Head coach Bobby Clark and his staff have inked another solid class for the Fighting Irish.

Irish Sign Five Student-Athletes To National Letters Of Intent

Feb. 7, 2013

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Five student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to join head coach Bobby Clark and the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer program. The well-rounded class will suit up for the Fighting Irish beginning in August.

The class is ranked 10th nationally according to Top Drawer Soccer.

Comprising the Notre Dame men’s soccer 2013 signing class are: midfielder/defender Brandon Aubrey (Plano, Texas), defender Matt Habrowski (Berkley, Mich.), midfielder Oliver Harris (Birmingham, Mich.), goalkeeper Chris Hubbard (Louisville, Ky.) and defender Mark Mishu (Knoxville, Tenn.).

“This class has the makings of being another first-class group of young men and good soccer players at Notre Dame,” said Clark. “We feel we have a very good group. There’s a good Midwest flavor, but it’s also a nicely spread-out group of players. They’ve been fun during the recruiting process and I can’t wait to start working with them in August.”

Name – Position – Height – Weight – Hometown/High School/Club Team

Brandon Aubrey – M/D – 6-3 – 173 – Plano, Texas/Plano Senior/Dallas Texans

Member of the U18 Dallas Texans United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) club team … rated as the 24th-best recruit in the class of 2013 by College Soccer News … ranked as the 43rd best player nationally in the class of 2013 according to Top Drawer Soccer … tapped as the third-best player in the state of Texas and the 20th-best midfielder in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer … given a four-star ranking (out of five) by Top Drawer Soccer … USSDA Select Team in 2011-12 and 2012-13 … in 2011-12, the Texans were the USSDA U15/16 Central Conference champions along with being a USSDA playoffs participant and Dallas Cup Super Group … two-time U17 Disney Showcase champions … 2010-11 USSF Academy Playoffs Bracket champions and Finals Week participant … played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Plano Senior High School … in 2011, Plano Senior was ranked ninth nationally and the squad captured the District 8-5A title, the Bi-District championship along with being Area champions … his 13 goals as a sophomore in ’11 ranked second on the team … named first-team all-district in ’11 … during his freshman season in `10, Plano Senior was the Bi-District and Area champions in addition to being the District finalist and Regional qualifier … honorable mention all-district as a freshman … competed with the Dallas Texans 95 Red club team from 2005-10 and captained the team from 2008-10 … helped the squad to five State Cup titles and a regional finalist finish in `09 … the Dallas Texans 95 Red were the `09 and `10 Classic League grand champions and the ’09 Premiere League West champions … the team also took home the ’09 Dallas Cup and the Disney Showcase title … `09 and `10 Manchester United Premier Cup team … has experience playing overseas … team was the ’08 Gothia Cup (Sweden) grand champions and then finished as semifinalists in ’09 … ’09 Tivoli Cup (Denmark) champions and finalists at the ’08 Helsinki Cup (Finland) … hails from the same high school as former Notre Dame All-America soccer player and `13 graduate Dillon Powers … brother, Ryan, is a goalkeeper at the University at Buffalo.

Clark on Aubrey: “Brandon will be one of our best headers of a ball even as a freshman. He’s very, very strong in the air. The hard thing with Brandon will be to find out what position he’ll settle in. He plays as a central defender for his club and sometimes he’ll play in the midfield and if they need a goal they’ll stick him up front and he’ll score a goal. He’s very well-rounded. He can play all different roles and has a great attitude. He’s from the same high school as (former Notre Dame All-American) Dillon Powers so we’re keeping the Plano Senior pipeline going.”

Matt Habrowski – D – 6-2 – 175 – Berkley, Mich./Brother Rice/Crew Soccer Academy Wolves

Plays for the Crew Soccer Academy (CSA) Wolves in the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) … ranked as the 27th best player nationally (sixth best defender) in the class of 2013 according to Top Drawer Soccer … the top-rated recruit from the Great Lakes Region in the class of `13 according to Top Drawer Soccer … given a four-star ranking (out of five) by Top Drawer Soccer … a left-sided player … club team won the regional title in `09 and was a semifinalist the following season … named to the all-regional team in ’09 and ’10 … National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American club player … CSA Wolves advanced to National Academy Finals Week and finished third in the nation … currently a team captain of the Wolves … a teammate of fellow Notre Dame signee Oliver Harris on the Wolves … played his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons at Brother Rice High School … did not play as a senior due to a 10-month academy season … two-time all-state, including a first-team nod as a junior … named to the all-state “Dream Team” as a junior in ’11 … three-time all-district … a starter as a freshman at Brother Rice and helped the team to the Division I state title … team captain at Brother Rice as a sophomore and junior … `09 and `10 district champions … Catholic League champions in ’10 … three-time first-team All-Catholic League … earned a varsity letter all three seasons at Brother Rice … has attended U.S. Soccer U14/U15/U17/U18 National Team Camps both in the United States and abroad … has played domestically and internationally with his Olympic Developmental Program team.

Clark on Habrowski: “Matt is a left-sided player that plays mainly as a central defender, but he can also play left back. He played at left back for his club team that was third in the nation last year in the academy playoffs. Matt is a very smooth player and his entry passes are very good. He’s very controlled and calculated. He gives our team another nice left-sided player. It’s great to have left-sided players because it gives you balance. He’s also a very good student.”

Oliver Harris – M – 5-10 – 152 – Birmingham, Mich./Detroit Country Day/Crew Soccer Academy Wolves

Earned two varsity letters at Detroit Country Day … scored the winning goal in the State Cup final during his junior season … was voted team MVP by his teammates as a junior … senior captain of his high school squad, but was unable to play that season due to conflicts with the U.S. Soccer Academy scheduling … U.S. Olympic Development Program Michigan state team in `08 and `09 … played club for the Crew Soccer Academy (CSA) Wolves … captained the Wolves to a third-place finish in the U15/16 division at Development Academy Finals Week during the `11-`12 season … played with fellow Notre Dame signee Matt Habrowski on the Wolves … selected to play for the U16 Academy team at Derby County FC in England in `11 … ranked No. 71 in the class of 2013 by College Soccer News … given a four-star ranking (out of five) by Top Drawer Soccer … identified as one of the “Great Lakes 2013 boys demanding respect” by Top Drawer Soccer in August of `10 … older brother, James, played soccer at Cornell in `06.

Clark on Harris: “Oliver played on the same Wolves under-16 academy squad that Matt Habrowski did and that team was third in the nation. Oliver was their midfield dynamo. He will chase down anything. He’s a tremendous workhorse in there, but he’s also a good player. He handles the ball well and can run well with the ball. He can run out of pressure and he can run past pressure with the ball. Oliver is prepared to do the dirty work in the midfield for the team.”

Chris Hubbard – GK – 6-4 – 205 – Louisville, Ky./Trinity/River City Rovers

Four-year varsity starter at Trinity High School … all-state as a senior … named high school team’s MVP as a senior after posting a 0.35 goals-against average and notching 16 shutouts … allowed just eight goals in 23 games during his senior campaign … registered a 0.66 goals-against average and 50 shutouts during his high school career … 2012 Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Good Hands Award, which goes to the top goalkeeper … named to the all-7th Region team as a senior … Academic All-State all four years of high school … team captain at Trinity … All-Louisville Catholic as a junior and senior … was the staring goalkeeper in high school All-American game played in Birmingham, Ala. … Vype Magazine Athlete of the Month for October `12 … was on the Kentucky Olympic Development Program (ODP) team from 2007-10 … Region II ODP pool in 2008 … 2012 Notre Dame Elite Camp All-Star … played for the River City Rovers PDL team … captain of four-time Kentucky State Cup champion United 1996FC 95B Internationals … allowed just two goals in four years of State Cup competition.

Clark on Hubbard: “We went back to Louisville to get another goalkeeper. That’s where we got Chris Cahill a few years ago. Chris Hubbard is big and certainly has all the tools to become a very good goalkeeper. He’s big, strong, kicks the ball well and has a good presence in goal. Chris has been a regular at our camps and that’s where we really got a good look at him.”

Mark Mishu – D – 6-1 – 170 – Knoxville, Tenn./Knoxville Catholic/FC Alliance `95

A four-year starter at Knoxville Catholic High School … first-team all-district in `10 … named his high school team’s rookie of the year in `09 … three-year captain of his club team, FC Alliance ’95 … helped FC Alliance ’95 to Tennessee State Cup finalist finish on four occasions … younger brother of Luke Mishu, who currently is a junior right back on the Notre Dame men’s soccer team.

Clark on Mishu: “Mishu isn’t a common name, but it is on our roster as Mark joins his older brother Luke, who will be a senior. Mark is different from Luke and I think it’s good when brothers are a little bit different so you won’t look at them as the same player. Like Luke, Mark is a very good athlete. Mark has a nice feel for the game. He can be a good attacking defender and he can also play in the midfield. He has a nice touch on the ball and nice vision.”

2013 University of Notre Dame Men's Soccer National Letter of Intent Signees
NAME POS. HT. WT. HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL/CLUBBrandon Aubrey M/D 6-3 173 Plano, Texas/Plano Senior/Dallas TexansMatt Habrowski D 6-2 175 Berkley, Mich./Brother Rice/ Crew Soccer Academy WolvesOliver Harris M 5-10 152 Birmingham, Mich./Detroit Country Day/ Crew Soccer Academy WolvesChris Hubbard GK 6-4 205 Louisville, Ky./Trinity/River City RoversMark Mishu D 6-1 170 Knoxville, Tenn./Knoxville Catholic/ FC Alliance `95

–ND–