks who rank recruits that they missed the boat on O'Neill.
By Jeff White jwhite@virginia.edu CHARLOTTESVILLE -- With the start of preseason practice fast approaching, the UVa men's soccer team has lost one of the jewels of its 2012 recruiting class. Shane O'Neill, a recent graduate of Fairview High in Boulder, Colo., signed a three-year contract with Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids last month and will not attend UVa. The 6-2, 190-pound O'Neill, a standout for the Rapids' under-18 team, was expected to play significant minutes for UVa as a holding midfielder this fall. Coach George Gelnovatch may turn now to Sean Murnane, who was named the Cavaliers' MVP at the end of spring workouts. Murnane, who started 20 games for Virginia in 2010, gave up the sport in 2011 before rejoining the team early this year. Also, the Rezende twins, midfielders Calvin and Conner, have left UVa after one year to pursue pro careers in Europe. Calvin started 10 of the 16 games in which he appeared and had two goals and two assists in 2011. Conner, who played in five games, did not score. The first of UVa's two exhibition games is Aug. 14 at Klöckner Stadium, against St. John's. The Cavaliers open the season Aug. 24 against Georgetown in Germantown, Md. Two of the Wahoos' starters in 2011, Will Bates and Eric Bird, had their seasons cut short by knee injuries. Both are doing well, Gelnovatch said this week. Bates, a senior forward, was named to the All-ACC first team last year.
Who gets paid ranking soccer recruits? The kid had a scholarship from UVA and a professional offer from Colorado. The people who needed to know, knew.