Last June, one of Roseville High School’s very own soccer players, senior Keegan Ness, verbally committed to playing for Oregon State University.
Though receiving interest from other colleges and universities, Ness said that as soon as OSU offered him a scholarship, he was ready to commit.  

Ness currently plays for the Sacramento Republic Football Club’s U18 academy team and feels that the academy program has opened up many opportunities for him over the past few years.

“It definitely helps, playing for Sac Republic,” Ness said. “You get a lot more exposure, the coaching staff is one of the best in California, if not the country. They have connections all over, if you look at our team we have players going all over the country.”

Ben Stoddard, OSU’s men’s soccer coach, was heavily involved in Ness’s recruiting process. He believes that, under the guidance of him and his coaching staff, Ness will be able to flourish as a player and improve his skills.  

“We saw Keegan play and really liked what he does on the field,” Stoddard said. “He is a good player now, but I believe he has a ton of room for growth and can ultimately be a great player. Coming to play in the Pac-12, the best soccer conference in the country, will help him improve on the field which is obviously very important to him – and us. What really sold us on Keegan is the type of person he is, though. Our team culture is critical here.”

Ness will be expected to compete for a starting role as a freshman at OSU next year.