Dan Walker and Alex McNally commit to UNB soccer

(FREDERICTON, N.B.) The UNB Varsity Reds men's soccer team is pleased to announce the addition of two local recruits to the 2015 squad – Dan Walker and Alex McNally. 

Both are graduates of the University Prep Program, a partnership between the Varsity  Reds and the Fredericton District Soccer Association that aims to help develop players outside of traditional programming. The University Prep Program works with a select group of 30 athletes between the ages of 14 and 18. 

Walker is a winger who previously played with the FDSA U18s and New Brunswick provincial teams. He also brings to UNB experience playing for Team Atlantic at the National All-Star Championship in Newfoundland. McNally, a fullback who also played with the FDSA U18s and the New Brunswick provincial teams, was a member of the Soccer NB High Performance Academy where he had the career highlight of defeating the U17 Montreal Impact.

"I chose UNB because of its academic and athletic standards," McNally said. "It has some of the the best programs in Canada and to have that option without having to leave my hometown is a huge bonus."

Walker agrees.  "I've grown up watching the Varsity Reds my whole life and have always looked up to them," he said. "The thing I'm most excited about is playing on an amazing team while also getting a top education in my home city."

UNB head coach Miles Pinsent has been watching the two players develop and is looking forward to seeing that continue with the V-Reds.

"Alex has worked extremely hard at improving his game and he is now seeing the pay-off for this work," Pinsent said. "As for Dan, I have known and worked with him for a number of years. I believe he has a tremendous amount of potential and predict that he will soon be a dominant player in the AUS."

"It is exciting to see players like Dan and Alex moving to the university level," added Barry Morrison, FDSA club coach and the University Prep Program director. "[UPP] is a very demanding program, and with the close relationship between UNB and FDSA we are hoping this can create a steady stream of players advancing to play at the university level at UNB and across the CIS, ACAA and NCAA."