INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI Athletics Department and Head Men's Soccer Coach Isang Jacob announced the additions of 12 student-athletes for the upcoming 2015 season on Monday (Mar. 23). All 12 will be true freshmen beginning in the fall and expect to be immediately eligible to compete this season.
 
"I'm excited about this class in that they're good students, good players and come from great families," Jacob said. "They're all eager to get to IUPUI and begin working towards a common goal. Collectively, they're going to bring a lot of energy and skill that is going to blend well with our returners.
 
"Right away, people will see how competitive and how talented this class will be as they make their mark on IUPUI soccer."
 
Nick Anderson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) is a 5-foot-10 defender who starred for both Homestead (Ind.) High School and FW Fever/FW United during club soccer. He was a First Team All-Conference and All-District pick as a junior at Homestead before turning his attention to Development Academy play with the Indiana Fire. He was also an Academic All-State pick as a junior and All-Area selection. He played club soccer for FW Fever/FW United, helping them to a State Cup title and MRL Midwest Regional Runner-Up finish in 2013. He was previously named to the Super Y (ODP) National Camp in 2012.
 
"I believe whole-heartedly that the IUPUI men's soccer program has a strong will to win The Summit League. And not just make the NCAA Tournament, but make a run with the talented recruiting class coming in as well as the current versatile roster," Anderson said.
 
Josh Gray (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) is a 6-foot goalkeeper from Milton (Ga.) High School. He played for Georgia Rush Club, helping them to the 2013 President's Cup to qualify for Regionals. He also played for the 96 GA ODP team and later attended region camp. As a captain at Milton, he was a two-time team Defensive Player of the Year and earned Rush Boys Goalkeeper of the Year for two consecutive years and was the club's Player of the Year in 2012.
 
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to play for Coach Jacob and the IUPUI Jaguars," Gray said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for me to continue playing soccer as I work to obtain my Engineering degree. I look forward to the next four years and the challenge of playing at the next level."
 
Carter Huber (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) is a 6-foot netminder from LaPorte (Ind.) High School. He was a two-time All-Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) and All-Area pick from the Chicago Sun Times. He was named a 'Player to Watch' by the NWI Times and was a two-year team captain.
 
"I couldn't be more thrilled to be joining IUPUI as a student-athlete," Huber said. "Coach Jacob is leading the program in a fantastic direction. It really feels like home and I am honored to be a part of such a great program that will reach the top of The Summit League and beyond."
 
Ryan Machonga (Madison, Wisc./Oregon) is a 5-foot-9 defender from Oregon (Wisc.) High School who's considered a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer. He played club soccer for the Michigan Wolves and most recently the FC Wisconsin Nationals. In his seven years with the Michigan Wolves, he helped them to the 2012 NPL title and the State Cup semifinals that same season. He later moved to Madison, Wisc., where he played for the Madison 56er's. In 2013, he helped the Wisconsin ODP Team to a National Championship and he's a four-time ODP state team participant.
 
"We have a very talented recruiting class coming in this year as well as great returning players that are going to lead us to a Summit League title and NCAA Tournament berth," Machonga said.
 
Kristian Martinez (Cypress, Texas/Cypress Woods) is a 6-foot-1 standout midfielder coming to IUPUI from Cypress Woods (Tex.) High School and Texas Rush. Martinez was one of eight college signees to come from the Texas Rush Soccer Club this past year and has helped the Rush rank No. 3 in the Central Conference this season, earning a playoff spot. He was an All-District performer as a sophomore at Cy-Woods before opting to play for the Rush full time.
 
"I chose IUPUI because I was left with a great impression that this team could go places and bring me to a higher level on and off the pitch. I am eager to be a Jaguar and go out to win The Summit League," Martinez said.  
 
Jared O'Dell (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) is a 5-foot-10 midfielder from Chesterton (Ind.) High School who also starred for Millennium Vardar. He had six goals and six assists as a junior at Chesterton, helping the Trojans to a sectional title. As a senior in 2014, he helped Chesterton to a 19-1 mark and sectional and regional titles before being upended by Goshen at semi-state.
 
"We are a new class that is going to make a big impact on The Summit League and winning the league is just one of the steps on our climb to the NCAA Tournament," O'Dell said.
 
Aubrey Rogers (Liverpool, England) brings some international flair to the signing class with extensive club experience in England. The 5-foot-11 left-footed defender/midfielder most recently played for Liverpool County, Merseyside County and the LFC Foundation College First Team. He previously played five years for Saint Francis Xavier School and with Kingsley United for five years. Rogers' father is a renowned soccer coach with Liverpool FC and Liverpool County FA.
 
"I did a lot of research online and really liked IUPUI because of the facility and the size of the city, in that it's not too large and reminds me a lot of home," Rogers said. "I was trying to find a good balance between academics and football and liked what the school had to offer. I knew I wanted to go Division I in the NCAA and this allows me to fulfill that goal." 
 
Austin Sandel (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon County Virtual School) is a 6-foot-2 defender who brings extensive experience from his playing with the Portland Timbers. He's considered a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer and was ranked No. 143 nationally and No. 5 in the Region. He helped the Portland Timbers to a 2014 playoff appearance after captaining the Orlando City DA in 2012-13. Prior to that, he starred for Westpines United FC from 2010-12, including helping them to the 2011 Disney Showcase title and the 2010 State Cup finals. He played two seasons for Lawton Chiles High School before later turning his attention to DA play. He also has extensive ODP experience, having played for the 2012 national champions and having also played in Mexico and Costa Rica.

"The motorsports engineering program along with the opportunity to play soccer was a great fit for me," Sandel said. "I've always been very passionate about cars and I did my research and found that IUPUI is really the only school that offers a four-year degree in motorsports engineering and I knew it was for me. Coach Jacob and Coach (Bireline) gave me a sense of what the program is about and I really just fell in love with it from there. I'm excited to get started."
 
Trevor Semakula (Avon, Ind./Avon) is a talented 5-foot-8 defender who played for Avon (Ind.) High School and Westside United during club season. He was a key contributor on Avon's state runner-up squad as a junior, scoring five goals and helping the Orioles to a 22-1-1 finish. This past season, he tallied 10 goals in helping Avon to a 17-2-1 mark as a senior, later earning Honorable Mention All-State honors from the ISCA. He excelled for Josh George's Westside United squad, helping them to a No. 3 state ranking, including winning the adidas Blue Chip Showcase and advancing to the State Cup Semifinals.
 
"I chose IUPUI because it's giving me the opportunity to continue to play the sport I love and also to get the degree I need to be successful," Semakula said.
 
Sean Siasia (Marietta, Ga./Walton) is a 6-foot forward from Walton (Ga.) High School and son of Samson Siasia, former Head Coach of the Nigerian Men's National Team. Siasia has participated in the national U-17 camp in Abuja in the past and is eligible to participate with either the U.S. or Nigerian teams.
 
"I chose IUPUI because I think it will give me the best opportunity to succeed in academics and athletics," Siasia said.
 
Ben Thornton (Linden, Mich./Linden) is a 6-foot-2 back from Linden (Mich.) who will be counted on to provide depth and athleticism in the defensive third. Thornton starred for the Michigan Wolves since 2005, including serving as team captain since 2011. He helped the Wolves to a State Cup Semifinalist finish in 2012 and a runner-up finish in 2014. As a U16 player, he played up with the Wolves U18 NPL Champions Cup team in 2013. At Linden High School, he was a four-year starter and three-year captain, earning First Team All-State honors following his senior year. He was a Second Team All-State pick in 2013 and three-time All-Conference, All-District and All-Region selection. He was the Kiwanis Athlete of the Month earlier this year and is up for the Athlete of the Year award.

"I had a lot of offers from different schools but picked IUPUI because it had my degree and when I went on my first visit there everyone treated me like family," Thornton said. "I like the direction Coach Jacob is taking the soccer team and I also loved the campus." 
 
Jack Zemanski (Canton, Mich./Canton) is a 6-foot midfielder from Canton (Mich.) who starred for Canton High School and the Michigan Wolves. He helped the Wolves to a State Cup Semifinalist finish in 2012 and the IMG Invitational title. Prior to joining the Wolves in 2010, he played five years for Vardar Soccer Club. On the high school level, he helped Canton to the 2011 Division One State Championship, earning All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State honors. As a senior, he was pegged First Team Division One All-State and he's a three-time All-District and All-Observer selection while earning KLAA All-Conference accolades his final two years. He was also named to the 2014 Michigan High School Coaches Association Dream Team, combining players from all divisions.
 
"I made the decision to go to IUPUI because I thought it would be a great place to grow and be successful as a person and a player. I'm also excited about the opportunity to represent the school," Zemanski said.

IUPUI is coming off a 5-8-3 campaign and boasts the sophomore scoring duo of Emmanuel Usen (6 goals, 4 assists) and Uriel Macias (7 goals, 1 assist) and veteran goalkeeper Eduardo Cortes (1.69 GAA, 77 saves). The Jaguars fall season is scheduled to start in August.