msoc 2020 recruiting class

Swan Formally Announces Men's Soccer 2020 Recruiting Class

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's soccer team will welcome 11 new players to the roster for the 2020-21 academic year. Now entering his second season with the reins of the program, head coach Bediako Swan formally introduced Daemen's full 2020 recruiting class today. 

Among the newcomers are 10 players whose signings have only been released via social media to this point. They include Western New York natives David Iheke (Buffalo, N.Y.), Owen Schoeppich (Williamsville, N.Y.) and Kyle Vanderzell (Grand Island, N.Y.) as well as foreign nationals Michel Hölscher (Hamminkeln, Germany), Alexander Khademi (Stockholm, Sweden) and Dennis Montero Guerrero (Weingarten, Germany). Midfielder Gio Djaquis (Nashua, N.H.) brings an international flare as well after attending high school in Paris. Three transfers are in the mix too as junior midfielder Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France) comes from Division III Luther College (Iowa), sophomore defender Ajan Rajamohan (Spencerport, N.Y.) comes from Division I St. Francis University (Pa.) and sophomore goalkeeper Quincy Scott (Bedford, Ohio) comes from Cuyahoga Community College. Those 10 players join junior goalkeeper Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) who joined the program prior to the Spring 2020 semester after transferring from Division III Medaille College.

The pipeline of European players to Daemen continues with this class. Daemen's current roster features eight European players, including returners Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany), Hilario Muñoz (Málaga, Spain) and David Ramjee (Cambridge, United Kingdom). Since the start of the 2017 season, 21 European players have been on the Daemen men's soccer roster.

Overall, 20 players are set to return for the Wildcats. They include team MVP Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.), veteran contributor Derek Mancuso (Friendship, N.Y.) and senior goalkeeper Jarrett Leaccedone (Randolph, N.Y.). The Wildcats should also regain the services of midfielder Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.), the 2018 team MVP who sat out last season on a medical redshirt. 

The start of the 2020 season has been delayed until after January 1, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on for capsules of the 10 newcomers announced today. 

With this being my second year and the ability to have a full year to recruit, coach [James] Kpainay and I looked at players who were going to compete in every position on this team. We believe this recruiting class will bring improvement which will allow us to be more competitive in our conference.
Head Coach Bediako Swan

GIO DJAQUIS

NASHUA, N.H. / LYCEE EMILE DUBOIS (FRANCE)

 

  • 2018 graduate of Lycee Emile Dubois in Paris, France
  • International business major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Gio is a talented attacking player who can bring a different dynamic across the various forward positions in our lineup."

ARTHUR DJENGUE BILLE

PARIS, FRANCE / LUTHER COLLEGE

  • Played two seasons (2018-19) at the NCAA Division III level for Luther College (Iowa) Norse, helping the team achieve back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances
  • 2018 graduate of Lycee Sonia Delaunay in Vellepreux, France
  • Competed in soccer for Athletic Club Boulogne-Billancourt
  • Awarded Best Striker in four consecutive years
  • Helped team become "Best in Region" leading to promotion to the National French Championship
  • International business major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “I am very excited to have Arthur with us. He is a very technical player and will bring creativity to our team."

MICHEL HÖLSCHER

HAMMINKELN, GERMANY / KONRAD-DUDEN-GYMNASIUM

  • 2020 graduate of Konrad-Duden-Gymnasium
  • Becomes fifth German player in team history (all since 2017)
  • Business administration major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Michel is a player who is dynamic in his understanding of the game. His versatility will help our team in many positions."

DAVID IHEKE

BUFFALO, N.Y. / OLMSTED HIGH SCHOOL

  • Four-year varsity player for Frederick Law Olmsted High School and coach Mark Orlando
  • scholar athlete honoree
  • Earned Second Team All-D'Youville Cup honors as a senior
  • played for Delaware Soccer Club. 
  • Business administration major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “David is a strong and athletic player. From what I saw, he will make attackers earn their opportunities."

ALEXANDER KHADEMI

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN / STOCKHOLMS IDROTTSGYMNASIUM

  • 2020 graduate of Stockholms Idrottsgymnasium
  • Competed for Älvsjö AIK (club)
  • Becomes the fifth Swedish player in team history (all since 2017)
  • Business administration major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “One of our first signees in this class, Alexander is very quick with his decision making and definitely a defensive force in the back line.

DENNIS MONTERO GUERRERO

WEINGARTEN, GERMANY / GYMNASIUM WEINGARTEN

  • 2019 graduate of Weingarten Gymnasium
  • Competed for the soccer club FV Ravensburg, helping that team to a U-17 league championship
  • Becomes sixth German player in team history (all since 2017) 
  • International business major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Dennis has a good combination of size, speed, technical and tactical ability to add with his finishing skills. He is the type of player coaches love in an attacking style of play."

AJAN RAJAMOHAN

SPENCERPORT, N.Y. / ST. FRANCIS UNIVERSITY (PA.)

  • Attended St. Francis University (Pa.) for the 2019-20 academic year
  • Helped the Red Flash to a 10-5-1 record in his only season with the team
  • 2019 graduate of Spencerport High School
  • Two-time All-Monroe County selection
  • Earned First Team All-Greater Rochester honors as a senior
  • Physical therapy major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Ajan is a solid defensive player with good technical abilities. He is someone I expect to compete for a starting position."

OWEN SCHOEPPICH

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. / WILLIAMSVILLE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

  • Three-year varsity player for the Williamsville South Billies and coach Trevor Lawler
  • Three-time All-ECIC II selection, including First Team selections as both a junior and senior
  • Named to the All-WNY Large Schools team as a senior
  • Started every game of his varsity career and served as team captain as a senior, leading the Billies to ECIC II and Section VI championships
  • Physical Therapy major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “I really enjoy watching Owen play. He can use both feet, has a very simple style of play, can get forward in the attack and also makes good defensive decisions."

QUINCY SCOTT

BEDFORD, OHIO / CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

  • Played one season (2019) at the junior college level for Cuyahoga Community College
  • Made 13 appearances in goal, including nine as a starter, and posted 60 saves, a .714 save percentage and a 4-4-1 record
  • 2019 graduate of Bedford High School where he earned four varsity letters in soccer
  • Led the Bedford Bearcats and coach Nick Schaefer to Lake Erie League titles as a junior and senior
  • Named team MVP as a senior after posting school-record seven shutouts during 14-2 season
  • Sport management major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Quincy is a transfer who has some experience at the junior college level. He's very athletic and brings more depth and competition to our goalkeeper position."

KYLE VANDERZELL

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. / GRAND ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL

  • Two-year varsity player for the Grand Island Vikings and coach Frank Butcher
  • Earned Second Team All-Niagara Frontier League honors as both a junior and senior
  • Led Vikings to sectional semifinals in both his varsity seasons
  • Also competed in club soccer for Empire United.
  • Business administration major
  • Coach Swan Quote: “Kyle brings that energy and work ethic that coaches want to see. He is always willing to learn and make adjustments, and I'm excited to see him develop over the next four years."

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