Nicholas Vukovich '22 Recruiting Profile

                  I am currently a junior attending Medina High School, which is one of the elite high school programs in the state of Ohio. We have been to the Division 1(largest division) state semi-finals 5 years in a row, and won the state title in 2018. In 2020, we reached the state semi-finals and ended with a record of 18-2-2,  placing us 12th in the nation. My goals are to play for a high level soccer program and maintain my academic standing. I want to use college as a vehicle to reach those goals. I push myself very hard athletically and academically to open doors for me  as I start to get closer to college. I feel that all of these goals will help me become a positive representative, both during my college career, and after I have graduated.

               My High School and Club coaches feel I will positively impact a soccer program through different ways.  I am 6' 2" and 190 pounds, which helps me win headers in the air over other players. I don't get knocked off the ball and I make strong tackles. My mile time is 5:50 and my 40-yard dash is a 4.7. This allows me to contain faster attackers throughout a whole game and not just for a couple plays. I also use my strength and technique to play accurate 50-60 yard balls.  My coaches have told me I read the game well, and when the game starts to come to an end,  they rely on me to adjust our defense to close the game out.

               Leadership isn't something that came easy to me, I had to grow into that role. I now exhibit leadership in two ways: 1) On the field, I lead by example every practice and game. I do this by working hard in every practice drill and not slacking off, which helps to create a more competitive environment in practice. During games, I give max effort, regardless of the competition or skill level. 2) My voice on the field. I communicate with my teammates constantly, holding them accountable through positive encouragement. This helps to make sure they give 100% and don't become discouraged if things aren't going well at the moment.