The UIC Men's Soccer program introduced its 2021 recruiting class this week. The seven-member group, which began training with the team Tuesday, includes a pair of transfers with All-Conference and All-American pedigrees, a European youth international with senior-team experience, two inaugural MLS NEXT U19 National Champions and a pair of in-state standouts from two of the strongest clubs in the Chicagoland area.
"We are very excited to add this group to our team and program,"
Sean Phillips said. "They each bring high-level talent and winning experience at the collegiate, junior college and youth/high school levels, as well as the off-the-field character which we seek. Most of the credit of this group belongs to Associate Head Coach
Minos Vlamakis, who continues to do an outstanding job with as the primary recruiting contact; and Associate Head Coach
Aleksey Korol, whose input on each recruit is invaluable."
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Joining the Flames for his fifth year is midfielder/forward Younes Dayekh. The California native spent his last two years helping Saint Mary's College to a 22-4-1 record while making 23 appearances and helping the Gaels reach an NCAA Division I national ranking of #6 in the country. Prior to joining SMC, Dayekh starred for Bradley University. The attacking dynamo was the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year while being named to the All-MVC team in both seasons in Peoria.
Coach Phillips on Dayekh: "Our appreciation for Younes as a player and person goes back to his freshman year when we first saw him play. The combination of his work rate on and off the ball with his ability to unbalance opponents in the final third will contribute a great deal to our attack this season."
Coach Vlamakis on Dayekh: "Younes is a proven Division I standout that brings loads of experience to our team, and most importantly is a fantastic person with a great character. His ability to take on opponents in the attacking third and his confidence with both feet while creating and scoring will be a valuable asset for us this fall."
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The team's second transfer of the 2021 recruiting class is Jonathan Mayen. The Yavapai College standout was named an NJCAA All-American, joining current Flame Jose Perez Flores in earning that prestigious award for the Roughriders before heading to Chicago. The left-footed maestro was named All-Region in both of his seasons out west and led his team and conference in points in his last fall campaign. The versatile attacker also spent time in England and Spain training with some of the top youth players in both countries and will look to utilize his experience to make an immediate impact for the Flames.
Coach Phillips on Mayen: "Jonathan Mayen comes highly recommended to us by the championship level program at Yavapai where he was coached by Mike Pantalione and Andre Luciano. He possesses a very high soccer IQ with a left foot that can impact the game at any moment."
Coach Vlamakis on Mayen: "Jonathan is a clever, cerebral player that can really have an influence all over the pitch, and we are fortunate to have him this fall after being coached the last two seasons at Yavapai by Andre Luciano and Michael Pantalione. His success and experience at the NJCAA level and overseas will make our dangerous attack that much better this season."
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Highly-regarded Chicago native Joshua Torres will look to build on his monumental youth career after choosing to stay home for his collegiate journey. The two-time IHSSCA All-State forward was first put on UIC's radar after being coached by men's soccer alum Nate Downing at the Chicago Fire Juniors City. His subsequent success at the USYS level and at the IHSA level at Saint Patrick High School earned him an opportunity with the Chicago Fire USSDA after his junior season. The explosive attacker was a vital member of the Chicago Fire's MLS Next U19 playoff qualifying run before injury ruled him out of their National Championship win this past July.
Coach Phillips on Torres: "The city of Chicago and the Fire Academy have long been producers of talented attacking players. We have been fortunate to have had several. Josh is another one of those players. For each team he has played, Josh proved to not only be a goal scorer but also someone who could create goals for others."
Coach Vlamakis on Torres: "Josh is a player we have known for a long time and recruited from the first day we were able to. Coach Downing spoke highly of his character and was spot on in his assessment. I was fortunate to coach him for a season as well before guiding him to the Fire Academy, and it's no surprise that he's been an impact player while scoring and creating goals at every level and every team he's been at. His name is one that the city and country should be hearing a lot more of during his time with us."
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Joining Torres via the Chicago Fire Academy this fall is midfield general Francisco "Pancho" Espinoza. The combative and smooth holding midfielder was ever-present in the line-up throughout his eight years at the Fire, and his signing makes him the 11th player on the current roster to come from the MLS club's youth set-up.
Coach Phillips on Espinoza: "We are very excited to add another Chicago Fire Academy product to our class. Pancho could be another impactful central midfielder for us from the Fire Academy. His consistent and complete game should make an impact on our teams over the next few years."
Coach Vlamakis on Espinoza: "Pancho was a massive pick-up to our recruiting class this fall, and we are convinced he will be next in a long line of midfielders from the Fire to go on to do great things here. His reading of the game, distribution and ability to break up play but also create from deep will be a huge benefit to the program throughout his career with us."
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UIC Men's Soccer's first-ever recruit from Iceland joins the team this fall after goalkeeper Sindri Vilhjalmsson elected to call Chicago his home for his collegiate career. Vilhjalmsson initially played for the youth club Kórdrengir before joining the famed club Breidablik. The imposing goalkeeper was an integral part of the club's U19 Icelandic-championship team, while he also featured in 20+ senior matches as well. His success at both levels earned the 6'5" net-minder call-ups to the U17 and U19 training squads of Iceland's Youth National Teams.
Coach Phillips on Vilhjalmsson: "We are very excited to have Sindri join our goalkeeper group here at UIC. His tremendous experiences with his club team and the youth national teams of Iceland, should have him prepared to come here, compete and contribute to our tradition of high-level goalkeepers here at UIC."
Coach Vlamakis on Vilhjalmsson: "Sindri comes highly-regarded from Soccer & Education USA and it's quite rare to have a student-athlete with the experience at the youth and senior levels like he does. We are happy to finally have the Icelandic flag flying over Flames Field and we have no doubt that Sindri will represent his country to the best of his abilities while in Chicago."
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Adding to the goalkeeper corps this Fall is Sockers FC standout Jason Sierakowski. The former FC United USSDA player most recently played for Sockers FC's NPL team under the guidance of Todd Bailey, helping them to the Regional Final this past season. The 6'3" goalkeeper comes from a family of collegiate athletes, as his brothers played soccer at Michigan State and Loras while his mother played basketball at UIC and at Appalachian State.
Coach Phillips on Sierakowski: "Jason is coming to us having been trained with two of the best youth clubs in Chicago and receiving excellent goalkeeper training. His development over the last couple of years since I first got to work with him at one of our camps has been tremendous. I anticipate a very good career here at UIC."
Coach Vlamakis on Sierakowski: "We are thrilled to have Jason join us this fall, as his experience at two of the top youth clubs outside Chicago coupled with the coaching he received there will set him up for a bright career here. He is the youngest student-athlete in our goalkeeper corps but his character is fantastic and we look forward to helping him develop on and off the pitch."
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Rounding out the recruiting class this Fall is IHSSCA All-State midfielder/forward Brian Perez. The Wheeling native makes the short commute to Chicago after a fantastic youth career that ended with an IYSA U18 State Cup Championship this summer. The clever attacker followed up his US Soccer Youth Training Center appearances with a successful high school career at Buffalo Grove where he led the team in goals and assists before being named All-State.
Coach Phillips on Perez: "The first time I saw Brian was at our College Prep Camp after he was identified by Coaches Korol and Vlamakis in his club environment at GLSA FC 1974. He made an immediate impact that day when he showcased his attacking abilities. His continued development since that time has created a player whose future with us should be very bright."
Coach Vlamakis on Perez: "Brian really stood out when we watched him a few years ago competing with his GLSA FC 1974 club team under the coaching of Michael Zovistoski and later Srgjan Smileski. He comes from a fantastic club with a strong history of developing future collegiate athletes and he always seemed to make an impact in each match we watched. He really stood out at our UIC College Prep Camp as he can score and create from anywhere in the attacking third, so we are thrilled that he chose us to further his career." |
