UNC men's soccer announces recruiting class
The North Carolina men’s soccer team has added nine student-athletes for the 2015 season, head coach Carlos Somoano announced on Wednesday.
Five of the players rank among the Top 150 in this class according to either College Soccer News and/or Top Drawer Soccer - Dominic Jensen, DJ Mason, Zack Olofson, Martin Salas and Jelani Pieters.
The 2014 season saw North Carolina reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. That stretch includes four College Cup appearances and the 2011 National Championship.
Will Campbell
Wallingford, Pa. (Strath Haven HS)
6-0 • 170 • Defender
Club: Philadelphia Union
Competed the last three seasons at Philadelphia Union Academy … Captained the U18 Union clubs in 2013-14 and 2014-15 … Led Philadelphia Union to a Generation Adidas Cup championship … Member of the ODP Region 1 championship club … Spent eight seasons with Nether United … Won a PA State Cup title and was a team captain his final five season with Nether from 2007-12 … Honor roll student all four years of high school.
Alex Comsia
North Vancouver, British Columbia (Handsworth Secondary/Burnaby Central)
6-0 • 165 • Defender
Club: Vancouver Whitecaps, 2011-13, and RC Strasbourg, 2014-15
Canadian Men’s National Team member … Started nine international matches for the U20 club in 2014-15 … Club was a runner-up at the 2014 Milk Cup … Was the assistant captain for the U17 club, making 23 international starts from 2012-13 … Played in the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in Dubai … Team won a bronze medal at the 2013 U17 CONCACAF qualifier … USSDA Northwest Champions with the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency U16 and U18s … Captain of the 2012-13 Whitecaps FC Residency U16s … 2011 Bronze medal winner at the Canadian National U16s with BC Provincial Team … 2010 Canadian National U14s champion.
Dominic Jensen
Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road)
6-1 • 170 • Midfielder
Club: CASL - Capital Area Railhawks Academy
No. 50 in the College Soccer News 150 … No. 61 in the Boys IMG Academy 150 … U.S. Development Academy member … Railhawks Academy team captain in 2014 & 2015 … Currently plays for Railhawks U17/18 team that sits in first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division … U15/U16 All-American, Southeast Division in 2014 … Team captain in 2011 and 2012 at ODP International Event in Guadalajara, Mexico … Named to ODP Region III team in 2010, 2011 and 2012 … 2010 U14 US National Team member … 2010 Kick-it 3v3 national champion … Four-year player at Leesville Road high school … Ranks first in his class with GPA of 4.875/4.0 scale … Named an AP Scholar as a senior … Spanish National Honor Society member.
D.J. Mason
Morrisville, N.C. (Panther Creek)
5-7 • 155 • Defender
Club: CASL - Capital Area Railhawks Academy
No. 40 in the College Soccer News 150 … No. 56 in the Boys IMG Academy 150 … U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team member … Played with USMNT at the 2015 Copa Chivas Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico … Currently plays for Railhawks U17/18 team that sits in first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division … Earned Starting XI honors in 2013-14 for the U15/16 team by the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Eastern Conference … Was selected to the Real Madrid Training Camp through the adidas International Training Program.
Alexander Moztarzadeh
Miami, Fla. (Gulliver Prep)
5-10 • 155 • Midfielder/Forward
Club: Kendall Soccer Coalition
Competed for Kendall Soccer Coalition the last three years after spending time with West Pines United and Pinecrest Premier … Currently plays for Kendall SC U17/18 team that sits in second place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division … Played the last four seasons at Gulliver Prep … Helped team to a state championship and another runner-up finish at Gulliver Prep … 45 goals and 36 assists in high school career … Honor roll student each of the last three years.
Zack Olofson
Raleigh, N.C. (Millbrook)
6-0 • 165 • Midfielder
Club: CASL - Capital Area Railhawks Academy
No. 117 in the Boys IMG Academy 150 … Four-start recruit according to TDS … Has competed for Capital Area Railhawks Academy from 2013-15 … Currently plays for Railhawks U17/18 team that sits in first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division … Member of two NCYSA State Cup Championship teams in 2011 and 2012 … Played one season at Millbrook High School and earned all-conference honors … Also played for CASL Chelsea FC before moving to the Railhawks Academy … Member of the National Honor Society and is a AP Scholar with Distinction at Millbrook … Younger brother of current Tar Heel midfielder Alex Olofson … Father, Rich, is also a UNC alum.
Jelani Pieters
Oswego, Illinois (Oswego East High School)
6-0 • 158 • Forward
Club: Sockers FC
No. 148 in the College Soccer News Class of 2015 rankings … Member of Sockers FC since 2008 … Led club to back-to-back playoff appearances during sophomore and junior academy seasons … Tied for the team lead with 10 goals in 2013 and scored 11 goals the following season in 2014 … Played for Oswego East High School as a freshman, scoring 13 goals and 15 assists … Was named all-conference and honorable mention all-section … High honor roll student at Oswego East … Part of Mu Alpha Theta (Math honors society) … Member of the National Society of High School Scholars … Was honored by his school district for being an Illinois State Scholar … Father, Denville, played basketball for the Guyanese National Team, and mother, Angela, played basketball at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
Martin Salas
Dallas, Texas (Lone Star High School)
5-10 • 142 • Midfielder
Club: FC Dallas Academy
No. 31 in the Boys IMG Academy 150 … No. 34 in the College Soccer News 150 … U.S. National Team member for the last four seasons going back to 2011-12… Invited to national combine by U.S. Soccer in 2013 … Called to U14 and U15 Boys National Team camp in 2011 … FC Dallas Academy member since 2005 … Team captain for FCD … His FC Dallas U18 team currently sits in second place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Central Conference Frontier Division … Dallas Cup finalist in 2014.
Johan Welch
Richmond, Texas (Foster HS)
6-1 • 184 • Goalkeeper
Club: Houston Dynamo Academy
Member of Houston Dynamo Academy since 2008 … Started for the Trinidad & Tobago national team in January 2015 at the CONCACAF U20 championships in Jamaica … Current member of the Dynamo Academy U18 team that sits in first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Central Conference Frontier Division … Region III ODP participant.
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