Photo: Current NJYS President and former MOSA President Jess Yeager is among the four new inductees (Cos Lymperopoulos).
Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association (MOSA) will be inducting two MOSA players and two MOSA volunteers into its 2023 Hall of Fame Class, with the induction ceremony set to take place on Thursday, February 22nd, at the Colts Neck Inn in Colts Neck, N.J.
The 2023 player inductees include:
Danielle Colaprico – Current professional soccer player for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) who has also received several call-ups to the US Womens National Team. Prior to her time at San Diego Wave FC, Colaprico was named 2015 NWSL Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Red Stars, and she went on to spend eight seasons with the team. She previously had a tremendous career with the University of Virginia after playing high school soccer for Red Bank Catholic, where her team won three consecutive Shore Conference Championships and one State Final. Colaprico grew up in Old Bridge and played in MOSA for the Holmdel Soccer Club with a boys team that was coached by her father.
Jake Nerwinski – Current professional soccer player for St. Louis SC of Major League Soccer (MLS). Prior to his time with St. Louis, Nerwinski spent seven seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps after becoming the seventh overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. He played his college soccer at the University of Connecticut, where he was a four-year starter, two-time captain and received UConn Male Athlete of the Year accolades. Before college, he attended Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, where he received All-County and All-State Honors over his four-year career, leaving as the all-time assist and goal-scoring leader. Nerwinski grew up in Jackson and played soccer at Jackson Soccer Club for the Jackson Raptors in MOSA.
“Thousands of children currently playing MOSA dream to get to the level that these players have gotten,” said Eric Offenberg, 1st Vice President of MOSA. “We are thrilled that Danielle and Jake have made it to the highest levels of soccer after getting their starts playing in MOSA. These players are role models that our players can look up to and see what they can achieve after starting and competing at the grassroots level of soccer in Central New Jersey.”
NJ Youth Soccer Executive Director Evan Dabby echoed those sentiments.
“Soccer players continue to develop in New Jersey into top national and international players,” said Dabby. “It has been a thrill to watch Danielle and Jake compete and know that current youth players throughout the state are trying to emulate their accomplishments.”
In addition to the player inductees, two volunteers are also being inducted to the MOSA Hall of Fame as well on February 22nd.
Jess Yeager – Current President of NJ Youth Soccer who spent eight years on the MOSA Board before he became President of MOSA in 2016. Yeager eventually left MOSA to pursue leadership of NJ Youth Soccer and was elected NJYS President in 2020. He got his start in youth soccer in 1996, joining the Toms River Youth Soccer Board at that time. He eventually became a head coach and then President of the club.
Bill Tumbleson – Currently the most distinguished and tenured referee assignor for MOSA who has been involved with soccer since 1980. After his initial involvement in the game, Tumbleson quickly became a referee, assignor, instructor and assessor who developed a significant numbers of referees still officiating today. He currently referees high school and college soccer as well.
“Jess and Bill truly represent the foundation of youth soccer in New Jersey,” said Offenberg. “Their decades of devotion to growing the beautiful game deserve to be commended.”
The MOSA Hall of Fame will continue to install new inductees for years to come. Full biographies of players and volunteers can be found at mosa.gotsport.com.
For any questions about this announcement, please contact Eric Offenberg at [email protected].
ABOUT MONMOUTH OCEAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION (MOSA)
The Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association (MOSA) is a 501(c)(3) travel soccer league based in Central New Jersey affiliated with New Jersey Youth Soccer. Currently there are 55+ member Clubs with almost 600 soccer teams that participate per season. Divisions for both males and females run from U-8 through U-19 with seasons running in both the Fall and the Spring.