When it comes to describing UNBC's latest recruits for 2015 for the men's soccer side, head coach Alan Alderson uses the words "dynamic" and "attacking." He expects forwards Matt Jubinville and Greg Meconse to have an instant impact.
Jubinville, from Prince George, and Meconse (Winnipeg) have committed to suit up for UNBC this fall. And Alderson couldn't be happier as the Timberwolves hope to improve on their 3-9 record from 2014 in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Canada West Conference.
"We've added two athletes who are very athletic and technical on the ball," said Alderson, who only lost two players from his lineup to graduation last season. "They're attacking players and both can score. It's huge. They're fantastic additions."
Jubinville, who graduated from Duchess Park in 2011 and is already a UNBC student, red-shirted for the Timberwolves last semester to get ready for the fall season.
"Matt is well-known in the Prince George community for his passion and attacking abilities on the field," said Alderson. "He's already been able to demonstrate a great understanding with our returning players and is going to provide us with a different dimension to our attacking play. We've already come to love the personality he brings to our team and are loving his ability to work in combination with teammates and the great chemistry he has already developed with our other attacking players."
Meconse is a former Manitoba Provincial Team Program player from the Canadian Soccer Association's National Development Centre in Winnipeg. Alderson saw him play a year ago.
Although Alderson wanted him to join the T-wolves last fall, Meconse chose to get used to Prince George and his first year of school without the added stress of playing soccer.
"(Forward) Tofa (Fakunle) convinced Greg to come train with us at the end of the semester and the only disappointing aspect was that he hadn't joined us last August," said Alderson. "Now that he's settled into P.G. and been successful in year one of his studies, Greg is extremely excited to have joined us and we have been incredibly impressed with the creativity he has shown us in and around the penalty area, his technique on the ball, his ability to combine with teammates, and the heart and work rate he shows in hunting down the ball in transition."
Alderson said the Timberwolves were one of the youngest teams in Canada West last season and the addition of Meconse and Jubinville makes them a little bit older.
