WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – University of Hartford men's soccer coach Tom Poitras is pleased to announce the addition of 12 players who will join the roster for the upcoming 2012 season.

Joining the Hawks as true freshmen are Andrew Burnham (Rockport, Mass.), Dillon Holguin (Odessa, Texas), Blake Jones (Green Bay, Wisc.), Andrew Murry (Falmouth, Maine), Jason Orban (Manorville, N.Y.), Simon Turesson (Stockholm, Sweden) and Ville-Valtteri Tuumi (Pori, Finland). One student-athlete enters the 2012 roster as a transfer as Peter Inserillo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) previously played at Long Island University.

Poitras also introduced a foursome of newcomers hailing from the Nutmeg State. Cooper D'Ambrosio (Andover, Conn.), Anthony LoBello (Marlborough, Conn.), Malcolm Miller (New Britain, Conn.) and Austin Peluso (Farmington, Conn.) round out the Hawks' class of 2015 and will enter the program's roster as freshmen in 2012.

Hartford's midfield, which helped the Hawks boast one of the top offenses in the America East last season, will see the addition of Inserillo and LoBello while Orban, Peluso and Tuumi will be vying for time in net, a position that lost starter Luke Citriniti to graduation. The remaining seven incoming athletes are defenders, joining returners Connor Yeaney, an America East All-Rookie Team pick, and America East All-Tournament team member Damion Lowe on the Hawks' back line.

“The student-athletes we have coming to join our program will strengthen our team as we look to compete for America East championships and NCAA Tournament berths,” Poitras said of the class. “These players have each come from very strong club environments and have had great success at the state, regional and international levels. We look forward to getting these guys on campus to work with them.”

In his first year as head coach at Hartford, Poitras piloted the Hawks to an 8-9-4 overall record, including the program's first appearance in the America East Tournament title game since 1999. Hartford got off to a slow start to the season with a 1-5 mark but quickly turned things around, going unbeaten in six of their last seven regular season games, including three-straight triumphs over league opponents to close out the regular season and earn a berth to the conference tournament.

As the fifth seed, Hartford scored road wins at both UMBC and at top-seeded Boston University to punch its ticket to the championship game, where it fell at second-seeded Stony Brook.

Andrew Burnham · Rockport, Mass. · Defender

A four-year varsity soccer player and two-time team captain at Rockport High School in Massachusetts, Andrew “AJ” Burnham was a three-time Cape Ann League all-star, earning the accolades in 2009, 2010 and 2011. An all-state honoree as a senior in 2011, he also earned a nod to the state's all-star team that season and received Eastern Massachusetts All-Star honors the year prior in 2010. In 2010, Burnham helped pilot his high school team to its best season in program history, winning a program-best 18 matches while capturing the Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 North title and reaching the state semifinals. A 6-foot-1 defender, Burnham is currently a member of the New England Revolution's U-18 squad, which is part of the US Soccer Developmental Academy. Prior to his time with the Revolution, he spent one season with FC Greater Boston.

Cooper D'Ambrosio · Andover, Conn. · Defender
 
Cooper D'Ambrosio comes to Hartford from RHAM High School, a program that most recently captured the Central Connecticut Conference East championship in 2011 while advancing to the quarterfinal round of the Class L state championship. A four-year varsity letterman, D'Ambrosio, a 5-foot-11 defender, was a first team all-state selection in 2011 who also earned a spot on the All-Hartford Courant squad that season. A two-time team captain, he took home CCC-East All-Conference honors on three occasions (2009, 2010 and 2011). In addition, D'Ambrosio has been a member of the Oakwood Soccer Club, which is part of the US Soccer Developmental Academy, for the past 10 years and is currently a representative of the U-18 squad.

Dillon Holguin.jpg">Dillon Holguin · Odessa, Texas · Defender
 
Dillon Holguin, a native of Odessa, Texas, played four years of varsity soccer at Permian High School, a team that claimed the District 3-5A championship in 2011. A defender, he was an all-conference honorable mention pick at the conclusion of his sophomore year in 2009 and was tabbed the defensive MVP as both a sophomore and a junior. Last year, Holguin spent his summer in Massachusetts playing for Western United F.C. in the United Soccer Leagues' Super-20 League where he became a starter on defense for the squad.

Peter Inserillo · Hopewell Junction, N.Y. · Midfielder
 
Peter Inserillo played four seasons of varsity soccer at Arlington High School before attending Long Island University for one year. A native of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., Inserillo made appearances in seven games with the Blackbirds. Prior to kicking off his collegiate career, the 5-6 midfielder helped lead Arlington High School to the Section I AA championship and Conference 1 League C title while serving as team captain during his senior campaign. In addition, he tallied one goal and a pair of assists that season to pilot to the team to a 19-1-1 mark, a Class AA state quarterfinal appearance as well as a fourth-place ranking in the state.

Blake Jones.jpg">Blake Jones · Green Bay, Wisc. · Defender/Midfielder
 
Blake Jones played two years of soccer at Green Bay Southwest High School before attending Shattuck St. Mary's for two years. He enjoyed a successful stint at Green Bay Southwest, combining for 21 goals in two years as a center midfielder while earning Newcomer of the Year accolades as a freshman in 2008. Jones spent his final two seasons at Shattuck St. Mary's, a coeducational Episcopal Church-affiliated boarding school known for its Centers of Excellence in soccer. As a member of the team's back line, Jones helped lead Shattuck St. Mary's to a 2011 U17 Minnesota state championship. In addition, he is a currently a central back for Shattuck St. Mary's, which is also part of the US Soccer Developmental Academy, where he has helped pace the team to the top of the standings in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference.

Anthony LoBello.jpg">Anthony LoBello · Marlborough, Conn. · Midfielder

Cooper D'Ambrosio will be joined on the pitch by a familiar classmate and teammate as Anthony LoBello also comes to Hartford from RHAM High School. A midfielder from Marlborough, Conn. who finished as the team's leader in assists as a senior, LoBello also served as team captain and led the team to an undefeated regular season in 2011. A two-time CCC East All-Conference honoree in his final two seasons, LoBello was also deemed an All-Academic Athletic Scholar on three occasions. In addition, LoBello has spent three seasons with the US Soccer Developmental Academy's Oakwood Soccer Club and was a member of the West Hartford Premier Soccer Club for six years. He was also a member of the Connecticut Olympic Development Team from 2006-2009.

Malcolm Miller · New Britain, Conn. · Defender

Malcolm Miller is no stranger to the campus of the University of Hartford as he recently graduated from the University High School of Science and Engineering where he helped the team advance to the second round of the CIAC Class L state championship. A two-year team captain, Miller was named the team's most valuable player in 2010 while grabbing all-state honors that same season. A defender hailing from New Britain, Conn., he was also a two-time all-conference selection, earning the accolade during his junior and senior seasons. In addition, Miller has played soccer for Unionsport of the Connecticut Soccer League and is a member of New Britain Premier's U-19 team.

Andrew Murry.jpg">Andrew Murry · Falmouth, Maine · Defender
 
Andrew Murry, a decorated two sport athlete from Falmouth High School in Maine, earned varsity letters in both soccer and lacrosse. As a center back, Murry netted four goals and tacked on 14 assists for 22 career points while leading his team to a pair of state championships in 2009 and 2011. A team captain as a senior, Murry was named the team's MVP and garnered first team all-conference honors as well as all-region and all-state accolades in 2011. Furthermore, during his final season at Falmouth, he was tabbed the 2011 Forecaster Fall Male Athlete of the Year and earned recognition on the All-Telegram Team. On the lacrosse field, Murry helped lead his team to a state title as a junior in 2011.
 
Jason Orban.jpg">Jason Orban · Manorville, N.Y. · Goalkeeper
 
Jason Orban is a goalkeeper who enjoyed a stellar four-year career at Eastport-South Manor Jr./Sr. High School. A three-year team captain, Orban tallied over 400 career saves while leading his squad to a pair of playoff berths as a freshman in 2008 and as a senior in 2011. An all-league selection as a sophomore, Obran collected All-Conference accolades on two occasions and was also tabbed all-county during his final two years. In addition, he was named a Suffolk County Exception Senior in 2011 and represented his school on Team Long Island at the Empire State Games where he led the team to a bronze medal. Orban played club soccer for Commack S.C. United, a team that was a two-time United States National League participant and four-time Region I Premier League participant. In addition, Orban helped lead Commack S.C. United to a pair of Disney Cup championships in 2009 and 2011. Orban was also a three-time starting goalkeeper for the Eastern New York State ODP and served as a keeper on the Region I ODP team in 2009-10. In 2009, his ODP team captured the Region I championship and went on to earn the silver medal in the United States ODP national championship the following year.
 
Austin Peluso.jpg">Austin Peluso · Farmington, Conn. · Goalkeeper
 
Austin Peluso, Hartford's second newcomer from the state of Connecticut, attended Farmington High School where he served as the team's starting goalkeeper for three seasons. Peluso comes to Hartford with a long list of accolades as he was a two-time Central Connecticut Conference All-Conference honoree (2010, 2011) while earning CCC All-Academic honors on three occasions. A co-captain during his senior season in 2011, Peluso capped his career by earning a spot on both the All-State and the All-Hartford Courant Team. Accumulating 30 career shutouts, Peluso helped lead Farmington High School to two-straight CCC West Championships (2009, 2010) followed by a share of the league title in 2011. Furthermore, during his junior season, he anchored the defense of a team that captured the 2010 Connecticut Class LL State Championship, a squad that closed out the year ranked eighth in the nation by the NSCAA. Peluso also adds experience with the SoccerPlus Connecticut Premier Club to his resume.
 
Simon Turesson.jpg">Simon Turesson · Stockholm, Sweden · Defender
 
Simon Turesson is one of two members of the incoming class hailing from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. A 6-foot-3 defender from Stockholm, Sweden, Turesson brings a polished soccer resume to West Hartford. He currently represents Hammarby IF, one of the top-three soccer clubs in the nation, and has served as team captain for the last three seasons for the Hammarby Academy at the Fredrika Bremer School. In 2009, Turesson, a team captain, was named the Defender of the Year and helped Hammarby capture the national championship. Prior to that season, he helped pilot his team to two-consecutive Gothia Cup championships. Turesson comes to Hartford from a soccer-rich family, as his father and grandfather both played and coached at the international level. Tomas Turesson, his father, was a Hammarby player from 1983-1990 while his grandfather, Tom Turesson, earned 22 national caps for the Swedish national team and was the nation's top scorer in the 1970 World Cup.
 
Ville-Valtteri Tuumi · Pori, Finland · Goalkeeper
 
Rounding out the 2013 incoming class is another international addition as Ville-Valtteri Tuumi travels 3,973 miles from Pori, Finland to West Hartford. Tuumi is a 6-foot-2 goalkeeper who comes to Hartford with a long list of achievements on the pitch. In 2007, he was named to the all-star team of the region's national championship tournament. In addition, Tuumi was invited to play for Finland's U-15, U-16 and U-17 National Teams and has also been invited to showcase his talents at the nation's goalkeeper talent camp, which serves as Finland's national team selection camp. Tuumi currently represents FC Jazz.