Lucas and Bisoni sign with Valpo

Related Article: Men's soccer adds two more newcomers (Valparaiso University Web Site)

Two Red Raven soccer players have signed letter-of-intents to continue their careers at Valparaiso University. Rodolfo Lucas and Israel Bisoni signed with the Crusaders during a ceremony held in the athletic offices at Coffeyville Community College.

Lucas is a sophomore midfielder from Mogi Mirim, Brazil, and Bisoni is a sophomore midfielder from Senador Amaral, Brazil. Although both players have been teammates for over two years, it was not their intent to sign with the same school.

“It just happened,” said Lucas. “Most schools who saw us play wanted both of us.”

Both players played together at a training center in Brazil for a five month period prior to arriving in Coffeyville. The on-field chemistry Lucas and Bisoni displayed the past two seasons with the Red Raven program was attractive to a number of schools recruiting the pair.
 

Rodolfo Lucas and Israel Bisoni, sophomores on the men's soccer team, recently signed letter-of-intents to play soccer next fall at Valparaiso University.

Last season, the Ravens were 7-8-4 overall. The 2006 team won the Region 6 championship with Lucas and Bisoni as freshmen. The level of competition in the Jayhawk Conference should allow Lucas and Bisoni to be well prepared going into a Division I program at Valparaiso.

“We played some really tough games and we had to play really hard last year after winning region in 2006,” said Lucas, noting they were the marked team in the conference last season.

Valparaiso is in rebuilding mode with second year head coach Mike Avery. “Valpo is wanting to change styles, go to a more international style of play,” said Lucas. “Coach wants to make history with Valpo.”

Valparaiso competes in the ten team Horizon Conference and includes other schools such as
Butler, Wright State, and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Both players have been told they will have an equal chance of cracking the starting line-up as returning players.

Not only was the chance to start right away at a Division I program attractive to both players, the academic quality of Valparaiso was also important in the decision making process. Both players are currently business majors.

Both players also hold aspirations of eventually playing professional soccer after their college careers are finished. Bisoni even got the chance this past summer to play in a semi-pro league in Missouri.

With that experience and now a scholarship to play soccer at the Division I level, Bisoni believes a professional career is possible. “Since I’ve got to Coffeyville, I’ve been getting closer to my dream of playing pro soccer,” said Bisoni.

Lucas and Bisoni are not particular about where on the globe they play professionally, they just want the chance. “I’ll play anywhere,” said Lucas.

Lucas and Bisoni are the first two Division I signees for Coffeyville Head Coach Courey Feerer. After the pair graduates in May from Coffeyville, they will transfer to Valparaiso in the fall.