Men's Soccer Head Coach Scott Halkett Announces the Addition of 16 Newcomers to the Program for 2022

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- As preseason preparations creep closer and the season draws nearer, USC Upstate men's soccer and head coach Scott Halkett are delighted to announce the addition of 16 newcomers to the program for the 2022 season.

Of the 16 newcomers, three joined the program (one transfer and two incoming freshmen) during Spring practice with 13 other newcomers joining the program this fall, a group comprised of one transfer and 12 incoming freshmen. The 16 total newcomers join 14 returnees to create a 30-player roster for the 2022 season.

Below are player capsules for the 16 newcomers (listed alphabetically).

Attended Cuthbertson High School (Waxhaw, N.C.) … Competed for Charlotte Independence Soccer Club and U19 Pro Academy at the club level … Posted 15 clean sheets in 30 games played during his final club season … Helped Charlotte Independence SC finish second in the Elite Clubs National League Mid-Atlantic Conference … Helped Charlotte Independence SC qualify for the ECNL National Playoffs … Helped Pro Academy finish first in the USL Academy League … Helped Pro Academy qualify for the Mid-Atlantic Cup, reaching the Final Four.

Attended Wando High School (Charleston, S.C.) … Helped the Warriors to a 7-1 record in a shortened 2020 season … Helped WHS post four clean sheets from the backline … Competed for South Carolina United at the club level … Joined the program in the Spring of 2022.

Attended Eastside High School (Greer, S.C.) … Helped the Eagles to back-to-back South Carolina High School League AAAA Upperstate Championships in 2021 and 2022 … Helped EHS to a 2022 SCHSL AAAA State Championship … Helped the Eagles to a 2021 SCHSL AAAA State Runner-Up … Scored 20 goals and notched 27 assists during his three-year interscholastic career … Competed for United FC Furman at the club level … Helped United FC to a State Cup Championship in 2021 … Scored 35 goals and notched 28 assists during his club career.

Attended Heritage Academy (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) … Competed for Tormenta FC and Jacksonville FC at the club level … Started each game of the 2021-22 club season … Led his team in assists in both 2020-21 and 2021-22 … Helped his team to a State Championship Runner-Up finish in 2020-21 … Helped his team win the USL Academy Tournament in 2020-21.

Transferred to USC Upstate after spending his freshman (2020-21) and sophomore (2021) seasons at Missouri State … As a sophomore, did not appear in any matches … Part of an NCAA Tournament Qualifier, Missouri Valley Regular Season and Tournament Championship team … As a freshman, appeared in one match, playing 18 minutes … Part of an NCAA Sweet 16 Qualifier, Missouri Valley Regular Season and Tournament Championship team … Attended Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy [one season] and Montverde (Fla.) Academy [two seasons] … Helped Montverde to a 33-1-2 record during his career as an Eagle … Named the MVP of the 2019 Montverde Academy Soccer Tournament.

Attended Legion Academy (Rock Hill, S.C.) … Competed for Charlotte Soccer Academy at the club level … Helped Charlotte Soccer Academy qualify for the Elite Club National League Champions League (U18/U19) with a Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship, posting a 12-2-3 record in 2021-22 … Named First Team All-Mid-Atlantic Conference (U17) in 2020-21.

Attended Eastside High School (Greer, S.C.) … Helped the Eagles to two South Carolina High School League State Championship Runner-Ups in 2019 and 2021 … Helped EHS to two SCHSL Upperstate Championships in 2019 and 2021 … Named SCHSL AAAA All-Region 2 and SCHSL All-State as a junior in 2021 … Scored 12 goals and notched five assists as a junior in 2021 … Competed for Carolina Elite Soccer Academy at the club level … Helped CESA to an Elite Clubs National League Regional appearance in each season from 2018-2021 … Helped CESA to two ECNL Nationals appearances, a third-place finish in 2019 and a fifth-place finish in 2021 … Joined the program in the Spring of 2022.

Attended Royal Russell School Croydon (England) … Competed for Chelsea FC Academy at the club level.

Attended Northern Guilford High School (Summerfield, N.C.) … Competed for NC Fusion Soccer at the club level … Also competed for DA Soccer.

Attended Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach (S.C.) … Four-sport letterwinner, competing in soccer, basketball, football, and golf … Four-time South Carolina Independent School Association All-State and All-Region selection … Named the 2022 SCISA 1A Region 2 Player of the Year as a senior … Helped the Saints to a 2022 SCISA 1A State Championship as a senior … Helped CAMB to a 2022 SCISA 1A Region 2 Championship as a senior … Led CAMB to a 2021 SCISA 1A State Runner-up finish as a junior … Helped CAMB to a 2019 SCISA 1A Region 2 Co-Championship … Competed for South Carolina Surf and GPS Charleston at the club level … Helped the SC Surf Elite Clubs National League U18/19 squad to a 8-11-5 record during the 2021-22 season as the club's captain … Helped SC Surf to a ECNL South Carolina State Championship in 2020.

Attended IBC Kolding (Christiansfield, Denmark) … Scored three goals during his career for IBC Kolding … In his third year, helped IBC Kolding to a fifth-place finish in Denmark's top league … Named Player of the Year … At the club level, competed for Dalum IF and Kolding IF … Tallied 39 points for Dalum IF in 2021-22 … Tallied 33 points for Kolding IF in 2020-21 … Tallied 14 points for Kolding IF in 2019-20.

Attended Tauranga (New Zealand) Boys College … Helped the Titans to a pair of Super 8 Championships in 2019 and 2021.

Attended Wake Forest (N.C.) High School … Helped the Cougars to a North Carolina High School Athletic Association Conference Tournament Championship as a senior in 2021 … Named All-Conference and All-Region as a senior in 2021 … Accumulated 77 saves (3.9 per game) and posted a 0.912 goals against average and five shutouts over 1,404 minutes during his interscholastic career … Selected to the North Carolina All-Star Team for the Clash of the Carolinas All-Star Game in 2021 … Selected to the East All-Star Team for the East vs. West North Carolina All-Star Game in 2021 … Competed for North Carolina FC at the club level … Helped the NCFC U19 Elite Clubs Regional League club to a First-Place finish in the Carolinas Conference in 2021-22, going 10-2-3 … Helped the NCFC U17 ECNL National Team qualify for the National playoffs.

Attended Boiling Springs (S.C.) High School … Served as team captain for the Bulldogs as a senior in 2022 … Named South Carolina High School League AAAAA All-Region 3 as a junior and senior in 2021 and 2022 … Competed in the South Carolina North-South All-Star Game as a senior in 2022 … Converted 100 percent of his PK attempts in his interscholastic career … Competed for Carolina FC at the club level … Led Carolina FC in assists during each of his last two seasons (2020-21 and 2021-22) … Helped Carolina FC to a State Championship in 2021-22 … Helped Carolina FC to a State Runner-Up in 2020-21.

Attended Randers Handelsgymnasium (Randers, Denmark) … Competed for Randers FC at the club level.

Transferred to USC Upstate after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons (2020-21 and 2021) at Muskegon (Mich.) Community College … As a sophomore, appeared in and started 16 matches … Tallied 37 points on the year behind 14 goals and nine assists … Named First Team All-NJCAA Division II Region 12 … Helped the Jayhawks to a NJCAA Division II Northeast District Championship and the No. 11 seed in the National Tournament … As a freshman, appeared in and started 11 matches … Tallied 23 points on the year behind six goals and 11 assists … Named Second Team All-NJCAA Division II Region 12 … Helped Muskegon to a NJCAA Division II Great Lakes District Championship and the No. 12 seed in the National Tournament … Attended BWZ Obwalden (Sarnen, Switzerland) … Competed for FC Stans at the club level … Served as captain for FC Stans.

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Players Mentioned

Jakob Benz

Joseph Christy

Fabrizio Chumo

Chase Cooke

Pablo Diaz

Guy Ellis

Luke Halkett

Braiden Hall

Elijah Jackson

Cooper Jennings

Liam Knight

Noah Kump

Peyton Pressley

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