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Lightning Sign Former Bellarmine Standouts Hopkins, Wheeler

November 23, 2010 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Louisville Lightning News Release


The Louisville Lightning have added more depth to their roster this season, signing former Bellarmine University standouts Ross Hopkins and Grant Wheeler. Both players signed a one-year deal with the team recently.

The Lightning have agreed to terms with two new players for the 2010-2011 season. Midfielder Ross Hopkins and defender Grant Wheeler have both signed contracts.

Hopkins signed a contract with the Lightning late last week, and the Skerries, Ireland native made his debut for the team in their 6-4 loss to the Detroit Waza last Friday. Hopkins comes to the Lightning after a decorated career at Louisville's Bellarmine University.

Hopkins earned Daktronics First All-Midwest Region Honors as a senior in 2010. He finished his Bellarmine career second all-time in assists for the school with 25. He finished the 2010 season with six goals and six assists. A member of the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference First Team, he ranked in the top ten in the conference in five different categories.

Hopkins scored a team-high eleven goals for the Knights in 2009, good enough for sixth place in the conference. He was named First Team All-Conference in 2009, and also earned Daktronics Third Team All-America honors. Hopkins previously played for Skerries Town Club in his native Ireland before coming to Louisville.

Hopkins made his Lightning debut on November 19, 2010 against the Detroit Waza. He scored the third goal of the game for the Lightning, hitting the back of the net with 5:26 remaining in the third period.

"Ross is a very gifted striker," said Lightning coach Ted Nichols. "He came with high accolades from everyone at Bellarmine. Everyone told me about him, and I knew the first day we saw him that he would make it. Truthfully, I don't think we've ever had a guy come to practice and immediately make the squad like Ross did, and he delivered on a goal. All of these great target players are phenomenal outdoor players but they are eager to learn the indoor game. Hopkins is still figuring out the indoor game but he's got a great knack for putting the ball in the back of the net," Nichols said of Hopkins.

The club also agreed to terms with defender Grant Wheeler recently. Wheeler also joins the Lightning after a stellar career at Bellarmine University. The native of Bardstown, Kentucky earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference Third Team honors as a senior in 2010. Wheeler appeared in 16 games for the Knights as a senior, scoring two goals.

Wheeler played in 53 games for Bellarmine during his first three seasons, scoring eight goals. The defender was named Honorable Mention All-State and First Team All-Region, All-District, and All-Class 'A' at Bethlehem High School as a senior. He led the Bardstown, Kentucky school to a remarkable 23-3-1 record in his final season there.

"He's a very strong defender and can man-up against anyone in the league," Nichols said of Wheeler. "He has great composure on the field with the ball at his feet, and he's a talented player. He will be a guy we can go to off the bench with a lot of confidence, because we know we can bring on Grant without having a let-down," Nichols said.

Both players are expected to be in uniform for the Lightning's next home game. The team hosts the Evansville Crush in US Open play on Friday, December 10th in their next home contest.

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