Rochester Raging Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com

Thursday, March 15, 2007

ROCHESTER, NY -- The Rochester Raging Rhinos announced today that they have re-signed goalkeeper, and team captain, Scott Vallow to a two-year contract extension. Vallow’s signing was one of several deals the Rhinos announced this afternoon. In addition to their captain’s re-signing, the Rhinos also announced today that they have signed their 2007 college player draftees Ryan Wileman and PJ Scheufele as well as Stephen Shirley-Black and Chris Aloisi.

Vallow, who enters his seventh season with Rochester in 2007, has played professional soccer for eight years. His extensive professional resume includes brief spells in Major League Soccer with Dallas in 1999 and 2002, and Colorado during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Vallow originally joined the Rhinos in 2000. After spending part of the season with Dallas, he was assigned to Rochester as a Project-40 allocation in early August. In 2000, He kicked-off his playing career in the Flower City after signing with the Rhinos as a free agent prior to the season’s start. He posted a league leading 0.83 goals-against average and a 12-6-1 record in 19 regular season games, and led the Rhinos to the A-League Championship in his first full season with the team. His efforts earned him 2000 A-League Goalkeeper of the Year honors and a spot on the 2000 All-A-League First Team. Stephen Shirley-Black.

The dynamic goalkeeper led the Rhinos to their second consecutive A-League Championship in 2001, before making the jump to Dallas (MLS) midway through the 2002 season.

Last season, the veteran keeper led the Rhinos to the United Soccer Leagues First Division Championship where they were defeated by Vancouver. Vallow led the entire USL in wins (13), shutouts (14) and saves (106), and earned Second Team All-League honors, while setting several personal records along the way. The Modesto, California, native moved into first all-time in Rhinos’ regular season history in ties (19) and shutouts (38), and was one of only two players in the USL to play every minute of every game in 2006.

Vallow resides in Rochester with his wife, Lindsay, and their one-year-old son, Brayden.

Wileman was the Rhinos’ first-round pick (12th overall) this year. A 2006 graduate of Saint Louis University, he won First Team All-Conference USA honors in 2004. In his senior year, he earned first team All-A10 honors and was named to the A10 All-Tournament Team. In four years, the Dallas, Texas, native amassed 17 goals and nine assists in 63 games for the Billikens.

Scheufele was selected by the Rhinos in the second round (25th overall) of the 2007 USL-1 College Player Draft. He played four seasons at Dartmouth College where he was named the team’s most valuable player in 2002. He was also named to the All-Ivy League Second Team in 2004 and to the All-Ivy League First Team in 2005. The Cape Cod native spent the summers of 2005 and 2006 playing for the Cape Cod Crusaders of the Premier Development League. He helped the team win the Northeast Division Championship in 2005 and the New England Division Championship in 2006. Scheufele joined the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL-1 last season, but could not complete the season because of an injury.

Wileman and Scheufele both agreed to a one-year deal with an option for a second year.

Capping off the Rhinos’ day of signings were Scottish-American midfielder Stephen Shirley-Black, who has agreed to a one-year deal with Rochester, and American defender Chris Aloisi, who has signed with the team for one year with an option for a second season.

Shirley, a third-round selection (29th overall) by the Kansas City Wizards in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, played college soccer at the University of Mobile in 2002, and at Virginia Commonwealth University from 2003 to 2005. In 2003, the Aberdeen, Scotland, native played alongside fellow Rhino Matthew Delicâte at VCU. During his sophomore season, Shirley started all 22 of the team’s matches and led the squad with 10 assists, and added one goal. In three seasons, he played 55 games for the Rams and helped the team earn a pair of CAA regular-season titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. The speedy midfielder spent 2006 in Kansas City playing for the team’s reserve squad.

A 2004 graduate of Syracuse University, Aloisi was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the sixth round (57th overall) of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. He spent the 2004 season in LA before being traded to San Jose prior to the start of the 2005 season. The North Babylon, New York, native played in six games and spent 495 minutes on the pitch with the Earthquakes. Aloisi moved with the franchise to Houston in 2006.

The Rhinos open their 2007 season on the road against the Virginia Beach Mariners on Saturday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. The home opener is on Friday, May 4th at 8:00 p.m., as the Rhinos host the Vancouver Whitecaps at PAETEC Park in a rematch of last year’s championship game.