Frederick ‘great addition’ for Div. I school

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 1 August 2017

Cayman’s Joshewa Frederick is among a group of nine new players whom big things are expected from by Longwood University men’s soccer coach Jon Atkinson.

Frederick moves to play with the NCAA Division I Lancers in Virginia on a scholarship after two years of junior college at Northwest Tech in Kansas.

“Extremely athletic and with boundless energy, Joshewa will be a great addition this season,” Atkinson said.

“Joshewa can play a variety of positions whether it be in the back or in midfield, standing at 6’3” he can be a presence all over the park,” the coach added.

The former John Gray High School student was solid for Norhwest Tech, anchoring the back line in his nine starts. He is expected to feature in defense and midfield this season.

After escaping major injury during a mistaken identity shooting incident while on spring break in California earlier this year, Frederick returned home to help his local club, Cayman Athletic, win the CIFA U21 Men’s FA Cup. He’s also been doing physical training before heading off to join his new school.

It’s set to be an exciting year for the Lancers with the addition of six freshmen and three transfers. This is coming on the heels of the Lancers first-ever appearance in the Big South Championship game a season ago, where the squad earned upset wins over UNC Asheville and second-seeded High Point to advance to the finals.

“All of these young men can play and will elevate the program immensely,” Atkinson said in an article on the university’s website.

“Each player has shown tremendous commitment to be part of our program, they have consistently displayed the right qualities to be chosen to represent Longwood men’s soccer and we couldn’t be happier. They are all tireless workers with a humble attitude hungry to make a mark on the program,” he added.

In a 2017 schedule that features four games against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams, including NCAA runner-up Wake Forest and NCAA Tournament quarterfinalist Virginia Tech, Longwood’s 20-game season will see the Lancers tested against seven teams that finished 2016 among the top-100 in the RPI rankings.

“Our players want competition, they crave the challenge,” Atkinson said. “To pit ourselves against high calibre opponents makes absolute sense and to play in different soccer arenas around the country will give our lads a truly memorable experience of what it’s like to be student-athlete at the D-I level.”

Longwood will prepare for its slate with a pair of exhibition games and is scheduled to hit the field for the first time in 2017 in a 15 August contest at Charlotte, where it will take on a 49er squad that finished 2016 ranked among the top-20 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Lancers will host Wright State in its final preseason tune-up on 19 August, hosting a Raiders squad that won 11 games a season ago and finished inside the top-100 of the RPI. Then it’s on to the regular season opener against Virginia Military Institute on 25 August, also at home.