MORE: Meet the defenders for the 2019 Ocean City Nor'easters
MORE: Meet the forwards/midfielders for the 2019 Ocean City Nor'easters

The Ocean City Nor'easters have always had a long tradition of outstanding goalkeepers. Currently, there is at least one former Ocean City player starting for a professional team at every level of American soccer.

That tradition of excellence expects to continue during the 2019 USL League Two season with three talented netminders that will each spend their first season in Ocean City this summer. Joining the club is Jan Hoffelner (St. John's / Frankfurt, Germany), the reigning NPSL goalkeeper of the year, Keegan Meyer (High Point / Silver Spring, MD), a two-time first-team all-conference goalkeeper from High Point and Joseph Boehm (St. Joseph's / Colleyville, TX), who is one of the bright young talents in the Atlantic-10 Conference.

"I am excited to have Jan, Keegan and Joseph joining us this summer," said Nor'easters Sporting Director Kevin Nuss. "I expect them to carry on the legacy of past Nor'easters goalkeepers like Tyler Miller, John McCarthy, Mike Kirk and Logan Ketterer."

Since 2011, there have been 20 goalkeepers that have suited up for Ocean City. Of those 20, 12 of them have moved on to play professionally (four of the 20 are still enrolled in college).

Headlining the group is Jan Hoffelner who had a breakout season last summer with Duluth FC of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Hoffelner started 16 of the 17 games he appeared in across all competitions, helping the club reach the NPSL Semifinals, as well as the Second Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Hoffelner had five clean sheets and only allowed 12 goals, finishing with a 0.68 goals against average. He was awarded the NPSL's Golden Glove award as the league's best goalkeeper and was named to the NPSL Best XI team.

Despite being 21 years of age, Hoffelner has been well-traveled. The German-born netminder began his soccer career in the youth academy of German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt. After getting his start with his hometown club in Frankfurt, Germany, he traveled to the United States to see if his soccer skills could earn him an opportunity at a college degree. He began his college career at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA where he was 7-2 as a starter and finished with a 0.67 goals against average. He transferred to Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he started 18 matches and finished with a 1.04 GAA and six clean sheets. He was named to the All-Big South Conference Second Team.

His performance with Presbyterian College caught the eye of the coaching staff at St. John's University (N.Y.) and Hoffelner will transfer to play for the Red Storm in the ultra competitive Big East Conference in the fall as he begins his junior season.

After redshirting his freshman year, Keegan Meyer has been a starter for the last three years at High Point University and has gotten better with each passing year. In his sophomore year, he was a First Team All-Big South selection after leading the conference in GAA (0.73) and also breaking the single-season school record.

Meyer followed up that performance with an incredible junior season in 2018 where he was a First Team All-Conference selection for the second year in a row and was named to the Big South All-Tournament Team. Meyer started every game, had seven shutouts and led the conference in GAA (1.00) and save percentage (.750). He also broke the school record with 13 wins as High Point enjoyed the best season in school history with a second straight regular season conference title and the first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament.

Joseph Boehm comes to Ocean City from nearby Philadelphia where he stepped in and started 18 games last season as a freshman for St. Joseph's University. The Colleyville, Texas native earned three clean sheets and helped the Hawks finish with an undefeated home record (6-0-2). With coming into his college career as a starter, he has a bright future ahead of him and will challenge for playing time in his first season in USL League Two.