The Husson University men’s soccer program will boast 10 newcomers this fall, including five players from Maine and one from New Hampshire, as well as an international quartet representing Brazil, Morocco, Norway and Spain.
But not all of the recruits are truly newcomers.
Ian Lee of Madawaska, who played for Husson two years ago, is back for his final season of soccer after taking last year off to concentrate on his studies.
The midfielder-forward was a four-year starter at Madawaska High School who amassed a state-record 127 goals, including 38 as a senior while leading the Owls to the Eastern Maine Class C championship.
He initially attended the University of Maine in 2014 to study chemical engineering but his soccer was limited to club play as the Black Bears do not have a men’s varsity program in the sport.
Lee then transferred to Husson and played in eight games in both 2015 and 2016 before taking last year off to concentrate on academics — he’s now pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy.
“I can’t explain how happy I am that Ian has decided to come back on board with the team to see out his senior year,” Husson head coach Gavin Penny said in a press release. “Ian has already proven he can score goals in college when he played for us a couple of seasons back.
“It never did feel completely right when Ian made the brave decision to focus on his studies. Now he is in a good position and is ready for the challenge ahead, and I can’t wait to set Ian off against our opponents this fall. He is also quite a humorous young man, and I love that he plays Hall & Oates in the locker room.”
Others Mainers joining the Husson men’s soccer program are Avery Pomerleau of Monmouth, a two-time All-Maine forward from Monmouth Academy; Brandt Herbert of Westbrook, a first-team All-Southwestern Maine Activities Association defender; Benjamin Powell of Frankfort, the Penobscot Valley Conference goalkeeper of the year in 2017 while playing for Searsport High School; and Cody Halvorson, a defender from Easton who transferred to Husson from Cedarville (Ohio) University.
Also joining the Eagles this fall is Mohammed Abdulkareem Ghanayem, a forward from Manchester, New Hampshire; Gerard Arias Huerta, a defender from Barcelona, Spain; Ali Essallamy, a defender from Fez, Morocco, via Stamford, Connecticut, where he played on two state championship teams; João Pedro dos Santos Passoni, a defender from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Parkland, British Columbia, Canada; and Kristian Bonde Krognes, a goalkeeper from Vaaler, Norway.
Husson, which finished 8-8 overall and 5-4 in the North Atlantic Conference last fall, opens its 2018 season at noon Aug. 31 with a home match against Wentworth Institute of Technology.
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