Men's Soccer Finalizes 2017 Recruiting Class

Aug. 1, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s soccer program finalized its incoming recruiting class for the 2017 season. The Cavaliers start training next week and will begin regular season play on Aug. 25 against Villanova at Klöckner Stadium.

“For us I think this has been an untraditional class in terms of its makeup but I think we did a great job of addressing specific needs,” said Head Coach George Gelnovatch. “We have a real nice mixture of young talent, transfers and players with international experience. I’m really excited to get the group on the field to see what they can do.”

The 2017 class includes Faris Abdi (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia), Joe Bell (Wellington City, New Zealand), Beau Bradley (Manasquan, NJ.), Nathaniel Crofts Jr. (Sheffield, England), Irakoze Donasiyano (Roanoke, Va.), Prosper Figbe (Ilorin, Nigeria), Cameron Harr (Morris Plains, N.J.), Justin Ingram (Indianapolis, Ind.), Frederick ‘Henry’ Kessler (New York, N.Y.), James ‘Brad’ Kurtz (Crown Point, Ind.), Connor Jones (Clifton, Va.), Kennedy Nwabia (Roanoke, Va.), Spencer Patton (Yardley, Pa.), Ryan Peterson (Australia), Ahdan Tait (Bridgeport, Conn.). Bell, Harr, Kessler and Kurtz each enrolled for the spring semester and were members of the team during for the program’s spring schedule.

According to the latest TopDrawerSoccer recruiting class rankings, Virginia ranks eighth. The evolving rankings won’t be official until preseason camp commences. The Cavaliers have put together top-5 recruiting classes the past two seasons.

Following are brief bios on each of the newcomers (Listed Alphabetically):

Faris Abdi, M
– Played the 2016-17 season at IMG Academy under head coach Drew Hoffman
– Named the program’s Most Valuable Player after the 2016-17 season
– Member of the U-18 U.S. National Team

Joe Bell, M
– Current member of the New Zealand U20 Team, with four caps
– Part of the New England U17 team that competed in the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile in 2015

Beau Bradley, M
– Member of Black Rock FC and played high school soccer at the Taft School
– The 2015 Monmouth County Offensive Player of the Year
– Uncle Bob Bradley managed the US Men’s National Soccer Team from 2006-11 and served as an assistant soccer coach for UVA from 1983-84
– Cousin Michael Bradley is the current captain for the US Men’s National Soccer Team and plays for Toronto FC

Nathaniel Crofts Jr., F
– Played club soccer for Sheffield United FC

Irakoze Donasiyano, F
– A three-time First Team All-Conference selection at Patrick Henry High School
– Earned back-to-back All-Region and All-State honors in 2016 and 2017
– Named the 2017 Conference 16 and 5A North Region Player of the Year
– Scored 65 goals and recorded 30 assists in 69 games played at the high school level
– Played club soccer for the Roanoke Star Soccer Club

Prosper Figbe, D
– Spent first two collegiate seasons at the University of South Florida
– Started all but one games as a freshman and all 20 games as a sophomore
– Became the first underclassman ever to win American Athletic Conference Defensive Player in 2016
– A Second Team NSCAA All-Region selection
– Received a First Team All-AAC nod in 2016 and was listed on All-Rookie Team in 2015

Cameron Harr, F
– Transfer from Marist College, where he played two seasons
– Was 2016 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-MAAC honoree
– His 17 goals in 2016 were the second most in Division I soccer
– Was MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year in 2015

Justin Ingram, F
– No. 37 Ranked Player by TopDrawerSoccer.com
– Member of U18 Indiana Fire Academy
– Made two appearances in Denver at Generation Adidas in 2013
– Played for the U-19 Men’s National Team

Connor Jones, GK
– No. 82 ranked player according to TopDrawerSoccer.com
– Named Top Goalkeeper at the Winter High School National Championships
– Two-time National Champion at Soccer Institute of Monteverde (SIMA)

Henry Kessler, M/D
– Played for U18 US Soccer Academy for 2016-17
– Played club soccer with Beachside SC
– Member of Red Bull Academy reserves for 2014-15
– Graduated high school in 2016 and has an associate’s degree from Bard College

Brad Kurtz, M
– Member of the Indiana Fire Academy U17/U18 team in the 2016-2017
– First-Team All-State honoree
– Was a freshman on the Crown Point High School soccer team that won 2A State Title in 2013
– Older brother Bay is a current member of the Virginia Men’s Soccer team

Kennedy Nwabia, F
– Played first two collegiate seasons at the University of Dayton (36 games)
– Was a Third Team NSCAA Midwest All-Region and First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection as a sophomore
– Led the team with six goals (9th most in A-10) in 2016
– Played prep soccer at North Cross High School in Roanoke

Spencer Patton, D
– Played at La Salle College High School and with Match Fit Academy FC
– Named the 2016 Pennsylvania Player of the Year and Philadelphia Catholic League MVP
– A 2016 Mid-Atlantic Region First Team All-American

Ryan Peterson, M
– Played soccer for Central Coast Mariners (Foxtail National Youth League)

Ahdan Tait, F
– Started for Beachside SC Academy team that made it to the quarterfinal of USSDA Championship
– Selected to Generation Adidas to travel Spain, squaring off against Real Madrid and Real Vallecano Youth teams
– Selected for U.S. Training Center squad to play El Salvador U-20 National Team