The Penn State men's soccer team surprised everyone last year when it rebounded from a less-than-stellar 9-7 mark to finish the season as Big Ten champions and one of the "Elite Eight" teams in the NCAA tournament.

The Nittany Lions may have to do it again in 2003, as they will lose goalie Ryan Sickman and the entire defensive unit of Brent Jacquette, Jorma Makippa and Ben Dawson and will desperately need another goal-scoring threat alongside forward Chad Severs.

This year's recruiting class figures to contribute immediately, however, particularly on the offensive side of the field.

"We've been grooming players to take their places," Penn State men's soccer coach Barry Gorman said, referring to the loss of Sickman, Jacquette, Makipaa and Dawson. "This year's class gives us added depth and an abundance of quality choices for selection purposes."

Forward Simon Omekanda and midfielder Jeffrey Chambers are the key acquisitions of a class that includes at least eight.

Omekanda, the younger brother of 2002 newcomer Paul Omekanda, did not waste any time jumping aboard Gorman's ship. Omekanda graduated from high school a semester early to attend Penn State this spring. Omekanda will play and practice with the team this semester, but his eligibility will not be affected, Gorman said.

A three-time All-State selection for Rochester Adams H.S. in Rochester Hills, Mich., Omekanda had the likes of UCLA, North Carolina, St. John's, Connecticut and Furman salivating at the prospect of having his name on a national letter of intent. Penn State, however, forecasted a couple years ago that Omekanda would be a good fit for the program.

"We basically started recruiting him two years ago," Gorman said. "We sacrificed recruits last year to free up some scholarship money for him."

In Omekanda, the Lions find the much-sought after goal scorer to complement forward Chad Severs, who, after leading the team with 17 goals -- seven of which were game-winners -- and 37 points, is likely to receive even more attention this season. Behind Severs last season, the team's leading goal scorers were Joe Zewe and Pasi Karpinenn with only four goals apiece.

Gorman believes that come fall, Omekanda will be able to shoulder some of the scoring burden. He's confident that the Severs-Omekanda scoring tandem will be a lethal threat to opposing defenses this coming season.

"Omekanda is quick and explosive," Gorman said. "He's the kind of kid that can break the kind of game open himself."

With Jacquette's move from midfield to defense early last season, the team sorely lacked depth in the midfield. Though David Walters and Brian Devlin were able to step up their play, incoming freshman Jeff Chambers is expected to solidify the midfield.

Hailing from Christiana, Pa., Chambers brings to the team an accomplished resume. A two-time National Soccer Coaches of America Association High School All-American, Chambers has been a member of the Region I Olympic Development Program team since 1997.

"Chambers is going to fit very well alongside David Walters and Brian Devlin," Gorman said. "With him, we have the potential to have the best midfield in the country."

With incoming prospects Matt Novchich and Nick Gindre expected to challenge for the starting goalkeeper spot, junior Ryan Moate's job as Sickman's replacement isn't safe. Novchich led his T.C. Roberson H.S. team to the North Carolina State Championship in 2002, while Gindre, a goalkeeper from Leatherhead, Surrey, England, has led his high school team, ACS Cobham, to victory at the International Schools Sports Tournament Championship two out of the last three years.