Men's Soccer | July 11, 2024

MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State University men's soccer coach Pete Petersen announced on Thursday morning his 2024 recruiting class.  The new crop of talent features student-athletes from eight countries and three states.  In addition, coach Petersen brings in six true freshmen and eight transfers.  The Lakers are coming off their best season in over a decade and are looking to carry that success into this season. 
 
THOUGHTS FROM PETERSEN
"Pound-for-pound, this class could be one of the top classes in my 21 years of coaching at Clayton State," said Coach Petersen.  "With the skill sets that are coming in, the key will be maintaining our culture of winning. A lot of the leadership graduated last season and I am going to look at this incoming class as well as the returning class to see who is going to step up to take place of that leadership."
 





FORWARDS
The incoming forwards are headlined by a pair of junior national team members in Fallah Johnson Jr. and Dylan Cabrera.  Johnson Jr., who is a native of Monrovia, Liberia, was a member of the U15, U17, and U20 Liberian National Team while Cabrera, who is a Stephenville, Texas native, was a member of the United States Junior National Team.  In his high school career, Cabrera scored 100 goals, added 100 assists, and is a two-time District MVP, three-time first-team All-District, and is a two-time First-Team All-Region and THSCA Super Elite Team OTY.  Joining Johnson, Jr. and Cabrera is Hector Nieto and Brock Williams.  Nieto scored two goals and added an assist in his lone season at Lenoir-Rhyne.  Williams, who is an incoming freshman from Bainbridge, Ga. and who played club for Florida Elite ECNL, scored 75 goals and is a two-time Region 1-AAAA Player of the Year.  He was also a three-time 229 All-Star game participant.  These four newcomers are joined by a core of returners that includes Gonzalo LaChica (returning as the third-leading scorer last season), Emmanuel Alerte, and Gustavo Canas. 
 





MIDFIELDERS
The incoming midfielders are headlined by transfers Alex Rodriguez and Miguel Torrecillos.  Rodriguez led his team to the Semifinals of the NJCAA National Championship with Indian Hills CC and scored four goals and added five assists.  Torrecillos played his previous two seasons with Southern Nazarene and scored three goals and added seven assists.  He was a part of the team who won back-to-back GAC Championships and advanced to the Division II National Tournament. In his sophomore season, Miguel earned All-GAC first-team All-Conference and USC All-Central Region honors.  Joining these two newcomers is a local product out of Jonesboro, Edgar Nunez, and Brazilian native Manoel Neto.  Nunez was a three-time All-Region selection at Lovejoy HS while Neto played club ball for LSA MLS-Next for two seasons. These four newcomers are joined by a core of returners that includes Alexis Iturria (First-Team All-American), Vic Delgado Miller (All-Conference selection), Aaron Diaz, Charlie Longino, Camilo Velez, Camilo Montero, and Hamsel Gallegos. 
 


                                                                                                                                                    
DEFENDERS
Coach Petersen has a deep class of incoming defenders which is headlined by Othmane Chagour, Aaron Overmars, and Jussi Gerbeding.  Chagour was an excellent defender for Tusculum University the last couple of seasons as he suited up for 29 matches and scored a pair of goals. Overmars, who last attended Life University, led his team to a berth to the NAIA National Tournament and a SSAC Tournament Championship win in the 2022 season.  Gerbeding, a native of Gottingen, Germany, played 31 matches for Westcliff University where he scored a pair of goals and added a pair of assists.  In addition, Jucci helped Westcliff to a Cal Pac Tournament Championship and a berth to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament in 2023. Also, last season, Jussi earn Cal Pac Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference honors.  Khame Tip and Rhys Pollard join the group of newcomers.  Tip is an incoming freshman from Thailand who attended the Darlington School while Pollard is from Dunwoody, Ga. and spent his freshman season at Berry University.  This group of defenders is joined by returners including Isami Takeuchi (All-Conference), Mohamed Mahrous (All-Conference) and Andree Jimenez (All-Tournament Team).  
 
 

GOALKEEPERS
Coach Petersen added Rodrigo Julian to an already talented group of goalkeepers.  Julian attended Norcross HS and was a two-time Scholar Athlete. He played his club ball at Gwinnett Soccer Academy.  Julian joined a loaded keepers' room that only conceded 23 goals the entire season and pitched six shutouts.  Returning for the Lakers Mauricio Uribe (All-Conference) and David Magala. 
 
COACHING STAFF
Coach Petersen retains his entire coaching staff from last season's 15-win season.  Coach Petersen returns for his 21^st season and came off winning his sixth PBC Coach of the Year distinction last year and he enters the 2024 season one win shy of 200 for his illustrious Laker career.  Pete retains assistant coaches Jonny Mercado, Joel McIlroy, and Ludvig Rhodin.  He also returns Jonny Evans and Jordan Davis as his technical advisors. 

Fans can buy their 2024 Clayton State Men's Soccer season tickets HERE!!
 
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