May 8, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern men's soccer head coach Tim Lenahan announced the addition of three incoming players for the 2003 season. The 'Cats have added two more defenders and one forward to the mix, bringing the 2003 class total to nine.
Gerardo Alvarez (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) and Jeff Mills (Barrington, Ill./Palatine) add some more local flavor to the team. Both players enjoyed standout high school careers and attained some valuable club experience. Alvarez, an all-state forward, broke the single-season school record for goals his junior year (27) at Marmion and shattered the same record the next season with 46 goals. He currently teams with Mills on the powerful Chicago Sockers club team.
Mills, a defender, was a four-year starter at Palatine High School and a 2002 all-state honoree. As Alvarez's teammate, he helped lead the Illinois Olympic Development Program (ODP) team to the Region II title in 2002.
Will Nicholas (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) also enjoyed tremendous success at the prep level, but he garnered much of his national attention playing club ball. Nicholas started for the acclaimed F.C. Delco squad, where he helped lead the club to the Eastern Pennsylvania (EPYSA) State Cup and Super League National Title. At the ODP National Championship, he was named the winner of the Golden Boot as the Outstanding Player of the Championship-this after netting the game-winning goal against Southern California in injury time.
"I think these three players, in addition to our previous six, have a deep understanding for the task at hand in terms of building the program at Northwestern," Lenahan said. "Their personality, work rate, determination and enthusiasm for making NU a winner are a key reason why they chose to come to school here. After a great spring season with our current team, I am looking forward to adding Will, Jeff and Gerardo to the mix."
Complete bios and comments from Coach Lenahan are provided below:
GERARDO ALVAREZ * 5-9 * 160 * F
Aurora, Ill./ Marmion Academy
High School: Broke his previous school record with 46 goals as senior ... Earned Chicago Tribune Player of the Year and all-state accolades ... Beacon News all-area, Kane County Chronicle all-area, The Daily Herald all-area and all-conference (Suburban Catholic Conference) ... Selected to all-state team by Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA), as well as the All-Midwest team ... Holds school record for career goals (90) ... Received all-conference, academic all-conference and Beacon News All-Area honors as sophomore ... Selected to the All-Sectional Team by IHSSCA as junior ... All-conference, Beacon News all-area and Daily Herald all-area team as junior ... Honorable mention all-area for Chicago Sun-Times ... Broke school record by scoring 27 goals; also added 12 assists ... Currently playing with Chicago Sockers with fellow NU attendees Jeff Mills and Daniel Chille.
Personal: Born Gerardo Augusto Alvarez on December 1, 1984 ... Son of Enrique and Miriam Alvarez ... Chose NU over Indiana and Drake.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: "Gerardo is a pure finisher and strong on the ball. With his possession rate and finishing ability, he is the classic No. 9 center/forward who should help our attack right away. He has a strong family background in soccer coming from Argentina. I think Gerardo will be a very good player in the Big Ten."
JEFF MILLS * 5-10 * 150 * D
Barrington, Ill./Palatine
High School: Four-year varsity starter ... Three-year captain ... All-conference (2000), all-area (2001) and all-state (2002) ... Daily Herald all-area in 2002 ... Helped team to 10 shutouts as junior at sweeper ... Led team to a ninth-place finish at state as senior ... Played varsity tennis freshman year ... Honor roll, Principal's Advisory Board, Varsity Club and student council member.
Club/ODP: Member of the Chicago Sockers F.C., teaming with future NU teammates Daniel Chille and Gerardo Alvarez ... Member of Illinois ODP team ... 2002 ODP Region II Champions.
Personal: Born Jeffrey Paul Mills on November 15, 1984 ... Son of Ron and Kristin Mills ... Plans to major in mechanical engineering ... Chose NU over Vanderbilt and Lafayette.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: "Jeff is one of those players that just kept getting better each time we saw him. He has a great work rate, a strong competitive edge and seems to be driven to be successful. His versatility allows him to play numerous positions."
WILL NICHOLAS * 6-1 * 175 * D
Orefield, Pa./Parkland
High School: Four-year varsity letterwinnner, starting all four years and helping team win three league championships and two district championships ... Honored as league all-star for three years and an all-area player for two years ... Ranks in top ten in school history for goals and assists.
Club/ODP: Started for prestigious F.C. Delco ... Helped club win Eastern Pennsylvania (EPYSA) State Cup and Super League National Title ... Helped lead F.C. Delco to first place in Region 1 Director's League ... Competed against F.C. Barcelona in Spain ... Participated on EPYSA State team for four years and helped win two titles at Region 1 Tournament ... Led EPYSA to ODP National Championship; named winner of the Golden Boot as the Outstanding Player of the Championship after scoring gamewinner vs. Southern California in injury time ... Assist on gamewinner came from fellow NU future attendee Dave Brown ... National Honor Society and editor-in-chief of yearbook staff ... Elected Class Secretary in Student Government for four years.
Personal: Born Will Nicholas on April 12, 1985 ... Son of Brad and Kay Nicholas ... Has younger sister, Kathryn ... Chose NU over Wake Forest, Richmond and Rutgers.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: "Will is a flat-out winner. He slipped under the radar screen a bit after suffering a knee injury. His club coach feels he has the potential to be the best player to come out of his F.C. Delco team, one of the nation's best. His personality and drive show through, and he plays his best in the biggest games. Will should be one of the cornerstone players of this class."