HAMDEN, Conn. - Connecticut FC Azul are proud to announce two more player commitments for the 2012 season. Both players, midfielders’s Kevin Lewis and Sam Groves, have ties to the University of Hartford.

“Sam Groves and Kevin Lewis are two players that I recruited to Hartford when I was assistant coach there,” Azul head coach David Kelly said. “I know them, trust them and respect them. These two have the type of character that you build a club around. Sam is quick, two footed, and has an excellent range of passing. Kevin is athletic, disciplined, and possesses great technique. I am counting on both of them to set the standard in training and in the matches.”

Groves, a native of Sutton, Mass., graduated from the University of Hartford in 2011. As a senior in 2010, Groves was one of three captains for the Hawks. He started all fifteen games for the Hawks and finished the season with two points on two assists, both of which produced game-winning goals. While playing at Hartford, Groves was a two-time American East Honor Roll selection, one time American East Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and a selection for the 2010 New England Intercollegiate Soccer League’s All-Star game. Before becoming a Hawk, Groves was named MVP and Prep Private Player of the Year his senior year at Worcester Academy. He was also named a Boston Globe All-Scholastic player.

Lewis, from Pawtucket, Conn., is a junior for the Hawks. Lewis started 17 of the 18 games this season and picked up one point on an assist. Lewis is a one time American East Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and a one time American East Honor Roll pick. Before his time at Hartford, Lewis represented the United States with the U-15 National Team.

The PDL is seen as a ‘shop window’ for professional clubs looking to discover and identify aspiring professional players who may enter the MLS SuperDraft in future years. Many of the players currently playing Major League Soccer and elsewhere began their careers in the PDL when they were competing as an elite college or high school athlete. Over the past three years, 111 players with PDL experience have been drafted in the MLS SuperDraft, more than 70 percent of the selections.

For more details about CFC Azul please visit our website (www.cfcazul.com), “Like” us on Facebook (facebook.com/cfcazul) or e-mail us at info@cfcazul.com.