Oak Mountain midfielder Stefan Vazirri made a verbal commitment last week to play soccer at Northern Illinois University.

Vaziri helped lead Oak Mountain to its second-straight state championship in May. He was scouted by NIU assistant coach Kylie Stannard at the Region III soccer tournament while playing for Birmingham United in North Carolina and followed up by attending the NIU sumer camp in July. He took his official visit in September.

“My decision to go to NIU was based on head coach Steve Simmons’ style of coaching, the quality of the players on the team, and I felt it was the best place to develop and grow as a soccer player. My parents were impressed by the athletic department’s emphasis on academics and also felt the school was a good fit for me,” Vaziri said.

He has 11 goals and 20 assists in his three year career and was selected to the 2008 Shelby County Reporter All-County team.

NIU finished second in the Mid-American Conference in 2008.