Brentwood's Jean-Baptiste to play soccer at UConn

There will be a Brentwood connection in Connecticut this September.

Brentwood senior midfielder-defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Newsday's 2009 Long Island boys soccer Player of the Year, has committed to play at the University of Connecticut, coached by 1978 Brentwood graduate Ray Reid.

Under Reid, UConn has reached 12 straight NCAA Tournaments and won a national title in 2000. Jean-Baptiste said he wants to help the Huskies win another championship. He also said it's exciting to head to a college program coached by a Brentwood graduate.

"It's nice to be able to kind of put Brentwood on the map," Jean-Baptiste said.

Reid said the 6-1 Jean-Baptiste, who impressed Division I recruiters with uncanny athleticism, leaping and heading ability, has the skills to be a special player for UConn. Jean-Baptiste could start at center-back as a freshman if he brings the right attitude, Reid said.

"He fits in with what we do," Reid said. "He's very athletic, fast, good in the air, has good feet. He's got the package. He just needs to mature a little bit and come in fit." Regarding the possibility of Jean-Baptiste starting as a freshman, Reid said, "That's 100 percent up to him."

Jean-Baptiste, who had eight goals and 10 assists this past season, is the second Brentwood player to be recruited to UConn since Reid took over in 1997. The first was Jose Sura, who played for the Huskies in 2001 before transferring to Stony Brook.

Reid had an eye on Jean-Baptiste since he was a freshman at Brentwood.

"It's great to be able to go back and get a kid from Brentwood," said Reid, who was All-Suffolk in 1978. "I enjoy it. My roots are down there. Ron [Eden] has done a great job turning out players. We hope they keep doing it."