Surkamp has great experience at Disney Cup

It meant leaving the beach a little bit earlier than expected, but Nick Surkamp could not turn down the opportunity to represent the United States in an international soccer tournament in Florida.

The 2010 Osbourn Park graduate was invited to play with the U.S. team in the under-20 Division in the Disney Cup. The week-long tournament last month featured 12 to 13 other teams from around the world.

The U.S. won its division with a big help from Surkamp, who played every minute of each of the five games and finished with two goals and three assists. Surkamp scored a goal to break a 1-1 tie against Canada and he also tallied against Honduras.

“It was a humbling experience,” Surkamp said. “As a player, it opened up my game to other styles.”

The U.S. team was made up of players from New York, Florida, Connecticut and New Jersey. Surkamp was the only player on the roster from Virginia.

Head coach Jonathan Langer was looking for an outside midfielder and contacted some Division I coaches in Virginia to see if they had any recommendations. One of the coaches Langer called was
Longwood’s Jon Atkinson. Atkinson suggested Surkamp, who had committed to the Lancers.

Langer got in touch with Surkamp and told him the spot was his. The only expense Surkamp had to cover was airfare.

“They liked the way I played,” Surkamp said. “It was a real honor.”

ABEL COMMITS TO U.VA FOR BASEBALL

University of Virginia assistant baseball coach Karl Kuhn scouted two of Battlefield High School pitcher Nate Abel’s games this past season. Abel also visited Virginia to get a feel for the campus and the program.

So when Abel was invited to come down to Virginia a second time in June, he figured something was up. He was right. The Cavaliers offered the rising senior and after a talk with his parents, he committed to one of then nation’s top Division I college baseball programs.

Virginia was the first school to offer Abel. And although Abel cannot sign his national letter-of-intent until November, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-hander saw no reason to hold off on making a decision.

“When I went down the first time, what impressed me the most was the team was such a tight-knit group of guys,” Abel said. “I liked their mindset. They were after the right goals and playing in the postseason.”

In seven seasons, head coach Brian O’Connor has led Virginia to a 316-118-1 overall record, which includes seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a No. 1 ranking this season and a 2009 berth in the College World Series.

Abel said he got on the Cavaliers’ radar screen through Potomac head baseball coach Mike Covington, who contacted the Virginia coaching staff about Abel. Abel was not aware of that until he played last month for Covington at the Commonwealth Games.

Abel said his fastball averages between 87 and 88 miles per hour, but that it has been clocked at 91.

“I think my strength is my fastball and there are two things that help me with that,” Abel said. “I put a lot of force behind it. And the ball has a lot of movement.”

Abel said O’Connor came by Tuesday night to watch him pitch his final game of the season with his showcase team, the Vienna-based Stars.

FRAZER HEADED TO WESTERN KENTUCKY

Collin Frazer was originally headed to Hargrave Military Academy for a year of postgraduate football. But Woodbridge head football coach Kevin Smith said Frazer is instead going to Western Kentucky University as an invited walk-on.

The change came after Western Kentucky was impressed with Frazer’s play at the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Game last month in Hampton.

A second-team all-Group AAA selection last season at safety, Frazer finished second on Woodbridge’s team with 110 total tackles. He was a three-year starter for the Vikings.

Sports editor David Fawcett can be reached at 703-530-3911