2 Returning Starters To Lead Ocean City Nor'easters Defense In 2017

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A pair of key starters will return to the Ocean City Nor’easters men’s soccer team’s defense this season, leading the way for a group of 11 new defenders and goalkeepers looking to help the team defend its Premier Development League (PDL) Eastern Conference championship. Team captain Fraser Colmer (Southampton, England / Radford), returns after a fantastic year at Radford University, the team said on Thursday. Scottish defender Daniel Nimmo (Linlithgow, Scotland / Campbellsville) will also return.

Colmer won the "Nor'easter Award" with Ocean City last season. He started in all 20 matches of the season for Radford, scoring three goals and adding three assists. Defensively, he helped the team record 20 shutouts, including a 1-0 win for the Big South Conference Tournament championship.

"Along with Nimmo, Fraser will be the team leader, after an outstanding 2016 season, even after he was forced to switch from his natural left back position to right back to cover a long term injury," Nor'easters head coach John Thompson said. "Needless to say he was as professional as ever and took it in stride. This season we want him getting forward more often and providing us with quality service into our strikers."

Nimmo was Ocean City's Young Player of the Year last season. He was a part of an impressive Campbellsville University defense that only allowed eight goals in 21 games during the 2016 season. He started in 20 games over the course of the campaign.

The team praised his passion and desire on the pitch while playing in Ocean City last summer. He is one of three players returning from last year’s team, and Thompson praised his vocal leadership skills, as well as his leadership skills on the field.

"We will be looking for Daniel to organize and lead by example when the opponent has the ball,” Thompson said. “When we reviewed last year's squad, Daniel was one of the players who we immediately identified as a player who personified what we want in Ocean City, someone passionate about keeping our club at the top and a lad who has tasted success, yet wants to take us further towards our ultimate goal of our first PDL championship."

This year’s defense has six players from six different countries. The balance of the backline consists of four new players.

The lone American defender on the roster is John Schroeder (Houston, TX / Delaware) who comes to Ocean City from the nearby University of Delaware. Schroeder had two assists, and started 20 games this year for the Blue Hens. Schroeder played last season with the South Florida Surf in the PDL. Before that, he was part of the FC Florida team that reached the national championship game at the Under-19 level.

"John also plays as a marauding right back, and I like that he has an attacking instinct but the athleticism to recover," Thompson said. "He had a great sophomore season for Delaware as they won their conference tournament and we expect him to bring that winning mentality with him to Ocean City."

The three international newcomers include Nikola Fimic (Novi Sad, Serbia / Oklahoma Wesleyan); Daniel Kozma (Budapest, Hungary); and Canadian Frantzly Zephirin (Montreal, Quebec).

Fimic enjoyed success in his freshman season at Oklahoma Wesleyan. He was part of a team that went 19-1, and he was named to the NAIA All-American Third Team.

"Nikola is a smooth left-footed center back who is very composed on the ball,” Thompson said. “He will bring balance to the back line as a true lefty at center back which is a must. He had a brilliant season for Oklahoma Wesleyan who, in my book, played the best passing football in the NAIA. For Nikola to be an All-American as a freshman speaks volumes about his quality."

Zephirin was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Defender of the Year during the 2016 season for his outstanding efforts over the course of 20 starts. He scored one goal and had an exceptional eight assists.

"Frantzly has had an interesting four years in college," Thompson said. "He was an All-American as a defender at Essex County; then the following year, the top scorer as a striker; and now a NAIA All-American as a right back. He has tremendous pace and loves getting into the final third. We expect him to be a threat from wide areas and to chip in with goals and assists."

Kozma started in 21 out of the 23 games for Grand View University (Iowa) last season. He had one goal while helping his team make it all the way to the NAIA national final.

"Daniel was one of the many standout players at the NAIA finals and impressed me with his composure, positioning and distribution from the back,” Thompson said. “He is a technical center back who wasn't phased by any challenge thrown at him.”

While the defense boasts just one American, all five goalkeepers are domestic products. According to the team, Todd Morton (West Chester, PA / Delaware), Hartford University goalkeeper, Jimmy Slayton (Wethersfield, CT / Hartford) and High Point University goalkeeper Patrick Fallon (Swarthmore, PA / High Point) will compete for the starting job.

Morton joined the Nor'easters toward the end of last season, but made no appearances. He trained with the team throughout the deep playoff run, including the PDL Eastern Conference Final win over arch rival Reading United AC. He was the starter last season for a Delaware team that won its conference championship. He finished with a 1.14 GAA and 7 shutouts for the Blue Hens.

"Todd is a driven individual with a desire to reach the top level, so he wants to be a part of the Nor'easters team to showcase that he is one of the top junior goalkeepers in the nation," Thompson said. "He won the CAA title this season so he has a winning edge and mentality that we want to spread throughout the team, starting with his leadership skills in goal."

Slayton had an exceptional freshman season making 20 appearances, including 19 starts. He had nine wins, including seven shutouts. He also boasted an impressive 0.99 goals against average for the season.

"Jimmy had an outstanding season at Hartford," Thompson said. "For a freshman to win a starting spot at a Division 1 school of Hartford's caliber says a lot about where Jimmy is going in his career."

Fallon started one game and made his HPU debut as a starter on Sept. 17, 2016 against USC Upstate. In that game, he recorded four saves to earn his first collegiate win.

"Pat came through our tryouts and I was impressed with his presence in goal," Thompson said. "He is very agile for a 6-foot-4 keeper and will give us depth in that position."

Will Steiner (Point Lookout, NY / Villanova) is the goalkeeper on the roster with the most experience. After redshirting his freshman season in 2013 at Villanova, Steiner won the starting job the following season and has not missed a single game in the three campaigns that followed.

Steiner has 15 clean sheets in his three seasons with the Wildcats and will provide the Nor'easters with some much-needed veteran leadership this season.

"Will is a good communicator and a leader," Thompson said. "He has plenty of experience in big games which is what we need with little preparation time before our first game."

California University of Pennsylvania freshman Gus Valeriano (Southampton, NJ / California University - Penn.) rounds out the corps of netminders, and brings more youth to the team.

"Gus has a bright future," Thompson said. "He's a South Jersey lad who has played for me since he was a 12-year-old. His commitment was second to none and will be a good character player to have around the squad. He is a technical keeper with very good communication and organizing skills, his ball striking and distribution are also his better qualities."

The attached images of Fraser Colmer and Daniel Nimmo were provided by the Ocean City Nor’easters