Purdue Northwest Men’s Soccer Inks 13 Incoming Student-Athletes
HAMMOND, Ind. & WESTVILLE, Ind. – Coming off the program’s first season in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), Purdue Northwest men’s soccer coach Ryan Hayes recently announced the addition of 13 incoming student-athletes as part of his 2018 recruiting class. The class consists of three college transfers and 10 incoming freshmen. The signees are listed below in alphabetical order, including a quote by Hayes on each.
“I’m very excited about the incoming recruiting class,” said Hayes. “All the players we are bringing in have the potential to make an immediate impact. I’d like to thank our coaching staff for all their hard work in helping to put together this fantastic group of incoming student-athletes.”
Julian Arroyo – Solorio Academy High School, Chicago, Ill.; 2017 State Champion, team captain, also played for Raiders FC in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League
Hayes on Arroyo: “Julian is technically very good and has great game understanding. He is a player who can play at multiple positions very well, which adds to our tactical flexibility.”
Jules Cailliau – transfer from California State University Northridge (CSUN), Koksijde, Belgium; played in 28 games over two seasons at CSUN, recorded two assists and seven shots
Hayes on Cailliau: “Jules brings some good Division I experience to our team. He displays excellent vision with his passing. Jules is dangerous off the dribble and in and around the opposition box.”
Ismael Contreras – Plainfield Central High School, Joliet, Ill.; IHSCAA All-Sectional Team, All-Conference First Team, Team Captain, also played for Olympiacos Soccer Club in Chicago
Hayes on Contreras: “Ismael reads the play really well and will add competition to our defense. He is difficult to get around and shows good composure on the ball.”
Baltazar Duran – Morton West High School, Cicero, Ill.; 2015 Sueño MLS winner, member of the Chicago Fire Academy
Hayes on Duran: “Baltazar is a dynamic player, who is equally impressive at creating and scoring goals. He is excellent off both feet.”
Josue Espinoza – Whitney Young High School, Chicago, Ill.; IHSSCA All-State selection, also played for Raiders FC in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League
Hayes on Espinoza: “Josue reads the play very well and has good positioning, which helps him break up the opposition attacks well. He is technically very good and starts a lot of attacking patterns through his strong vision and distribution.”
Daniel Freedman – transfer from Carl Sandburg College (Ill.), Newcastle, England (Monkseaton Academy); scored 11 goals and recorded six assists during his sophomore season at Carl Sandburg College
Hayes on Freedman: “Daniel has had an excellent soccer education back in England and we are excited to bring that experience to PNW. He can play at a number of positions and his ball winning and distribution will be good assets to our team.”
Raul Garrido Garcia – Madrid, Spain; a member of the CD San Fernando de Henares team that finished as 2017 season champions in the U19 Nacional Division
Hayes on Garcia: “Raul impressed our staff with his athleticism and reflexes. He reads the play well and does well dealing with crosses. Raul is good with his feet and starts the attack well with his strong distribution.”
Adrian Jimenez – transfer from Joliet Junior College (Ill.), Beecher, Ill.; scored 10 goals and recorded three assists as a sophomore at JJC
Hayes on Jimenez: “Adrian is a speedy winger, who loves to beat his opponent. He is good at creating and scoring goals and displays strong awareness.”
Matthew King – Prairie Ridge High School, Crystal Lake, Ill.; IHSCAA All-Sectional Team, also played for Libertyville FC 1974
Hayes on King: “Not only is Matthew technically very good, he backs it up with his fantastic work rate. With the way we play, we demand a lot out of our forwards and Matthew ticks the boxes.”
Martin Lamas – Morton West High School, Berwyn, Ill.; named to the Chicagoland Soccer Boys All-State Watch List his junior year, also played for Eclipse Select Soccer Club
Hayes on Lamas: “Martin is a versatile player, who brings excellent technical qualities to our side. His distribution is great and he has had a good education in soccer, which will help him transition to the college game.”
Justin Reynolds – Sycamore High School, Cincinnati, Ohio; All-Conference First Team, also a member of the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy
Hayes on Reynolds: “Justin is a forward player, who plays as a target, but also a player who can get in behind the opposition’s defense. He has an eye for the goal and we were also really impressed with his attitude and work rate.”
Brandon Rivera – Lane Tech High School, Chicago, Ill.; also played for Raiders FC in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League
Hayes on Rivera: “Brandon is a versatile player, who is technically good and has good awareness on the field. He has the ability to play in the attack and score or create goals or play in defense.”
Yuepheng Xiong – Woodbury Senior High School, St. Paul, Minn.; also played for Minneapolis United
Hayes on Xiong: “Technically, Yuepheng is strong. He is a solid ball winner and has a high soccer IQ. Yuepheng also has the ability to control the tempo of a game.”