• VIDEO: Coach Mark  Collings
        • 2016 men's soccer roster
        • 2016 men's soccer schedule
 
SEATTLE – A large number of new names filled the Falcons roster when they conducted their first men's soccer practices this week.
 
The majority of fresh faces belonged to six incoming freshmen, five of them Northwest natives, who will attend Seattle Pacific University this fall and play for the two-time defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion men's soccer team.
 


A trio of Washington state recruits include two local Crossfire Academy club competitors: Samuel Agyei, a midfielder from Everett (Cascade High School) and Trevor Lee, a midfielder from Puyallup (Wash.) High School. Forward Gabriel Weber from Ridgefield (Skyview HS) played his club soccer for Crossfire Oregon.
 
The Falcons kept their Boise, Idaho talent pipeline flowing with the signing of midfielder Sam Rucklos. He played for Idaho Rush Premier and prepped at the Boise High School that also produced current SPU sophomore Peyton Harris.
 
The fifth Northwest recruit is Sam Malloch, a midfielder from Grant High School in Portland, Ore. He was a member of the FC Portland club program.
 
Arizona has been fertile recruiting ground for the Falcons and this year produced midfielder Carlos Franco. The Goodyear resident graduated from Verrado High School and clubbed with the Scottsdale Blackhawks. He joins Phoenix native Stephen MacDonald, a standout senior forward, on the SPU roster.
 
A pair of transfers also join the team, both of them juniors from the greater Seattle area. Defender Chris Cole comes to SPU by way of Cedarcrest High School, Lenoir-Rhyne University and Bellevue College. Goalkeeper Grayson Rafensperger prepped at Redmond High School and then attended Highline Community College.
 
 "Overall as a class, we're really happy. There's a great balance," ninth-year coach Mark Collings said of his incoming group. "We have a bunch of young guys who are really, really excited to be here."
 
The eight newest Falcons join a program that has seven starters returning from the 2015 team that registered a 14-1-4 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fifth straight season.

The SPU men start the 2016 season on the road on Sept. 1 at Sonoma State. Their home opener at Interbay Stadium is Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. against Colorado Christian.
 
 
2016 Seattle Pacific Men's Soccer Newcomers
Samuel Agyei
F, 6-2, 170, Fr., Everett, WA (Cascade HS/Crossfire Academy)
Chris Cole
D, 6-1, 180, Jr., Duvall, WA (Cedarcrest HS/Bellevue CC/Eastside FC)
Carlos Franco
MF, 5-9, 160, Fr., Goodyear, AZ (Verrado HS/Scottsdale Blackhawks)
Trevor Lee
MF, 6-1, 170, Fr., Puyallup, WZ (Puyallup HS/Crossfire Academy)
Sam Malloch
MF, 5-8, 145, Fr., Portland, OR (Grant HS/FC Portland)
Grayson Rafensperger
GK, 6-1, 195, Jr., Redmond, WA (Redmond HS/Highline CC/Crossfire Select)
Sam Rucklos
MF, 6-1, 175, Fr., Boise, ID (Boise HS/Idaho Rush Premier)
Gabriel Weber
F, 5-9, 150, Fr., Ridgefield, WA (Skyview HS/Crossfire Oregon)