Clemson Men’s Soccer Adds Three Players to Program

Jan. 5, 2012

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson Head Men’s Soccer Coach Mike Noonan has announced the addition of three student-athletes to join the Tiger program this spring. Transfers Manolo Sanchez, Emmett Lunceford and high school graduate Andrew Tarbell will arrive on campus with the returning student body in preparation for the start of classes January 11th .

Sanchez is a red-shirt sophomore from the University of Louisville, and Lunceford is a freshmen transfer from the University of South Carolina. Tarbell, a graduate of Fontainebleau HS in Louisiana are welcome additions to a Tiger squad that ended the 2011 season on a seven game unbeaten run.

“All three individuals are excellent student-athletes and people that we feel very strongly about on and off the field,” said Head Coach Mike Noonan. “We would like to welcome them to the Clemson family and look forward to integrating them into our program immediately.”

Sanchez is from Philadelphia, Pa. He graduated from Germantown Friendly HS. He finished his high school career as the all-time leader in goals scored with 59 and assists with 38. He earned league MVP honors his junior and senior seasons. He was also was named All-Southeastern Pennsylvania and all-state both his junior and senior seasons. Sanchez played club soccer for the YMS Xplosion, which qualified for the National Championship in 2008 and 2009. He helped guide his club team to the state championship in 2005 and 2009 and the Region I championship in 2009.

Lunceford is a 2010 & 2011 all state and all region honoree. He was named a 2009 and 2010 ESPN Rise Third Team Spring All-American. Out of high school, he was named one of College Soccer News.com’s Top 150 College Recruits for 2011. He also was named the 2010 South Carolina High School Gatorade Player of the Year. He played club soccer in U.S. Soccer Academy for South Carolina United FC and coaches Rob Strickland and Clark Brisson. He was a four-year letter winner and varsity starter at Irmo High School for coach Phil Savitz.

Lunceford helped lead his high school squad to the 2009 and 2010 4A Lower State Championship. He has trained in England with the Region III team and with 2010 Chelsea Disney All-Stars. He has been a member of the South Carolina Olympic Development team in 2002-10.

Lunceford also played club soccer for Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA, 2005-10). During high school he was a member of the National Honor Society and received Irmo High School’s Academic Excellence Award (2007-11).

Tarbell was a member of the ’93 Region III ODP Team, and played on the 2009 Disney Showcase – Winter Interregional All-Star Team that also made the 2010 Rio de Janeiro International Tour. He was on the ’92 Region III ODP Team that played on the 2010 London International Tour. He was also a member of the ’92 & ’93 Louisiana State ODP Team in 2009 & 2010.

He also was a member of the Player Development League’s team the New Orleans Jesters in the summers of 2010 & 2011. Tarbell was named the Mandeville Soccer Club Premier Player of the Year 2009 & 2010. He played for the Fontainebleau High School Varsity Soccer team and he was named to the LHSAA all-state team.

Clemson’s AdditionsName…Position….Height…Weight…Hometown Manolo Sanchez…MF…6-1…180…Philadelphia, PA Emmett Lunceford…MF…5-11…168…Columbia, SC Andrew Tarbell…GK…6-3…180…Mandeville, LA