Athletic Honors & Career Stats (Bonus Video)

Look throughout his college career, Jata has managed to rack up several awards and accolades. To give you a better understanding of his progression from one year to the next, I broke down his college stats and various achievements from each season. With the honors listed below, it is clear that Jata is continuing to grow as a player. The only thing left to ask now is; how much potential does this kid really have?

Amazing header from the 2007 A-Sun Tournament



Jata has proven to his opponents that he is capable of scoring at will, but he has also shown the ability to create opportunities as well. If Jata continues to wreak havoc on opposing teams, he will be a great addition to any MLS team in need of an attack. With 12 game-winning goals in just three seasons at Campbell, it is obvious that Jata is comfortable with the ball at his feet when it matters most. He screams confidence, but his humility is stronger, giving thanks to the Lord, not only before and after the game, but during the game as well.

College Stats - GP (74) Goals (32) Assists (18) Points (84)

Freshman - 4 goals, 3 assists (led team in points)
Sophomore - 7 goals, 7 assists (led team in points)
Junior - 9 goals, 4 assists (led team in points)
Senior - 12 goals, 4assists (led team in points)

• 12 Game-Winning Goals (T-2nd All-Time in A-Sun)
• 71 points in 57 games @ Campbell (15th All-Time)
• Campbell has a 20-1-1 record when Jata scores

2008
NCCSIA All-State Team
NSCAA All-South First Team
NSCAA All-American Second Team
Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year
Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Player of the Year
Atlantic Sun Conference First Team
Atlantic Sun Conference All-Tournament Team
2-Time Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week
College Soccer News National Team of the Week - 11/2/08
15th in the nation in GPG (.71) - 1st in Atlantic Sun
19th in the nation in PPG (1.65) - 1st in Atlantic Sun
7 Game-Winning Goals (Tied A-Sun Single Season Record)
Game-Winning Goal vs. #7 UNC
Led team in total points (Campbell)
2007
NCCSIA All-State Team
NSCAA All-South Second Team
Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Player of the Year
Atlantic Sun Conference First Team
Atlantic Sun Conference All-Tournament Team
Atlantic Sun Conference All-Academic Team
2-Time Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week
College Soccer News National Team of the Week - 11/4/07
Game-Winning Goal vs. UNC @ Chapel Hill
Led team in total points (Campbell)
2006
NCCSIA All-State Team
NSCAA All-South Second Team
Atlantic Sun Conference First Team
Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week - 9/25/06
College Soccer News National Team of the Week - 8/27/06
Led team in total points (Campbell)
2005
College Soccer News Top 100 Freshman
Led team in total points (Furman)

More Good News for Jata!!

Just days after the 2009 Addidas MLS Combine list came out, the NSCAA announced their yearly awards. First, the All-Region Teams were announced, and after making second team All-South the past two years, Jata stepped it up a notch. He was one of four midfielders named to the first team this year, a team that was dominated by Wake Forest. Campbell's Senior defender Stephen Oyuga also made first team along with Jata. (All-South team listed below)

It wouldn't be much longer until Jata was struck with more good news. Today the All-American Teams were announced, and once again Jata was recognized. After netting 7 game-winners and finishing the season with 12 goals and 4 assists, Jata's performance was good enough to earn him a spot on this years NSCAA All-American Second Team. In the last 31 years, only five other Campbell players have been named to an All-American team.

All-South First Team
K - Jimmy Maurer Sophomore South Carolina, Lawrenceville, Ga.
D - Darrius Barnes Senior Duke, Raleigh, NC
D - Ike Opara Sophomore Wake Forest, Durham, NC
D - Stephen Oyuga Senior Campbell, Nairobi, Kenya
M - Corben Bone Sophomore Wake Forest, Dallas, Texas
M - Michael Callahan Senior North Carolina, Cary, NC
M - Sam Cronin Senior Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, NC
M - Richard Jata Senior Campbell, Port Richey, FL
F - Cody Arnoux Junior Wake Forest, Wilmington, NC
F - Michael Grella Senior Duke, Glen Cove, NY
F - Marcus Tracy Senior Wake Forest, Newtown, Conn

All-American First Team
K - Jovan Bubonja Junior Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
D - Calum Angus Senior Saint Louis, Portsmouth, England
D - Matthew Besler Senior Notre Dame, Overland Park, Kan.
D - Omar Gonzalez Junior Maryland, Dallas, Texas
D - Tennant McVea Junior Loyola (Md.), Belfast, Northern Ireland
M - Corben Bone Sophomore Wake Forest, Dallas, Texas
M - Sam Cronin Senior Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, NC
M - Andrei Gotsmanov Senior Creighton, Omaha, Neb.
M - Baggio Husidic Junior Illinois-Chicago, Libertyville, Ill.
F - Andre Akpan Junior Harvard, Grand Prairie, Texas
F - Mike Grella Senior Duke, Glen Cove, NY
F - Marcus Tracy Senior Wake Forest, Newtown, Conn.
F - Steve Zakuani Sophomore Akron, London, England

All-American Second Team
K - Milos Kocic Junior Loyola (Md.), Leskovac, Serbia
D - Joel Gustafsson Junior St. John's, Queens, NY
D - Ike Opara Sophomore Wake Forest, Durham, NC
D - Chris Schuler Junior Creighton, Omaha, Neb.
M - Alejandro Bedoya Senior Boston College, Weston, FL
M - Michael Callahan Senior North Carolina, Cary, NC
M - Richard Jata Senior Campbell, Port Richey, FL
M - J.T. Noone Junior Temple, Harrisburg, Pa.
F - Quincy Amarikwa Senior Cal-Davis, Bakersfield, Calif.
F - Doug DeMartin Senior Michigan State, Mason, Mich.
F - Mike Fucito Senior Harvard, Westford, Mass.
F - Daniel Revivo Senior Winthrop, Richmond Hill, Ontario
F - Chris Salvaggione Senior Charlotte, Monument, CO

Jata Invited to the 2009 MLS Combine

Well, it's official. Today Richard Jata was listed as one of the 65 Seniors invited to attend the 2009 Addidas MLS Combine. The event will take place at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL from Jan. 9th - Jan. 13th. The players will be divided into 4 teams and compete against one another on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Monday will be an off day for the players to rest. The games will take place at Lockhart Stadium and the players and coaching staff will be staying at either the Sheraton Yankee Clipper Hotel or the Harbor Beach Mariott.

Here is a list of the 65 players invited to attend the 2009 MLS Combine along with their school and position:

Goal Keepers (7)
Defenders (20)
Midfielders (24)
Forwards (14)

Boston College - Chris Brown - GK
Boston College - Paul Gerstenberger - D
Brown University - Rhett Bernstein - D
Campbell University - Richard Jata - M (Game-winner vs. UNC)
Coastal Carolina University - Kyle Russell - D
College of Charleston - Wes Knight - D
Creighton University - Andrei Gotsmanov - M
Creighton University - Seth Sinovic - D
Dartmouth University - Sean Milligan - GK
Duke University - Darrius Barnes - D
Duke University - Mike Grella - F
Duke University - Pav Castaneda - M
Florida International University - Juan Guerra - M
Furman University - Patrick Murray - M
George Mason University - Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe - F
Harvard University - Michael Fucito - F/M
Indiana University - Brad Ring - M
James Madison University - Nick Zimmerman - M
Liberty University - Josh Boateng - M
Loyola College - Milos Kocic - GK
Loyola University - Keum Sung Kim - M
Michigan State University - Doug DeMartin - F
Michigan State University - David Hertel - D
Old Dominion University - Trevor Banks - D
Providence College - Ryan Maduro - M
Quinnipiac University - Graciano Brito - M/F
Saint Louis University - Calum Angus - D
Saint Louis University - Brandon Barklage - F
Saint Louis University - Kyle Patterson - M
Santa Clara University - Babajide Ogunbiyi - D
Southern Methodist University - Jeffrey Harwell - M
Southern Methodist University - Ryan Mirsky - D
St. John’s University - Neal Kitson - GK
University of Akron - Evan Bush - GK
University of Albany - Steward Ceus - GK
University of California - Davis - Quincy Amarikwa - F
University of California - Davis - Dylan Curtis - M/F
University of California – Santa Barbara - Nick Perera - F
University of California – Santa Barbara - Chris Pontius - F
University of Connecticut - Oscar Castillo - D
University of Connecticut - Akeem Priestley - M
University of Evansville - Alec Dufty - GK
University of Louisville - Aaron Clapham - M
University of Maryland - AJ Delagarza - D
University of Maryland - Graham Zusi - M
University of Norte Dame - Matt Besler - D
University of Norte Dame - Jack Traynor - D
University of North Carolina – Charlotte - Chris Salvaggione - F
University of North Carolina – Greensboro - Jokull Elisabetarson - M
University of Pennsylvania - Alex Grendi - M/F
University of Portland - Bryan Irwin - F
University of South Florida - Yohance Marshall - D
University of South Florida - Jordan Seabrook - F
University of Tulsa - Chris Clements - D
University of Virginia - Matt Poole- M
University of Washington - Raphael Cox - M
University of Washington - George John - M
University of Wisconsin – Green Bay - Tosaint Ricketts - F
Wake Forest University - Lyle Adams - D
Wake Forest University - Evan Brown - D
Wake Forest University - Sam Cronin - M
Wake Forest University - Michael Lahoud - M
Wake Forest University - Marcus Tracy - F
Winthrop University - Otto Loewy - D
Winthrop University - Daniel Revivo - F

Addias Generation players will be announced at a later date.

Richard Jata is going PRO

Richard Jata has decided to finish his senior year of school via online classes and devote all of his time towards playing soccer at the professional level. Jata has set a goal to be a first round draft pick in the 2009 MLS Superdraft and he expects nothing less.

Campbell head coach Doug Hess had this to say about Jata. "He is very much a soccer player. In this day and age we look too much for the 'athlete' before the guy that can play. Richard thinks the game. Strong with either foot, excellent sense for the game; can beat you off the dribble, with his movement, on the pass or with a dead ball. I do believe he is that diamond in the rough coaches are looking for."

Friend and former teammates Shea Salinas and Jon Leathers were selected 15th and 25th last year, and Jata, who was recruited to Furman the same year, looks to follow in their footsteps.

I expect Jata to perform well at the combine and impress all of the coaches with his ball skills, shooting, passing and his ability to read the game extremely well at all times. If all goes according to plan, look for Jata to move up the draft board as the Superdraft grows closer. There's no telling how high he could get selected. It really just depends on what team needs a player, who one day, has the ability to play in Europe.

Here is another video that shows the incredible power and accuracy in Jata's shot. Honestly, I don't know any other college soccer player who is capable of hitting a shot like this. Do you?

Unstoppable Free Kick Bent Around the Wall



Check out the link below to see how good Jata is with the ball at his feet.

Richard Jata - Ball Skills