Cougars Load Roster With Rookie Additions
October 23, 2008 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
California Cougars News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - October 23, 2008 - The Stockton Cougars, of the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL-Pro), announce that the club has agreed to contract terms with Hugo Brambila, Santos Arteaga, Renato Dos Reis, Dalitso Muluzi, Josh Copeland, David Vedder and Tebias Mason. Per club policy, terms of the deals will not be disclosed.
The Cougars enter the inaugural PASL-Pro season against the Colorado Lightning on October 25 at Stockton Arena. The club will begin the season with 15 active players and two inactive (injured reserve) players.
Brambila is one of three forwards on the Cougars roster. A roster that includes head coach and director of soccer operations Bernie Lilavois. Lilavois will once again act as both player and coach for the Cougars, as will assistant coach and forward Aaron Susi. Assistant coach and defender Antonio Sutton is recuperating his right knee and will begin practice and play once cleared by medical personnel.
Brambila, 24, is a Woodland, CA native and spent his college playing career at California State University Stanislaus. He played for the PASL-Premier League Mexican All-Star team in February 2007 and the "Stars of Mexico" team that faced the Cougars at Stockton Arena in September 2007. Brambila has spent the last two seasons with the Stockton Pumas and Turlock Express.
The club has also added Brazilian-born Dos Reis, 29, and Malawian-born Muluzi, 28, to their midfield. The Stockton midfield previously consisted of Brian Farber, Majell Aterado, Ato Leone and Pedro Lupercio.
Dos Reis played three seasons at Hawaii Pacific University and attended St. Mary's High School in Berkeley, CA. Dos Reis spent two seasons with Vaiete Soccer Club in Hawaii and 13 seasons with Di Bufala Sport Club in San Francisco. Di Bufala is the same futsal academy that produced former Cougars player Luis Pinto.
Vedder, 24, and Copeland, 29, join Sutton and 2008 "Ultimate Cougar" Evan McNeley in the Stockton defensive back.
Vedder played at St. Mary's College of California between 2002 and 2006. He started in 18 of 20 games for St. Mary's during his junior season in 2004, but was sidelined due to injury in both 2005 and 2006. He served as a volunteer assistant coach for St. Mary's College in 2006 because of injury.
Copeland was selected by the Cougars in the 13th round of the 2007 Major Indoor Soccer League supplemental draft. He spent the 2007 season with the Pumas and was a member of the Chico Rooks of the National Premier Soccer League. Copeland is a three time PASL-Premier All-Star and played for the PASL-Premier All-Star team that faced the Cougars at Stockton Arena on February 10, 2008.
Mason, 22, and Arteaga, 20, add a youthful presence to the Cougars' goalkeeper unit. They join 2007 PASL-Premier League Summer Nationals MVP Matt McDougall and 2008 United States National Arena Soccer Team goalkeeper Jesus Molina on the Cougars' depth chart. McDougall, however, will begin the season on injured reserve after off-season knee surgery.
Mason earned a full ride scholarship to Wright State University in Ohio after earning All-American honors in his second season at Santa Rosa Junior College in 2005. Mason attended and starred at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, CA.
Arteaga currently resides in Patterson, CA and was born in Modesto, CA. He attended Patterson High School and at 20-years-of-age, he is the youngest member of the Cougars. Arteaga most recently played for the Turlock Express.
The Cougars open their fourth season of professional arena soccer on October 25 against the Colorado Lightning at Stockton Arena. Season ticket plans and individual or group tickets are available by contacting the Cougars office at (209) 373-1550 or online by visiting www.stocktoncougars.net.
• Discuss this story on the Professional Arena Soccer League message board...
Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from October 23, 2008
- Cougars Load Roster With Rookie Additions - California Cougars
- Reusch Signs on as Official Supplier - PASL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
