(Press Release)
The St. Louis Ambush have added eight more players to their roster, team owner Andrew Haines announced this week. The Ambush embark on their 2014-15 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) season on November 8 when they host the Milwaukee Wave at the Family Arena. Seven of the eight players are new additions to the squad, while one is a returning player from last season.
Cody Costakis is a former Washington University standout. Cody was born in Puyallup, Washington. He played high school soccer in the state of Washington at the Charles Wright Academy where he earned 1st Team All-State honors in 2007. Cody was a 2011 NSCAA All-American at Washington University in St. Louis. He was also an NSCAA Academic All-American that same year. He has played for Seattle Sounders U23 in the PDL and has played professionally for the Illinois Piasa (PASL) and FC Bordo (NPSL). Costakis compiled five goals in 10 games for the Piasa last season.
Defender Axel Duarte is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, where he played youth soccer for Caracas FC. Duarte spent his collegiate career at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, where he started in 53 of the 64 games he appeared in. Among his accomplishments as a member of the Lions were being elected team captain (2012-13), All MIAA Conference second team (2012), All MIAA Honorable Mention (2013) and NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer All Central Regional second team (2013). Duarte played professionally for FC Bordo (NPSL) earlier this year.
Goalkeeper Alan Hagerty hails from Dayton, Ohio and has called St. Louis home since 2012. He is a 2012 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where he played for the UC Men’s Club Soccer team from 2007-2012. As a member of the Bearcats, Hagerty compiled a 34-20-5 record with an impressive list of accomplishments including 25 shutouts, serving as team captain (2009-12) and Most Valuable Player (2010). Professionally, Hagerty has played for the Cincinnati Kings (PASL), Illinois Piasa (PASL), St. Louis Lions (PDL) and FC Bordo (NPSL). Alan was a member of the Kings team that earned Open Cup Runner-Up in 2012. As a member of the Piasa, Hagerty earned a Player of the Week award in 2012 for a game in which he made 32 saves and allowed only two goals. Hagerty finished second in the PASL in save percentage (.776) last season. Alan is the proud father of beautiful baby girl Skylar Hagerty.
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, midfielder/forward Gerard John-Williams played collegiate soccer at Cumberland University in Tennessee and at Davenport University in Michigan. At Cumberland, he earned his team’s newcomer of the year award, starting the first 10 games of the Bulldogs’ season as a holding midfielder before missing the final four games due to injury. At Davenport, John-Williams shone offensively, producing by both scoring and distributing the ball as a Panther. His three game-winning goals still ranks him in the Davenport top-10 career list for game-winning goals, and he earned the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Offensive Player of the Week nod for the week ending Nov. 2, 2009. In 2010, he was a key piece of the Davenport team that made the program’s first ever trip to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Tournament, and as a senior in 2011, John-Williams was named the captain of the Panthers’ squad, leading the team that season in goals (4), and points (11). He has played with the St. Louis Lions (PDL) and has served as a youth coach.
Greg Kranz is a native St. Louisian who played youth soccer with the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club and varsity soccer at CBC High School. He began his collegiate career at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, where he served as team captain two years. He was then recruited by Missouri Baptist University, where he started in 35 of his 36 appearances. Kranz played with the St. Louis Lions (PDL) for three seasons and played last season for the Illinois Piasa (PASL).
Ross MacGregor is a forward who hails from Brayton, England in the United Kingdom. Growing up, he played for the Youth Academies of two professional clubs; Leeds United and York City, along with several other youth clubs. Professionally, MacGregor played for the Illinois Piasa (PASL) last season. He is also an accomplished bowler who was ranked number one in England at the U18 level for a season. Ross currently is a graduate assistant coach for the National Champion Lindenwood bowling team.
Blake Ordell is a native of Honokaa, Hawaii. He played college soccer for University of Central Lancashire in England and Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. At UCLAN, he notched ten goals and four assists in ten games while playing for the Conference Championship team. At Wesminster, he served as team captain, earned an MVP honor, was named to the All PAC-Conference 1st Team as a junior and senior and All PAC-Conference 2nd Team as a sophomore. Ordell is a seven-year veteran of the professional ranks, having played both indoor and outdoor. He has played for the Wichita B-52s (PASL), Illinois Piasa (PASL), Edsbyns IF (Sweden Division 3), U.S. National Arena Soccer Team, Toronto Italia Shooters (CPSL), Detroit Waza Flo (PASL), Detroit Ignition (MISL), Windsor Border Stars (CPSL), and Cincinnati Kings (USL Second Division). Ordell recorded 40 goals and 20 assists in a 52-game professional indoor career.
Nick Pollard returns for his second season with the Ambush. He appeared in five games for the team in 2013-14 before his season was cut short due to injury. Pollard should be right at home at the Family Arena, having grown up in St. Charles. He played high school soccer at Fort Zumwalt South. Nick’s collegiate career was spent at Missouri State University, where he was a Missouri Valley All-Conference pick his senior year and was team captain his junior and senior years. Pollard also played for the Chicago Fire Reserves (MLS Reserve League) during his junior and senior years and was drafted by the Minnesota Thunder (USL First Division) out of college.
