Moraga, CA - For the 2008 season the Saint Mary's Men's Soccer team has added eight new players, including forwards Malcolm Alugas, Kyle Ciliento, and Dominic Smith. The Gaels also inked three goal keepers, Doug Herrick, Connor Redd, and Jason Badger. Rounding out the eight are defenders Aaron Becerril and Conroy Cunningham.

Doug Herrick is a 6-3 keeper from Seattle, WA who was named to the All-Metro First Team, and helped guide his US Club team to the regional. "He has great size and athleticism, is an exceptional shot blocker," says head coach Adam Cooper, adding that Herrick has, "the tools to be an all-conference goal keeper."

Connor Redd comes to Moraga, from Phoenix, AZ, where he helped Pinnacle High School to an Arizona 5A State Championship. A four-year letter winner, Redd notched 14 shut-outs his senior year and was named to the 2007-2008 First Team All-State. Redd has great potential according to Cooper, "He is very athletic, has excellent strength as a goalkeeper, and possesses great quickness."

Jason Badger is a transfer from UC Santa Barbara and was part of the 2006 National Championship Team with the Gauchos. "Jason is a great shot-blocker," said Cooper, adding, "he makes fantastic reaction saves and has very good range off his line." Badger helped lead his club team, the DVSC Cosmos, to a three-peat as state cup champions. He was a three-year starter at Alhambra High School in Martinez.

Three forwards will join the Gaels, providing a unique blend of abilities to add to talent already on the team.

Kyle Ciliento has followed his cousin Alex, (a sophomore on the Women's Soccer team), to Moraga, and holds four Arizona state records including career goals (160), goals in a season (60), career assists (88) and assists in a season (37). Cooper states, "Kyle has proven he can score for his high school, club and regional teams. He has a nose for the goal and will help us immediately in our attack."

Also adding depth to the attack is Malcolm Alugas, coach Cooper had this to say about Alugas "Malcolm has great speed and a tremendous work ethic." Adding, "He is very good in one versus one situations and break down opponents. In his senior year Alugas scored 13 goals, including two separate hat tricks, while also distributing the ball for nine assists. Cooper envisions him making an impact up top or out wide in the Gaels attack.

Rounding out the list of new forwards is Dominic Smith, who comes to Moraga from Juneau, AK. Smith is a strong legged forward who tallied 19 goals and 14 assists his junior year at Juneau-Douglas High School. Smith was also a two-year letter winner for the JDHS football team, helping to guide his team to the 2007 state championship; he was named 2007 All-Conference Kicker and Punter, as well as the 2007 Second Team All-State Kicker.

Looking to add a little more beef in the defense the Gaels will add two versatile players in Cunningham and Becerril, whom both play a hard nosed brand of soccer.

Cunningham has the ability to play midfielder and defender, coming to Moraga by way of Calabar High School in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Standing at 5-8, do not let his size fool you, according to Cooper, "Conroy is a hard-nosed player with great understanding of the game, and adds a great toughness to our team." Cunningham also has the ability to put the ball in the goal, scoring 15 career goals in high school and helping lead his ISSA U-13, U-16 and U-19 teams to championships.

"Aaron Becerril is a big, strong, athletic defender," notes Cooper. Adding, "He is good in the air and an excellent distributor of the ball. I look forward to him to compete for a starting spot from day one."

The Gaels begin their 2008 campaign playing an exhibition game on Tuesday, August 19th at California, and begin the regular season traveling to Annapolis, Maryland to play in the Navy Tournament on August 29th.