Syracuse University men’s soccer coach Ian McIntyre announced the 2013-14 incoming freshmen recruiting class, according to an SU Athletics press release Monday.

The group includes three forwards, two midfielders, and two defenders. Three are international players and four are from the United States.

Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Bono said this class has much to live up to after last year’s helped turn the entire program around.

“Obviously the goal is to one-up what you did last year,” Bono said. “And it’s going to be a tough act to follow, but obviously there’s room for improvement. There always is. So I think that this recruiting class is another step for us improving as a team and us still looking to go deep into the NCAA tournament and get into the (Atlantic Coast Conference) tournament this year as well.”

Defender Oyvind Alseth is one of two Norwegian-born student-athletes in the class and arguably the gem of it. Alseth played with Rosenborg BK for the last three seasons. He’s won the U-19 National Championship twice and earned the 2012 Profile Player of the Year award.

Fellow Norwegian Emil Ekblom is a forward who played for Stabaek, a high-ranking club team in Norway. In 2012 was the team’s top goal scorer and earned MVP honors.

Midfielder Chris Nanco is from Ontario, Canada. A member of the Canadian National Program, Nanco competed for the club team Sigma FC and won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2011 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in Jamaica. His game-winning goal versus Trinidad and Tobago helped the Canadians qualify for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Aron Coste is a forward from Takoma Park, Md. Coste played club soccer with Bethesda SC of the Mid-Atlantic region, a team in the Region I Premier League and one of the top clubs in Maryland.

Emmanuel Kollie is a midfielder from Philadelphia. He attended Father Judge High School and Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo., where he led the Rattlers to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) finals in 2010. Kollie was named to the NJCAA Regional All-American First Team in both 2010 and 2011. He has also had success in Premier Development League (PDL) as a member of the Ocean City Nor’easters.

Forward Kenneth Lassiter is from Narbeth, Pa., where he attended Lower Merion High School. He played club soccer for FC Delco in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Lassiter was selected to represent the Philadelphia Union academy team that won the 2012 Major League Soccer Generation Adidas Cup.

Defender Korab Syla comes in as an already decorated college player. Syla starred at Herkimer (N.Y.) County Community College, winning the NJCAA Division III National Championship in both 2011 and 2012. He won the 2012 NJCAA Player of the Year in 2012 after registering 27 points on five goals and 17 assists.

—sports editor Jacob Klinger contributed to this report 

Published on June 17, 2013 at 6:27 pm

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