ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Head Coach Scott Calabrese has announced its 2018 men’s soccer recruiting class Thursday. The group includes six international standouts and a three-time National Champion from Tampa, Fla.
UCF will add four defensemen, two midfielders, and a keeper to be ready to compete for the 2018 campaign.
“We are excited to welcome this exceptional group of young student athletes to the UCF Men’s Soccer program," stated Calabrese. "Every player we bring into our program has a profound influence on our team and the culture of the program. We feel this group will continue to move our program forward both on and off the field. We are looking forward to getting started and seeing how the new players fit into the team."
| 2018 UCF Men's Soccer Signing Class | |||||
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Hometown / High School (Previous School) | ||
| Yanis Leerman | D | Fr. | Troyes, France | ||
| Gianluca Arcangeli | M | Fr. | Sao Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Andrés Hernández Betancur | D | Fr. | San Jose, Costa Rica | ||
| Matt Douglass | GK | Fr. | Tampa, Fla. | ||
| Thomas Ness | D | Fr. | Grimstad, Norway | ||
| Gideon Adu-Peprah | D | Fr. | Newcastle, England | ||
| Mauricio Villalobos Vega | M | Fr. | San Jose, Costa Rica | ||
Calabrese enters his second season at the helm of the Knights. In one year with the Knights, the Black and Gold finished runner-up in The American regular season after winning their last four league matches and tallying an eight-match unbeaten streak to finish the season 8-6-2. During the 2017 season in The American, the Knights finished first in points (39), goals (13), and assists (13). Also during the 2017, the Knights were awarded The American Player of Week five times, The American, Offensive Player of the Year, five all-conference selections, two all-rookie honors, and two all-region winners.
| Yanis Leerman | ||||
| D | 6-1 | Fr. | Troyes, France | |
Prior to UCF:
"I chose UCF because I like the way Coach Calabrese coaches the game and style of play he has brought to UCF. It is an ambitious team that I really wanted to be a part of and am elated to have this opportunity." | ||||
| Gianluca Arcangeli | ||||
| M | 5-10 | Fr. | Sao Paulo, Brazil | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF because everyone around is willing to help you reach your goals, especially when it comes to the dedication of the coaching staff and the team.” | ||||
| Andrés Hernández Betancur | ||||
| D | 5-10 | Fr. | San Jose, Costa Rica | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF because I love both the soccer and academic programs. The coaching staff has a desire to be the best and I want to be a part of the hard work and dedication.” | ||||
| Matt Douglass | ||||
| GK | 6-3 | Fr. | Tampa, Fla. | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF to continue my academic and athletic career because I wanted a challenging environment to help propel me to my full potential” | ||||
| Thomas Ness | ||||
| D | 5-10 | Fr. | Grimstad, Norway | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF because I want to reach my highest potential as a soccer player. I am excited about this program and I will give my very best to ensure we achieve great things together.” | ||||
| Gideon Adu-Peprah | ||||
| D | 5-10 | Fr. | Newcastle, England | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF because of the support provided by all staff from athletics to academics. UCF has a high standard of competition in all of its sports, which is what I want to be a part of.” | ||||
| Mauricio Villalobos Vega | ||||
| M | 5-6 | Fr. | San Jose, Costa Rica | |
Prior to UCF:
“I chose UCF because I am impressed with the academic and soccer programs offered. I like the direction that the program is going and I really want to be part of it” | ||||
The Knights kickoff the regular season Friday, Aug. 24 with a road game against Penn State before their home opener on Monday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. hosting UC Irvine at the UCF Soccer Complex.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2018 campaign are on sale now. Fans looking to purchase tickets can call (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFKnights.com to secure them today. For men's soccer tickets CLICK HERE.