DWU Athletic Department

Tosaya starts 2010 recruiting class with in-state talent

MITCHELL, S.D. – Jeremy Tosaya took over as the head men’s soccer coach at Dakota Wesleyan University a little over a year ago, and from the start he made it clear that he was going to use top South Dakota talent as the foundation for his program. A year later, that’s still the case as Tosaya announces his first three recruits for his 2010 class.

Tosaya announced this week that Trent Robbins from Watertown, Eric Fjerestad from Sioux Falls Roosevelt and Ross Leonhardt from Sioux Falls Lincoln have all signed Letters of Intent to continue their soccer careers at Dakota Wesleyan University, beginning in the fall of 2010. The three recruits boost the overall strength of DWU’s roster, as Robbins is a midfielder, Fjerestad is a goalkeeper and Leonhardt is a defender.

Watertown High School’s Trent Robbins (center) celebrates signing his Letter of Intent to continue his soccer career at Dakota Wesleyan University. Robbins is surrounded by his family and soccer coaches.

Robbins’ offensive skills should help the Tigers find the net a little more often in the future. The 6-1, 165-pound midfielder scored three goals and set up teammates with seven assists to earn All-State Second Team honors in 2009. He has been a four-year starter and letterwinner for the Arrows, and has received the team’s Offensive MVP award in both 2008 and 2009.

Robbins has also played club soccer for S.D. United and the Fury. Robbins, the son of Jerry and Joy Robbins of Watertown, is an Honor Roll student and plans to major in business administration with a minor in mathematics.

“Trent is going to be a great addition to the Tiger soccer program these next four years,” Tosaya said. “He’s a strong player on the ball, makes good decisions and he’s a great student. I look for Trent to make an impact on our team right away next year. The best thing about him is his character and work ethic. If we want to be successful, we need to build this program on work ethic and character, and Trent will help us do that.”

Fjerestad (5-8, 160) has had a great career in the net for Sioux Falls Roosevelt, including third- and fifth-place finishes at the state tournament and a 17-2-5 record over his final two seasons. He is a three-year starter for the Rough Riders and he’s started in net for his club team for six years. Fjerestad recorded five shutouts in 2009 en route to Honorable Mention honors. He has also been a letterwinner and Team MVP for the Roosevelt tennis team. Fjerestad is the son of Merv and Tricia Fjerestad of Sioux Falls. He is a member of the honor roll and he plans to major in elementary education at Dakota Wesleyan.

“I think the addition of Eric to our roster is going to make competition in the goal keeper position excellent day-in and day-out,” Tosaya said. “He brings a great attitude to the table, and he’s very familiar with several of the guys that he’ll be playing with. I think Eric will learn a lot working with (goalie coach) Brandon (Ponchak) and playing under (All-GPAC Honorable Mention junior goalie) Jordan Werner the next two years, and I’m excited to see the end result. Our depth at that position has improved significantly.”

Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Ross Leonhardt (far left) celebrates signing his Letter of Intent to continue his soccer career at Dakota Wesleyan University. Leonhardt is joined by his family.

Leonhardt (5-11, 165) brings plenty of winning experience to a Tiger program that is trying to become a contender in the tough Great Plains Athletic Conference. As a four-year member of the varsity team at Sioux Falls Lincoln, Leonhardt helped the Patriots win two state championships and also finish as the runner-up once. Over his junior and senior seasons, Lincoln compiled an overall record of 32-2-2. Leonhardt also has extensive club soccer experience with the Dakota Gold team, and he is also a two-year member of the Patriot basketball team. He is the son of Rob and Jane Leonhardt and plans to major in athletic training.

“Ross has been a part of several quality soccer programs and will bring a lot of great experience to DWU soccer,” Tosaya said. “His time with Lincoln High School and Dakota Gold Soccer Club has helped him play against some of the best competition in the state. Ross is also a great addition to the university family. He has been actively involved in the Methodist Church for years and I look to him to help provide leadership to our team on and off the field in the years to come.”

Tosaya already has the Dakota Wesleyan soccer program headed in an exciting direction after just one season at the helm. His team finished 4-11-1 in 2009 with a 4-9-1 GPAC mark, but six of those losses came by a single goal so the Tigers are on the verge of competing with the conference’s and NAIA’s top teams. Tosaya coached a pair of All-GPAC players in his first season and only loses three seniors to graduation.

The Tigers will open camp for the 2010 season in early August and will host their annual Blue and White scrimmage on Aug. 16 at their new home in the brand-new Mitchell Soccer Complex. DWU’s 2010 season officially opens at home against Dakota County Technical College on Aug. 20.