The University of Missouri-St. Louis athletics department recently announced the signing of several new student-athletes for both its men’s and women’s soccer programs.

The Triton men, who went 9-7-2 in 2009, and made their first trip to the postseason since 2006, added seven new players to their program, while the UM-St. Louis women’s team, which went 4-11-1 last year, added eight new players to its squad.

The seven men’s players include four high school signees and three junior college transfers: Robbie Baird (Columbia Rock Bridge), Dennis Bayens (Rockwood Summit), Chad Haymart (Jefferson City), Doug Ruzicka (Parkway North), Almin Sabotic (Meramec CC), David Schwer (Lewis & Clark CC), and Gino Valenti (Lewis & Clark CC).

They have all signed official national letters of intent and will be eligible to play for UM-St. Louis next season.

“I am very excited about this group of individuals that we have signed and about bringing them to UMSL,” Dan King, men’s head coach said in a statement released by the department.

“They all represent what our coaching staff likes in a student-athlete and they all have the skills and talent to help take us to the next level in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.”

Although each of the new signees seems capable of giving a tremendous lift to the program, the two blue chip signings in this class are the juco transfers Sabotic and Schwer. Both were named regional player of the year and second-team All-Americans during their juco careers.

Sabotic, who scored 13 goals as a freshman at Meramec, was the Region 16 Player of the Year and a second-team All-American last year, after scoring 15 goals and dishing out 10 assists for the Magic.

Schwer was the Region 24 Player of the Year and a second-team All-American, his freshman year at Lewis & Clark, after tallying 23 goals and 19 assists. Last year, he had 10 goals and nine assists for the Trailblazers.

The eight new student-athletes joining the UM-St. Louis women’s soccer program next season include one Division-I transfer, three high school signees, and four community college transfers all from the same school.

The new signees are Kaylee Neutzling (Lewis & Clark CC), Kelly Muesenfechter (Lewis & Clark CC), Jessica Randazzo (Lewis & Clark CC), Bridget Belli (Lewis & Clark CC), Jaime Morton (Michigan), Lindsay Marcinik (Bayside), April Goodman (Plano), and Suzy Ryan (Hazelwood West).

The Muesenfechter name is well-known around UM-St. Louis soccer. Dad Dan was an All-American player for UM-St. Louis and is a member of the UM-St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. Brother Danny and sister Krisie are also former Triton players.

But Kelly Muesenfechter brings her own standout reputation to campus next season. She was a NSCAA and NJCAA All-American her freshman year at Lewis & Clark, after scoring 35 goals and 21 assists for a team that won the NJCAA Division-I national championship in 2008.

“Kelly is the latest in a long-line of talented Muesenfechter soccer players at UMSL,” Bobby Lessentine, women’s head coach, said in another statement. “She is a hard-working, unselfish and very talented forward who makes those around her look better. I look forward to watching her continue her family legacy.”

Her teammate that year, Nuetzling was even better though. She was twice selected NSCAA National Player of the Year and twice selected to both the NSCAA and NJCAA All-American teams after leading Lewis & Clark in scoring both her freshman and sophomore years.

Nuetzling, who attended Edwardsville High, finished her community college career with 85 goals and 24 assists in just 44 games.

“Kaylee is a highly decorated forward, who has a knack for scoring goals,” Lessentine said. “She should step in right away and make a very positive influence on the scoreboard for us this fall.”

The 2010 UM-St. Louis men’s and women’s soccer seasons will begin in August.