June 27, 2007

Top Kentucky prep star signs with Notre Dame

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio –The Notre Dame Men’s Soccer program announced today the signing of a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Letter of Intent with Josh Lipka of Lexington, Kentucky.

Lipka comes to the Falcons as the most heralded player in the seven-year history of NDC Soccer.  The 6-foot midfielder was the 2006 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year and was named a High School All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).  He was also named as the state’s Mr. Kentucky in boy’s soccer.  A standout at Lexington Catholic High School, Lipka twice earned First Team All-State honors and was a member of the Knights’ state championship team in 2004.

The son of Warren and Laura Lipka, the top high school player in Kentucky is considered to be one of the top fifty prospects in the nation among incoming freshmen.

“Josh’s pedigree is obvious,” said NDC Head Coach Michael (Mac) McBride.  “When I saw him play down in Kentucky, I immediately knew he could help us. He is a very gifted soccer player.”

Lipka joins a Falcons’ squad looking to continue their run of contention in the 13-team American Mideast Conference.  Since 2004, College Road in South Euclid has been home to a nationally-ranked, conference championship team (2005) with an award-winning head coach (McBride won 2005 AMC North Coach of the year) who has recruited international talent (18 foreign-born players on current NDC roster).  In that stretch, the Falcons have won nearly 70% of their games. 

That success was cited by Lipka among his reasons for selecting Notre Dame as the place to continue his career.  And McBride believes Kentucky’s finest will blend well with an invigorated and talented program. 

“His timing could not have been better,” said the Falcons’ 7th-year head coach, “because he is part of the strongest class we have ever recruited here.”

NDC Soccer kicks off its 2007 season September 1 at the Crimson Wave Invitational in Whiting, Indiana.  The Notre Dame Falcons have won 38 games (38-19-4) and two American Mideast Conference titles over the last three seasons under Head Coach Michael “Mac” McBride.

Notre Dame College is a co-educational liberal arts institution in South Euclid, Ohio. The Notre Dame Athletics Department sponsors the Falcons' participation in 17 men's and women's sports. The College is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the American Mideast Conference (AMC), which is the largest NAIA conference in the country.

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