Newcomers Introduced for Men's Soccer

PHILADELPHIA – Head coach Doug Hess and the Drexel men's soccer program will welcome a robust class of incoming student-athletes for the team's upcoming 2018, highlighted by the Gatorade Player of the Year for Pennsylvania. Overall, a class of 11 incoming players including international signees, one of which is a junior college transfer, and a grad transfer make up one of the most decorated incoming groups in program history that will be called upon to make an immediate impact on the field.

HESS ON THE CLASS
"As a staff, we could not be more excited about this group of young players coming to University City. Character, leadership, and work ethic run through each of these young men in addition to their talents and abilities. They all have influenced their respective school and club teams and we look forward to their impact at Drexel."

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Chris Donovan comes to Drexel from Paoli, Pa., where he graduated from Conestoga as the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year for Pennsylvania. It is the first time that the Dragons have welcomed the state's Gatorade Player of the Year to the team. Donovan played four years of varsity soccer at Conestoga, where he was a three-time First Team All-Main Line player. Donovan led Conestoga to a Central League championship in each of the last three seasons, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player as a senior this past fall. The past two years, Donovan's squad has captured state championships and Donovan has scored the game-winners in both finals. A prolific goal scorer who has led the team in scoring in each of his last three years, Donovan poured in 56 goals as a senior in 2017. He earned First Team All-State and All-American honors as a senior, and was named the Philadelphia Daily News Local Player of the Year. Donovan also played club soccer for FC Montco Die Mannschaft, coached by Drexel Men's Soccer Alum Dom Balsamo '08, and alongside fellow incoming Dragons Caron, McCarthy, and Wertz. Together they captured the 2017-18 USYS Region I Eastern Regional League with a perfect 7-0 regular season record and capping off the play-offs with a 2-0 record qualifying them for the USYS Regional Championships. The son of Karen and Dave Donovan, Chris was an honors student at Conestoga who intends to major in engineering.

HESS ON DONOVAN
"Chris is a goal scorer, plain and simple, that has grown in leaps and bounds over the past year. As you can imagine scoring 56 goals in a season, we saw Dono score in just about every way possible. He has ability with both feet and is exceptional with his head. Chris' intelligence and inventiveness in his movement, paired with his tireless work ethic create so many chances for both he and his teammates."

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Kwesi Allen joins Drexel after two seasons with Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. Allen was a First Team All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference performer, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the conference championship in 2016. That year, Iowa Western went 20-1-2, earning as high as a No. 2 ranking nationally and finishing fifth in the national tournament. Allen lead all his teammates with 13 goals and 9 assists that season in 18 starts. As a sophomore in 2017, Allen played limitedly with injuries starting just 9 times, but still managing 7 goals and 3 assists in limited action helping his team advance to the Region XI final for a second year in a row. A native of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Allen attended St. Anthony's College winning a National Championship in his high school days before venturing to America to begin his collegiate career. The son of Earlene and Ian Cupidore, Kwesi will enroll in general studies upon completion of his associates degree.

HESS ON ALLEN
"Kwesi is a real threat in the front-line. His pace is a constant danger behind back-lines and he has the ability to score goals in multiple ways through creating his own shot, getting on the end of crosses, or through restarts. Kwesi's left foot adds another dimension to a front-line along with his ability to assist from crosses and dead-ball service."

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Michael Campbell arrives in University City after four years at the Hun School in Somerset, N.J. where he captained his side during his senior campaign. Campbell was a winger and striker there, and earned distinctions as an All-MAPL performer and an All-Prep Honorable Mention player. Campbell also excelled with his Match Fit Academy team, where the 6'1" forward was part of a team that went 14-6-6 last season in their debut season in the ECNL. The son of Dawn Forbes and Carlenton Campbell, Michael intends to major in health sciences upon enrolling at Drexel.

HESS ON CAMPBELL
"Michael is an athletic front player that will add depth to our forward line. He is a true winger that likes to run at fullbacks looking to score goals or create them for others."

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Harrison Coron is a Malvern, Pa. native who starred as a midfielder at Bishop Shanahan. Last year, Coron was the Chesmont National League Most Valuable Player as he led Shanahan to the program's first-ever district championship. Shanahan's 19-4 record was the best in school history. Coron was a First Team All-State midfielder, and earned a spot on the All-American Watchlist. Individually, Coron scored 16 goals and had 20 assists in the championship season. He was also a First Team All-Chesmont player as a junior in 2016, a year in which his club team, FC Montco Die Mannschaft, was ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation. Coron helped his club side win the 2017-18 USYS Region I Eastern Regional League and qualify for the USYS Regional Championships for the first time in the club's history. The son of Jamie and Jeff Coron, Harrison intends to major in entrepreneurship at Drexel.

HESS ON CORON
"Harry is a soccer player through and through. He possesses a solid I.Q. for the game and a hunger to prove himself whatever environment he finds himself in. Harry likes to play between the lines and can create for both himself and others."

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Bennett Detweiler will follow in the footsteps of his oldest brother Jameson when he begins his Drexel career in the fall. Out of Woodsboro, Md., Detweiler attended Walkersville High. He played soccer with the Baltimore Armour Academy team, where he served as a team captain from 2016-18. The past two seasons, Detweiler led the Armour to the Development Academy playoffs, starting all 29 games for the squad in the 2016-17 season and 26 of 29 in this past one. He has been called into multiple U.S. Soccer Market ID Training Centers in his time in the US Development Academy system. Ben's brother, Jameson, was with the Dragons from 2012-16, scoring the game-winning goal in Drexel's 1-0 win over William & Mary to win the 2013 CAA Tournament championship. The son of Judith and David Detweiler, Bennett intends to major in sport management.

HESS ON DETWEILER
"Ben is a steady center back, and keeps getting better positionally each time we see him. He is an ironman through a season of competition and has always been ready and fit to play. Competitive in the air, strong in a tackle and intelligent in his decisions in build-up play. Additionally, Ben is a leader and his character shows each time he plays."

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Griffin Mallas joined the Dragons in January as a graduate student after graduating from the University of the Incarnate Word, where he played for two seasons. A defender/midfielder for UIW, Mallas scored on his only shot attempt with the Cardinals last season. He appeared in eight games, starting one. Mallas began his collegiate career at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and graduated summa cum laude from UIW last winter. A native of Las Vegas, Nev., Mallas graduated from Palo Verde High School in 2015. He led his high school squad to the Nevada state title game in back-to-back seasons to conclude his high school career, helping them to a state championship in 2014. Mallas was a part of the Las Vegas Soccer Academy club team, with which he won a regional championship in 2015 and finished as a national runner up. Mallas was named to the ODP Region IV Team in 2013. The son of Jennifer and Jeffrey Mallas, Griffin will pursue a master's degree in psychology at Drexel.

HESS ON MALLAS
"Griff joined us in January and made an immediate impact in our team at the back through this past spring. He has shown an ability to compete in the air and does an excellent job of recovering possession for the team with his tackling and interceptions."

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Joseph Martini is an Exton, Pa. native who will earned his high school degree from Downingtown East. In just one season of High School soccer, Martini lead Downingtown East in goals and assists (13 and 8 respectively) from midfield earning him Frist-Team All-Chesmont honors. He spent the last club season with the Penn Fusion U19 team after four years playing with Continental FC Delco's Academy teams. Playing alongside fellow rookie Dragon, Kyle Tucker, the two helped Penn Fusion to a 2018 Pennsylvania State Cup Championship. Regularly at or near the top of the team leaderboard in goals and assists, Martini was chosen for the Generation Adidas Select International team that traveled to Spain to train and play with the Real Madrid Youth Academy coaches and players. He was also invited to five U.S. National Training Centers. Locally, Martini earned a spot on the Philadelphia Daily News All-Area Boys Soccer First Team last year. Martini has a solid background of international experience, including a quarterfinal appearance in the 2011 Mundialito tournament in Portugal and Spain, the deepest run a U.S. team has ever had in the event. Joseph is the son of Estrella and Kirk Martini and intends to major in economics and statistics upon enrolling at Drexel.

HESS ON MARTINI
"Joey is a two-way midfielder with the ability to break up an opponent's attack, as well as start and finish one for his own team. He has box-to-box capabilities and a strong soccer I.Q. Joey carries a quiet demeanor, but no doubt he is a competitor through and through."

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Michael McCarthy will join his high school teammate Chris Donovan on the Dragons as a fellow Conestoga graduate. McCarthy also played on Conestoga's back-to-back Pennsylvania PIAA 4-A High School State championship teams in 2016 and 2017, captaining the group in '17. He led 'Stoga at the back to an undefeated 25-0-1 season, surrendering just 14 goals in 26 games and collecting 15 shut-outs. Additionally, McCarthy served as captain for FC Montco Die Mannschaft, helping the group capture a 2017-18 USYS Region I Eastern Regional League title and qualify for the USYS Regional Championships for the first time in the club's history. He was also a part of the Philadelphia Union Juniors Academy for four years. A native of Berwyn, Pa., Michael is the son of Lisa and Kevin McCarthy and intends to major in business.

HESS ON McCARTHY
"Big Mike is a steady, composed and confident central defender. Not only is he strong in the air and solid in a tackle, but he is also a two-footed player with a strong range of passing out of the back. We were impressed with Mike's leadership qualities from the first time we saw him play."

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David Rylander comes to Drexel from Stockholm, Sweden where he attended Midsommarkransen Gymnasium. There, the center midfielder played for three years on his school team while also competing with the FOC Farsta club program. He was twice named the FOC Farsta Player of the Year. Rylander's teams won the Sweden Cup for U17 teams in 2017, and finished second in the U19 division that same year. His Hammarby IF team finished second in the prestigious Gothia Cup, a worldwide event for youth soccer programs. Twice named Hammarby's Best Value Base Player of the Year, Rylander played in the Stockholm district tournament in 2016 and earned a call up to the Swedish National Team in 2017. The son of Salpi and Dan Rylander, David intends to major in business.

HESS ON RYLANDER
"David is a skilled deep-lying midfielder. He possesses a strong feel for the game with an excellent range of passing and ability to retain possession for the team. David has been a part of his National team set-up in Sweden and brings with him an aptitude to read the game well from midfield."

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Kyle Tucker joins the Dragons from Phoenixville, Pa., where he played midfield for Pioneer Athletic Conference champion Phoenixville Area as a senior this past year in his only year of high school soccer. Tucker captained the team to its first-ever conference title and an undefeated 10-0-0 mark in the Frontier Division, leading all scorers with 27 goals and 14 assists from midfield. The All-Mercury Player of the Year, Tucker was an All-Southeastern PA and All-State selection. He also earned a spot on the Pioneer Athletic Conference First Team. At his school, Tucker was named the Phoenixville Varsity MVP. On the club side, he spent four years with Continental FC Delco's Academy teams in the US Development Academy league before moving to Penn Fusion's U19 group this past year. With Penn Fusion, Tucker helped the team capture the 2018 Pennsylvania State Cup Championship. Kyle is the son of Patricia and Roger Tucker, and is undecided on a major.

HESS ON TUCKER
"Kyle is an anomaly. We thought he was a deep-lying midfielder with an ability to spray balls around the field all through the recruiting process right up to his commitment, and then he had a break-out year playing his lone season of high school soccer scoring goals and assisting on them."

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Caleb Wertz arrives at Drexel from Wernersville, Pa., where he graduated from Wilson H.S. There, he played four years of varsity soccer and was twice named to the All-Berks County team. Wertz led Wilson to county titles in 2016 and 2018, with a runner-up finish in between. Along with fellow freshmen Dragons Coron, Donovan and McCarthy; Wertz played a part in helping FC Montco Die Mannschaft capture a 2017-18 USYS Region I Eastern Regional League title and qualify for the USYS Regional Championships for the first time in the club's history. A four-year honor roll student, Wertz is the son of Tracy and Robert Wertz. He intends to major in chemical engineering.

HESS ON WERTZ
"Caleb might be the fastest of all of our incoming freshman. He is a solid up and down outside back with capabilities in the final third to help create an attack. Not to limit him to just an outside back role, we have seen Caleb play multiple positions effectively for both his high school and club teams."

Dragons Calendar.

Players Mentioned

Kwesi Allen

Michael Campbell

Harrison Coron

Bennett Detweiler

Chris Donovan

Griffin Mallas

Michael McCarthy

David Rylander

Kyle Tucker

Caleb Wertz

Drexel University Athletics