Head coach Hylton Dayes has announced the addition of seven players to the men's soccer program at the University of Cincinnati.

Dylan Biggerstaff, Jahmeil Curwen, Mohamed Elmardi, JJ Iroh, Ryan Melink, Peyton Mowery and Adam Wilson will join the red and black this fall. The group will total eight newcomers, with the addition of junior transfer Nick Melville who is already on campus at UC.

"We really addressed our needs with this class," Dayes said. "It's a class that is balanced. We've added good attacking players, quality defenders and a goalkeeper. We feel this class has not only numbers, but quality and depth in areas that we needed."

In addition to a mixture of on-field assets, Dayes also is pleased with the diversity of the group which includes players ranging from the Cincinnati area to Scotland.

"It builds on our class from last year which was also very balanced," Dayes explained. "Last year’s recruits did very well and we had two or three starters out of that group. This year’s class is very similar and if you can put quality classes together, that's how you build your program. It's a talented class, very diverse and at the end of the day, they all fit the profile of a Bearcat and a University of Cincinnati student-athlete."

Dylan Biggerstaff
GK | Hickory, N.C. (Fred T. Foard)

Prior to UC: Product of Fred T. Foard High School in Newton, North Carolina ... Was the starting goalkeeper for four years with the Charlotte Soccer Academy (USSDA) ... Recorded seven clean sheets in 18 complete games on the U-16 team from 2012-14 ... Added seven clean sheets in 19 games completed from 2014-15 as a member of the U-18 team ... Rated a three-star prospect by TopDrawerSoccer ... Spent one year with high school team, allowing no goals in six games played.

Personal: Son of Ginger and Steve Biggerstaff ... Has one brother, Davis.

Coach Dayes on Biggerstaff: "Dylan is a goalkeeper we really liked. He has very good hands, is very technical and communicates very well. He's really good with his feet, too. One of his coaches in Charlotte is Joe Crump, one of my former assistants who turned us on to him. He is going to have a great opportunity to work his way up and become a really good college goalkeeper."

Jahmeil Curwen
D | Peachtree City, Ga. (Starrs Mill)

Prior to UC: Played at Starrs Mill High School in Peachtree City, Georgia ... Played varsity as a freshman and sophomore ... Led team in gols and assists as a freshman ... Helped team to the state semifinals as a sophomore, scoring 18 goals and adding 12 assists ... Focused on club team as a junior and senior, playing for the US Soccer Development Academy's Concorde Fire Soccer Club in Atlanta ... Helped club team two a pair of Georgia titles ... Was one of the USSDA's top goal scorers in the national league and a top goal scorer in the national championships ... Named to the 2014 USA Prospects All-Southeastern Conference Team Best XI and an All-American ... Ranked among the top 150 college commitments ... Five-time invitee to the US National Team Training Center ... Has also trained with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.

Personal: Born Nov. 25, 1997 ... Son of Tiffany and Mike Curwen ... Has one sister, Somaiya.

Coach Dayes on Curwen: "Jahmeil is a great kid and a very good athlete. His best position is right back. He comes forward very well. He serves a very good ball and can get up (the field) and back. He's good in the air and we think he's going to have an opportunity to compete for playing time immediately at right back. It's a position we really felt we needed to address and we think Jahmeil has a great career in front of him as a defender here at Cincinnati."

Mohamed Elmardi
M | Liberty Township, Ohio (Lakota East)

Prior to UC: Product of Lakota East High School ... Was the team's top goal scorer as a freshman, before repeating as the leading goal scorer and earning first team All-Greater Miami Conference honors as a sophomore ... Missed his junior season after suffering a knee injury in the lid-lifter ... Returned as a senior to be named Cincinnati Enquirer Boys Soccer Player of the Year, while earning the same honor from the Greater Miami Conferecne ... Also named All-Cincinnati Player of the Year and to the All-Great Lakes Region team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America ... Helped Thunderhawks to sectional and district championships as a senior, as well as a state quarterfinals appearance ... Played with the Cincinnati United Premier ... Was the top goal scorer at the 2012 regional tournament with CUP, while winning three state championships, a regional championship and making three appearances in the national tournament.

Personal: Born October 18, 1996 ... Son of Adil Elmardi and Nadia Abdelmutall ... has two brothers, Mazin and Majed, and one sister, Sara.

Coach Dayes on Elmardi: "Mohamed is really one of those hidden gems. He's a central midfield player, has good size and is a very technical player. He's local, which is important for us. He plays as a holding midfielder, but can also get forward. We feel he has a really good upside. He's a year removed from an ACL injury, but he’s back to 100 percent and playing well. We feel he is going to compete for playing time in the center of the midfield."

JJ Iroh
M/F | Mason, Ohio (Mason)

Prior to UC: Product of William Mason High School in Mason, Ohio ... Recorded a total of 13 goals and give assists during prep career ... Helped Mason to three consecutive Greater Miami Conference titles, winning district championships all three years ... Reached state semifinals as a sophomore ... Helped Mason to a 22-0-1 mark and state championship as a junior, scoring nine goals and adding five assists ... Scored three goals a senior ... Played club with Cincinnati United Premier, scoring seven goals and four assists while helping CUP to a 16-3-8 record ... Comes from same high school as UC player Jack Clark.

Personal: Born July 18, 1997 ... Given named is Jude ... Son of Jude and Mirabelle Iroh ... Has one brother, Josh, and two sisters, Jacque and Jennifer.

Coach Dayes on Iroh: "JJ is a very athletic left-sided player. He comes from Mason, where he was a part of their state championship team with Jack Clark. He has all the tools to be a very good left-sided player. He has very good size, serves a good ball and can finish. We really believe is best soccer is still ahead of him. With Alan Rovira graduating and we feel JJ can help us fill that role."

Ryan Melink
M | Loveland, Ohio (Loveland)

Prior to UC: Product of Loveland High School ... Live overseas in Ankara, Turkery, before returning to the United States as a high school sophomore ... Named Loveland's rookie of the year as a sophomore ... Ranked fourth in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with 10 goals as a junior, earning second team all-league honors ... Led the ECC in goals and assists as a senior, earning first team all-conference, first team all-city and second team all-state accolades ... Selected to Southwest Ohio All-Star Game as a senior ... Played club for Ohio Elite Soccer Academy, helping club team to a 17-2 mark ... helped club team to a pair of CASL Showcase Championships, as well as the 2013 Disney Showcase Championship where they beat the third-ranked club team in the nation, FC Dallas ... Helped OESA achieve a top 25 national ranking.

Personal: Born August 27, 1997 ... Son of Erin and Chris Melink ... Has one brother, Colin, and one sister, Emily ... Father and uncle both played collegiate football as kickers at St. Ambrose University and Holy Cross, respectively ... Has three cousins who played division I soccer at Indiana, Kentucky and Mississippi State.

Coach Dayes on Melink: "Ryan is a local player we saw play late in the process at the Disney Showcase. He is a good technical player who is well-suited to play wide or centrally. He has load of potential and we see him developing into a good division I player."

Peyton Mowery
D/M | Troy, Ohio (Troy)

Prior to UC: Product of Troy High School ... Played two years at Troy before focusing on play with the Columbus Crew Academy ... Named All-Great Western Ohio Conference as a sophomore, as well as team MVP, while helping Troy to conference championship ... Has recorded two goals and give assists while primarily playing defender and midfield for the Crew Academy.

Personal: Born July 16, 1997 ... Son of Todd and Lisa Mowery ... Has one sister, Marisa, who plays soccer at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio.

Coach Dayes on Mowery: "Peyton is a very versatile player. He can play as center back, right back or holding midfielder. He's a good athlete, very technical and is excellent 1-v-1. He has developed very well through the Crew Soccer Academy. He's a great kid, an excellent soccer player and he's going to be a great Bearcat."

Adam Wilson
M | Auchterarder, Scotland (Dollar Academy)

Prior to UC: Product of Dollar Academy in Dollar, Scotland ... Played with the Glasgow Rangers FC Academy in Glasgow, Scotland ... Had a top-scoring season of 25 goals and 11 assists ... Played in several international tournaments for Rangers, mostly in Holland and Italy, highlighted by matches against Ajax, Inter Milan, Jueventus, Sampdoria and Napoli ... Also competed as a track and field athlete in high school, competing in both distance and middle-distance events, as well as the long jump.

Personal: Son of Kenny and Tracey Wilson ... Has two brothers, Jordan and Josh, and one sister, Laura ... Brother, Jordan, plays soccer at Kentucky.

Coach Dayes on Wilson: "Adam has an excellent soccer pedigree having come from the Glasgow Rangers youth program. He's left-footed and can play as an attacking midfielder or on the left side. He has very good vision, is a technically gifted player with an excellent size and speed. We feel he can be one of the standout guys in this class and he should contribute immediately. With Will Diebold graduating, we needed an attacking midfielder who can come in and play right away. We feel Adam has the potential to do that.