University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Mennell Welcomes Diverse and Talented Signing Class to Asheville Men’s Soccer Program
02.03.2017 | Men's Soccer
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Third-year UNC Asheville men's soccer head coach Mathes Mennell recently announced a signing class that welcomes a diverse and talented grouping of players to Bulldog soccer.
"We had to replace an important group of seniors that left due to graduation, and those players were Bulldogs who made significant impacts on the field," Mennell said of his third recruiting class at the helm of Asheville men's soccer. "We needed to bring in players that fit our system and style of play in a variety of roles. On the whole, I think that we have really put together a fun and exciting group with this class."
Mennell fully believes this recruiting class also gives his fledgling program the chance to continue to rise in the Big South Conference over the coming years.
"We made excellent progress in the Big South in 2016, finishing in the top three," Mennell said. "The additions of these student-athletes will not only continue this positive progress, but help take us take the next step, which is to finish at the top of the Big South Conference table."
In this year's class, Asheville welcomes in one transfer, who joined the program in January of 2017, and eight incoming freshmen signees. The state of North Carolina is again well represented with five of the nine newcomers hailing from within the state. In addition to North Carolina, the states of Wisconsin, Virginia and Florida represent the remaining newcomers.
"Last year's recruiting class had to have a balanced makeup," Mennell said. "This year we wanted to address some areas of concern and the ones we felt were most important were size and athleticism. Recruiting players that solve these concerns, but also have the technical ability to play the style of football we want here at UNC Asheville could have been problematic, but my staff in Matt Tellez, Tyler Krumpe, Zak Davis and Jeremy Jordan have put in countless hours in identifying and recruiting players that will not only fit in well with our system, but will cause matchup problems for every team we play."
Mennell knows the tireless efforts of his staff is key to the program's ability to bring in such a high-quality recruiting class.
"The staff have been instrumental in the signing of two US Soccer Development Academy players, continuing our commitment to bringing in players from Asheville and also expanding our national recruiting footprint, and all the while maintaining our foundation of recruiting the best and brightest from the state of North Carolina," Mennell said. "This class will do great things for UNC Asheville the institution and UNC Asheville men's soccer and they will be excellent representations of what we expect of all of our Bulldogs."
Midfielder Austin Howard is a mid-year enrollee for the Bulldogs after spending last season with the Denison Big Red. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Howard, who made 14 starts last year for the Big Red, played his high school soccer for Carolina Day. He was a member of the HFC 97 Red Club team that qualified for the Region III Tournament and was the North Carolina NC U-18 Runner-Up in 2016.
"Austin has integrated himself into the group quickly after enrolling here in January for the spring semester," Mennell said. "He is going to be a nice addition to our team as a versatile midfielder. I am always excited when we are able to add local players to our roster."
A 6-foot-8, 190-pound center back out of Wisconsin, Dante Bova joins the Bulldogs after playing his high school soccer for Arrowhead Union High School and his club soccer for SC Waukesha. His club team was the two-time state champion and they advanced to the Region II Tournament in 2013-16.
"Dante brings some extreme qualities to our group," Mennell said. "He obviously possesses great size, but he is very technical and has really soft feet. He will be very effective in set pieces and we are really excited to integrate him immediately into our defensive corps."
A 5-foot-8,150-pound midfielder, Henry Cochrane joins the UNC Asheville men's soccer program out of West Forsyth High School. The Clemmons, N.C. native, who was the 2016 Central Piedmont Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, plays his club soccer for Fusion FC 99 Elite. Cochrane led the region and conference in assists and was fourth in goals last year.
"I am very familiar with Henry as his brother played here at UNC Asheville," Mennell said. "He is a very crafty player who causes lots of positive things to happen when he is on the ball. He has a knack for making things happen in the 18-yard box."
A 6-foot-2, 160-pound forward who can also play on the wing, Colin Daughtry becomes a member of the UNC Asheville men's soccer program out of Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, N.C. Selected to the US Soccer Market Training Centers in 2014 and 2015, Daughtry plays his club soccer for the CASL Railhawks Academy.
"Colin is a player that we are very excited about," Mennell said. "He comes from a great club environment at CASL Railhawks and he will immediately challenge for playing time on the wing and up front. He is good in the 18's, but he also adds great ideas in possession which make him a player that should cause some real problems for our opponents."
A 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward, Taylor Durall joins the Bulldog men's soccer program out of Plover, Wis. Durall played his club soccer for the Shattuck St. Mary's U18 DA team in the 2016-17 season and his high school soccer for Shattuck St. Mary's.
"Taylor is a physical target forward in the truest sense," Mennell said. "He comes from a great environment at Shattuck and is a player we are very excited about integrating into our group. Taylor provides great hold up play and is excellent on set pieces."
A 6-foot-2, 170-pound midfielder out of Parkland, Fla., Michael Luke joins the Bulldogs out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Luke's club team the Miramar United were Super Y League National Finalists.
"Michael is a very athletic midfielder who can play in a variety of midfield roles," Mennell said. "He has tremendous size and a fantastic attacking sense of the game. He is going to be excellent in the central part of our system."
Nabil Milani makes his way to Asheville out of Vienna, Virginia where he has been a four-year starter for George C. Marshall High School as a goalkeeper. In 2015, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound Milani guided his prep team to their first-ever conference championship before last year garnering conference Player of the Year accolades. Milani plays his club soccer for the Loudon 98 Red team that is ranked No. 4 in the nation and was a 2016 National Championship finalist. Milani is a member of the Virginia ODP that was the Region I ODP Champions in 2014 and a National Championship finalist. In addition, he traveled with the Virginia ODP Select Team to Belgium and Holland.
"Nabil is a goalkeeper with a very impressive resume, on and off the field," Mennell said. "He came to Train Like a Bulldog and we knew right away that he was a player that has the qualities necessary to make an impact on the Division I level here at UNC Asheville. He will challenge Tyler Moore and Dakotah Bainter for minutes from the get-go."
Bashirr Morray is a winger/forward from Apex, N.C. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound Morray plays his High School soccer for Raleigh Charter High School. He was a member of the Triangle Futbol Club Alliance club team that was a NCYSA State Cup Semifinalist in U17 Boys in 2017.
"The first thing you notice about Bash is his pace," Mennell said. "However, he has a great sense for the ball in the box and he is very dangerous running at players. We needed to add a player with game-changing speed and Bash absolutely fills this role."
A 6-foot-4 forward, Josh Peterman joins the Asheville men's soccer program out of Greensboro, N.C. where he attends Caldwell Academy. Peterman plays his club soccer for the NC Fusion 99 Elite.
"To say that Josh is a player who is a versatile footballer is an understatement," Mennell said. "I think he will see time in a variety of roles as his size and athletic ability allow him to be comfortable all over the pitch. We are excited to see exactly where he fits into the group come August."
Mennell once again knows this year's class is a special group, and he is looking forward to the 2017 campaign and beyond.
"I am very pleased with how the 2017 version of the Bulldogs is shaping up and the overall direction of our program," Mennell said. "That being said, we certainly have a lot to work on in all facets. This 2016 group of players coming to UNC Asheville is a statement of our commitment to this endeavor."
To learn more about UNC Asheville men's soccer, please visit www.uncabulldogs.com.
"We had to replace an important group of seniors that left due to graduation, and those players were Bulldogs who made significant impacts on the field," Mennell said of his third recruiting class at the helm of Asheville men's soccer. "We needed to bring in players that fit our system and style of play in a variety of roles. On the whole, I think that we have really put together a fun and exciting group with this class."
Mennell fully believes this recruiting class also gives his fledgling program the chance to continue to rise in the Big South Conference over the coming years.
"We made excellent progress in the Big South in 2016, finishing in the top three," Mennell said. "The additions of these student-athletes will not only continue this positive progress, but help take us take the next step, which is to finish at the top of the Big South Conference table."
In this year's class, Asheville welcomes in one transfer, who joined the program in January of 2017, and eight incoming freshmen signees. The state of North Carolina is again well represented with five of the nine newcomers hailing from within the state. In addition to North Carolina, the states of Wisconsin, Virginia and Florida represent the remaining newcomers.
"Last year's recruiting class had to have a balanced makeup," Mennell said. "This year we wanted to address some areas of concern and the ones we felt were most important were size and athleticism. Recruiting players that solve these concerns, but also have the technical ability to play the style of football we want here at UNC Asheville could have been problematic, but my staff in Matt Tellez, Tyler Krumpe, Zak Davis and Jeremy Jordan have put in countless hours in identifying and recruiting players that will not only fit in well with our system, but will cause matchup problems for every team we play."
Mennell knows the tireless efforts of his staff is key to the program's ability to bring in such a high-quality recruiting class.
"The staff have been instrumental in the signing of two US Soccer Development Academy players, continuing our commitment to bringing in players from Asheville and also expanding our national recruiting footprint, and all the while maintaining our foundation of recruiting the best and brightest from the state of North Carolina," Mennell said. "This class will do great things for UNC Asheville the institution and UNC Asheville men's soccer and they will be excellent representations of what we expect of all of our Bulldogs."
Midfielder Austin Howard is a mid-year enrollee for the Bulldogs after spending last season with the Denison Big Red. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Howard, who made 14 starts last year for the Big Red, played his high school soccer for Carolina Day. He was a member of the HFC 97 Red Club team that qualified for the Region III Tournament and was the North Carolina NC U-18 Runner-Up in 2016.
"Austin has integrated himself into the group quickly after enrolling here in January for the spring semester," Mennell said. "He is going to be a nice addition to our team as a versatile midfielder. I am always excited when we are able to add local players to our roster."
A 6-foot-8, 190-pound center back out of Wisconsin, Dante Bova joins the Bulldogs after playing his high school soccer for Arrowhead Union High School and his club soccer for SC Waukesha. His club team was the two-time state champion and they advanced to the Region II Tournament in 2013-16.
"Dante brings some extreme qualities to our group," Mennell said. "He obviously possesses great size, but he is very technical and has really soft feet. He will be very effective in set pieces and we are really excited to integrate him immediately into our defensive corps."
A 5-foot-8,150-pound midfielder, Henry Cochrane joins the UNC Asheville men's soccer program out of West Forsyth High School. The Clemmons, N.C. native, who was the 2016 Central Piedmont Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, plays his club soccer for Fusion FC 99 Elite. Cochrane led the region and conference in assists and was fourth in goals last year.
"I am very familiar with Henry as his brother played here at UNC Asheville," Mennell said. "He is a very crafty player who causes lots of positive things to happen when he is on the ball. He has a knack for making things happen in the 18-yard box."
A 6-foot-2, 160-pound forward who can also play on the wing, Colin Daughtry becomes a member of the UNC Asheville men's soccer program out of Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, N.C. Selected to the US Soccer Market Training Centers in 2014 and 2015, Daughtry plays his club soccer for the CASL Railhawks Academy.
"Colin is a player that we are very excited about," Mennell said. "He comes from a great club environment at CASL Railhawks and he will immediately challenge for playing time on the wing and up front. He is good in the 18's, but he also adds great ideas in possession which make him a player that should cause some real problems for our opponents."
A 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward, Taylor Durall joins the Bulldog men's soccer program out of Plover, Wis. Durall played his club soccer for the Shattuck St. Mary's U18 DA team in the 2016-17 season and his high school soccer for Shattuck St. Mary's.
"Taylor is a physical target forward in the truest sense," Mennell said. "He comes from a great environment at Shattuck and is a player we are very excited about integrating into our group. Taylor provides great hold up play and is excellent on set pieces."
A 6-foot-2, 170-pound midfielder out of Parkland, Fla., Michael Luke joins the Bulldogs out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Luke's club team the Miramar United were Super Y League National Finalists.
"Michael is a very athletic midfielder who can play in a variety of midfield roles," Mennell said. "He has tremendous size and a fantastic attacking sense of the game. He is going to be excellent in the central part of our system."
Nabil Milani makes his way to Asheville out of Vienna, Virginia where he has been a four-year starter for George C. Marshall High School as a goalkeeper. In 2015, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound Milani guided his prep team to their first-ever conference championship before last year garnering conference Player of the Year accolades. Milani plays his club soccer for the Loudon 98 Red team that is ranked No. 4 in the nation and was a 2016 National Championship finalist. Milani is a member of the Virginia ODP that was the Region I ODP Champions in 2014 and a National Championship finalist. In addition, he traveled with the Virginia ODP Select Team to Belgium and Holland.
"Nabil is a goalkeeper with a very impressive resume, on and off the field," Mennell said. "He came to Train Like a Bulldog and we knew right away that he was a player that has the qualities necessary to make an impact on the Division I level here at UNC Asheville. He will challenge Tyler Moore and Dakotah Bainter for minutes from the get-go."
Bashirr Morray is a winger/forward from Apex, N.C. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound Morray plays his High School soccer for Raleigh Charter High School. He was a member of the Triangle Futbol Club Alliance club team that was a NCYSA State Cup Semifinalist in U17 Boys in 2017.
"The first thing you notice about Bash is his pace," Mennell said. "However, he has a great sense for the ball in the box and he is very dangerous running at players. We needed to add a player with game-changing speed and Bash absolutely fills this role."
A 6-foot-4 forward, Josh Peterman joins the Asheville men's soccer program out of Greensboro, N.C. where he attends Caldwell Academy. Peterman plays his club soccer for the NC Fusion 99 Elite.
"To say that Josh is a player who is a versatile footballer is an understatement," Mennell said. "I think he will see time in a variety of roles as his size and athletic ability allow him to be comfortable all over the pitch. We are excited to see exactly where he fits into the group come August."
Mennell once again knows this year's class is a special group, and he is looking forward to the 2017 campaign and beyond.
"I am very pleased with how the 2017 version of the Bulldogs is shaping up and the overall direction of our program," Mennell said. "That being said, we certainly have a lot to work on in all facets. This 2016 group of players coming to UNC Asheville is a statement of our commitment to this endeavor."
To learn more about UNC Asheville men's soccer, please visit www.uncabulldogs.com.
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