ORLANDO – The UCF men’s soccer team’s defensive efforts throughout the 2024 campaign proved vital in the squad securing its second straight top three regular-season Sun Belt finish, and the program will be looking for similar defensive contributions as the 2025 season-opener approaches.
The team last season earned 15 points in the regular-season Sun Belt table and notched at least seven wins for the second time in as many seasons as a member of the league.
UCF yielded just four goals through its first four matches of the regular season as well, and later added three clean sheets en route to posting a team goals-against average of 1.31, the fifth lowest mark in the conference.
GOALKEEPERS
The Knights are led between the goalposts by senior keeper Juanvi Muñoz, back in the Black and Gold for his senior season after a promising junior year was abbreviated due to an early-season injury.
Though Muñoz was limited to only nine matches last season, he set a single-season career best with his 1.11 goals-against average and posted multiple clean sheets for the third time in his three collegiate seasons.
He placed fourth in the Sun Belt overall in goals-against average in 2024, and his career mark of 1.24 ranks seventh-best on the program’s all-time list entering the new year.
Muñoz is joined by sophomore netminder Timo Haböck and freshman goalkeeper Marcelo Lacayo, a duo that brings international playing experience to the Knights locker room. Haböck, who joined the Knights prior to the 2024 season but did not see match action, was a member of the highest league with FSV Frankfurt in his native Germany, and Lacayo played with his native Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa.
DEFENDERS
Head coach Scott Calabrese’s squad rosters 10 defenders in addition to the team’s three goalkeepers, including six who returned from last year’s team in Alex Smith, Gwendal Degorce, Joey Mueller, Gabi Velez, Timothy Arias and Arne Michaelis.
Smith, Degorce, Mueller and Arias served as regulars in Calabrese’s starting 11 or rotation, with Michaelis earning more time on the pitch throughout the second half of the season.
Mueller and Smith both factored into UCF’s goal-scoring efforts as well, as the former netted his first career goal in the Black and Gold’s 2-1 win at Coastal Carolina Nov. 5, and the latter scored his first goal as a Knight in his team’s 2-1 victory over Georgia State Sept. 29.
The returners are joined by newcomers Jem Hewlett, Yordan Torres, Mateus Dejesus and Mikael Pulkkinen, all of whom bring valuable prior experience to their new program.
Hewlett boasts 49 career matches played between the U18 Premier League and Premier League 2, scoring six goals and adding two assists with the clubs while also being named to the U18 Team of the Season for the 2021-22 season.
Dejesus joins the Knights after already inking a professional contract, previously having signed a USL Academy deal with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in July 2024. The Osceola, Indiana native saw time with Tampa Bay United as well, and also earned First Team All-Region honors in 2022 with Penn High School.
Pulkkinen was selected for Finland’s U18 team and played in the Finnish second tier for over two years with Käpylän Pallo, and later won Finnish titles with his U15 and U17 clubs in 2019 and 2021, respectively, before joining Käpylän Pallo, a team with which he then scored three goals and added three assists in 11 matches.
Torres, a native of Rockledge Florida, played high school soccer at Viera High School, where he earned offensive MVP and overall MVP honors while aiding his team to district, regional and state championships in 2021.
SINGLE GAME & SEASON TICKETS
Single game and season tickets for men's soccer are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida’s preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as “Orlando’s Hometown Team”. To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.