LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell Men's Soccer Head Coach Christian Figueroa has announced his incoming class for the 2016 campaign, the River Hawks' fourth season in Division I play.
 
"We are very excited to welcome this group of student-athletes," remarked Figueroa. "Coaches Bob Thompson and Frankie D'Agostino did an outstanding job identifying these young men. They worked tirelessly to not only show them the potential of our program and benefits of being a part of our university, but to make UMass Lowell a reality for each of them."
 
The class of 13 newcomers brings four players from Croatia and five from outside Massachusetts, including Virginia, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Florida and Colorado.
 
"This is a diverse group that will bring maturity as well as leadership into the program, and they will undoubtedly fit in very well with our current team," continued Figueroa. "A balanced group that will add depth in many positions and will help make the environment a competitive one. We are looking forward to the impact this recruiting class will have on the program."
 
The group also includes four transfers, a spring roster addition in Ivan Blaskic and redshirt-freshman Ivan Abramovic.
 
RIVER HAWK MEN'S SOCCER PROFILES
Name: Ivan Abramovic
Hometown/High School: Zagreb, Croatia / Birotehnika
Position: Forward
Height: 5'8 Weight: 165
Club Team: Nk Hask
Major: Psychology
 
PERSONAL: Son of Klaudija and Miroslav Abramovic of Zagreb, Croatia ... has one sister, Sara ... Nickname is "Abra" ... enjoys playing guitar, singing and reading books ... favorite professional sports team is Real Madrid ... majoring in psychology.

FIGUEROA ON ABRAMOVIC: "Ivan is a very smart and dynamic player who will add experience at the attacking positions. He comes from a strong playing background in Croatia and will immediately raise the competitive level. Ivan is a dangerous player in the final third that will help create scoring opportunities through his awareness and distribution."
 
Name: Stanley Alves
Hometown/High School: Framingham, Mass. / Newton North
Previous School: Dean College
Position: Forward                                                                            

Height: 6'0 Weight: 170
Club Team: Valeo FC
Major: Exercise Physiology
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Led Dean to first undefeated regular season and seven school records ... named NJCAA Division I All-New England ... scored 19 goals and added six assists in 16 games ... three-time Bay State League and Eastern Mass All-Star ... served as captain during junior and senior seasons ... member of National Society of Leadership and Success.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Anibal Junior and Rosilene Souza of Framingham, Mass. ... has an older brother (Sthehano) ... lists The Office and Ridiculousness as favorite TV shows ... Golden State Warriors and Atletico Minerio are favorite professional sports teams ... names Neymar and Steph Curry as favorite athletes ... greatest sports moment is when Brazil won the 2002 World Cup ... chose UMass Lowell because of the perfect fit with academic, religion and soccer ... majoring in exercise physiology.    

FIGUEROA ON ALVES: "Stanley comes to us after playing the 2015 season at Dean College. A technical player who likes to combine with teammates, Stanley will immediately fit in with the players around him. Stanley had a very successful season on a strong Dean College team that set many records in 2015, now we are excited to see how this will translate at this level. His maturity and commitment to contribute to the team will serve him well going forward."   
 
Name: Jakov Basic
Hometown/High School: Zagreb, Croatia / FC Zagreb
Previous School: Central Florida                                                    

Position: Midfield/Defense
Height: 6'2 Weight: 155                                                                                                                    
Club Team: Dinamo Zagreb
Major: Biology
Minor: Sports and Exercise Sciences
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Registered one goal in three assists at UCF as a freshman ... unanimous selection to The American All-Rookie Team ... captained FC Zagreb to Division I title in 2014-15 ... won Nike Premier Cup in Croatia with FC Zagreb in 2011.
 
PERSONAL: One of four children of Jelenko and Dubravka Basic of Zagreb, Croatia ... his favorite hobby is horseback riding ... lists Barcelona as favorite sports team and Messi as favorite sports influence ... greatest sports moment is Zagreb's Futsal League with his high school ... chose UMass Lowell because he feels the school can prepare him for the future in both academics and soccer ... majoring in biology and minoring in sports and exercise science.

FIGUEROA ON BASIC: "Jakov is a mature and experienced player coming to us as a transfer this year after playing his first year at UCF. He has played at a high level in his home country of Croatia and we are excited to bring on a player of his caliber to UMass Lowell. Jakov had a very strong freshmen year at UCF, and we expect he will continue to grow and develop as he begins his transition with us. With the ability to play in the back or the midfield, he will make our team stronger at any position he fits into."
 
Name: Ivan Blaskic
Hometown/High School: Zagreb, Croatia / X Gymnasium "Ivan Supek"
Position: Defense
Height: 6'4 Weight: 196
Club Team: Zagreb
Major: Computer Science
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Croatian Regional Champions in 2014 and 2015 ... named Best Player of the High School Soccer Championship 2012 and 2013 ... won award of exemplary behavior and excellent success from 2010-2014 ... 2014 Croatian Famelab Finalist.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Ratka and Tihomir Blaskic of Zagreb, Croatia ... has two siblings, Dejan and Jelena ... Nicknames are "Kuba" and "Blasko" ... hobbies include movies, music, photography, and reading ... lists Suits and LZN as favorite TV shows ... his favorite professional sports teams are Liverpool and PSG ... can speak Croatian and English ... majoring in computer science.

FIGUEROA ON BLASKIC: "Ivan is a strong and skilled defender with very good awareness on both sides of the ball. He has spent the last few years playing on very strong teams in Croatia, and that will help him as he makes the transition to college soccer. Ivan brings a competitive edge that will be contagious with the group, and we are looking forward to the impact he will have."
 
Name: Brandon Hima
Hometown/High School: Waterbury, Conn. / Watertown
Position: Midfield
Height: 5'8 Weight: 160                                                                                                                    

Club Team: FSA FC Elite
Major: Mathematics
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Three-time All-Conference selection ... named All-State and All-League as a senior ... served as team captain as a senior ... scored 13 goals with nine assists to lead team to undefeated regular season ... High Honor Roll and Academic All-Conference ... member of Future Business Leaders of America.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Edmond and Alketa Hima of Oakville, Conn. ... has two sisters ... nicknamed "HimaTime" ... enjoys reading and watching movies ... Sportscenter is his favorite TV show ... lists Manchester United and New England Patriots as favorite sports teams ... Zinedine Zidane is his favorite sports influence ... greatest sports moment is winning the Connecticut State Cup ... chose UMass Lowell to continue to play soccer at high level while obtaining higher level of education ... majoring in mathematics.

FIGUEROA ON HIMA: "Brandon is a mentally strong player who has been playing on a very competitive FSA team. He is a technical player who has good vision and the ability to stretch teams with his distribution. His movement off the ball and ability to find good pockets in possession will help us move the ball better moving forward."
 
Name: Dario Jovanovski
Hometown/High School: Zagreb, Croatia / Hotel and Tourism School
Position: Midfield
Height: 5'11 Weight: 163                                                                            

Club Team: Nk Hask
Major: Psychology
 
PERSONAL: Son of Mome and Nada Jovanovski of Zagreb, Croatia ... has a younger brother, Filip ... hobbies include watching movies and reading books ... favorite TV show is Prison Break ... lists FC Barcelona as his favorite sports team and Lebron James as favorite athlete ... majoring in psychology.

FIGUEROA ON JOVANOVSKI: "Dario is a smart central midfielder who will add experience and maturity to the group. He is a talented midfielder with a high soccer IQ who will fit in well with the way we want to play. His ability to possess the ball and open up the game is something that caught our eye throughout the recruiting process. We look forward to adding Dario to the group this year."
 
Name: Joe Kellett
Hometown/High School: Norfolk, Mass. / King Philip
Position: Midfield                                                                            

Height: 5'11 Weight: 150                                                                                                        
Club Team: New England Futbol Club
Major: Engineering
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Team MVP and captain as a senior and junior ... earned Eastern Massachusetts Coaches Association All-Star honors as a senior ...  NEP State Cup and Region I Champions during junior year ... three-time Sun Chronicle All-Star ... named Hockomock League All-Star three times ... earned a spot on High Honors or Honor Roll from 2012-16.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Scott and Lisa Kellett of Norfolk, Mass. ... has older sister, Caroline ... loves to fish and lists River Monsters as favorite TV show ... Manchester United is favorite sports team ... names Paul Pogba as favorite sports influence ... greatest sports moment is going to the NPL National Finals ... chose UMass Lowell for the great engineering and soccer programs ... majoring in engineering.

FIGUEROA ON KELLETT: "Joe is someone we have had our eye on for a long time. A true leader on any team he has been a part of, Joe has shown that he will do whatever his teams need him to do in order to help the team. Joe is a technical midfielder who reads the game very well and is able to adjust to a style of play as necessary, which can be very important in the college game. Joe has been the captain of a very strong NEFC club team that is playing in the NPL national tournament for the second consecutive year (national finalist in 2015). We look forward to having Joe join us at UMass Lowell and the impact he will have on the program."
 
Name: Bryce Montes
Hometown/High School: Denver, Colo. / Thunderridge
Previous School: Lipscomb University                                                                                            

Position: Defense
Height: 5'8 Weight: 165
Club Team: Colorado Rapids
Major: Business
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Rated a 4-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer ... was named MVP of the 2008 State Cup ... member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy 2010-15 ... named a U16 Development Academy Top Ten Defense with the Colorado Rapids after allowing just 10 goals in 13 matches in 2012 ... National Honor Society member
 
PERSONAL: Son of Julio and Debbee Montes of High Ranch, Colo. ... enjoys going to the movies, playing video games and cooking ... favorite TV shows include South Park, Family Guy and How I Met Your Mother ... lists Real Madrid, Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche as professional sports teams ... David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Sergio Ramos are his sports influences ... chose UMass Lowell for the business and soccer programs ... majoring in business.

FIGUEROA ON MONTES: "Bryce is a competitive defender who has played on a strong Colorado Rapids academy team in some very important games, alongside current team member Eddie Venta-Yepes, so it will be great to add a player with his experience and mentality to the group. He will improve the depth at the outside back positions and we are excited to have him join us."
 
Name: Maycol Nunez
Hometown/High School: Arlington, Va. / Washington-Lee
Position: Forward                                                                                        
Height: 5'7 Weight: 170                                                                                        

Club Team: Arlington
Major: Undeclared
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Led Washington-Lee to 6A State and Regional Championships as a senior ... school's all-time leading scorer with 85 goals and 37 assists ... named to NSCAA All-American Team as senior and sophomore ... earned First-Team All-State, First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-Met honors ... as a sophomore named Liberty Conference Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year, Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year and NSCAA Virginia Player of the Year ... won back-to-back state championships with club team as a freshman and sophomore.
 
PERSONAL: Has two sisters, Daniela and Evelyn ... lists Liverpool and FC Barcelona as his favorite professional sports teams ... Luis Suarez is favorite sports figure and influence ... greatest sports moment is winning state championship as a senior.

FIGUEROA ON NUNEZ: "Maycol is an explosive attacking threat. His ability to score and be dangerous in the final third has rightfully earned him All-American recognition on more than one occasion throughout his high school career. We have seen Maycol over the last few years and have been impressed with his ability to have an impact playing against high level competition. He is a competitive player with a lot of confidence, and we feel that will serve him well at the next level. We look forward to having him join our program."
 
Name: Alejandro Osorio
Hometown/High School: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Hollywood Hills
Position: Forward
Height: 5'11 Weight: 195
Club Team: Albion SC Plantation
Major: Environmental Science                                                                                                    

Minor: Business
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Two-sport athlete at Hollywood Hills (soccer, football) ... led team in goals and assists as a senior ... named All-County First Team and All-Star South MVP during senior season ... finished second in Florida Premier League with club team ... top goal scorer as a junior and freshman ... named Freshman of the Year in football ... member of Latinos in Action and Spanish Club.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Hector of Ana Osorio ... has an older brother (Pablo) ... nicknamed "Nego" ... hobbies include ping pong, history, and traveling ... lists The League, Weeds and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as his favorite TV shows ... names Club Atletico, Bocas Juniors, West Ham United and FC Barcelona as favorite professional teams ... favorite athletes include Diego Maradona, Messi, and Carlos Tevez ... greatest sports moment is when he scored decisive goal to send his team to Region III Southern Championships ... is bilingual (Spanish, English) ... has visited over 30 countries ... majoring in environmental science with a minor in business.

FIGUEROA ON OSORIO: "Alejandro is a player who caught our attention last December in Florida while playing for a strong Albion SC Plantation team. A striker who not only scores goals, but one who is relentless in the way he defends from the top. Alejandro is a strong attacker who finds ways to put the ball in the goal. He will immediately add a competitive edge and depth at the striker position."
 
Name: Zach Rowell
Hometown/High School: Haverhill, Mass. / St. John's Prep
Previous School: Assumption
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6'2 Weight: 175                                        

Club Team: New England Aztecs
Major: Economics
Minor: Music/Finance
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Made six appearances with three starts at Assumption ... recorded 21 saves with a GAA of 1.79 ... three-sport athlete at St. John's (soccer, indoor track, tennis) ... 39 career shutouts, including 16 as a senior ... four-time Catholic Conference League champions ... Massachusetts Division I North championships as a senior ... two-time Catholic Conference All-Star ... earned Agganis Cup All-Star and MVP honors ... named St. John's Prep MVP, Eastern Massachusetts All-Star and Lynn Item All-Star ... earned Salem News All-Star honors as a senior and Salem News Honorable Mention as junior ... named Boston Globe Player of the Week twice as a senior ... High Honor Roll member (2011-15) ... member of National Honor Society and German National Honor Society ... won Excellence in History and Religious Studies Awards.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Steven and Suzanna Rowell of Haverhill, Mass. ... has a younger brother (Jameson) ... played tenor saxophone in jazz band and big band orchestra ... names Impractical Jokers as favorite TV show ... lists Bayern Munich, Everton and Orlando City SC as favorite sports teams ... favorite athletes are Edwin Van Der Sar, Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon ... greatest sports moment is saving two penalties to win Division I North Championship against Acton-Boxborough ... chose UMass Lowell for rigorous academics, amazing campus and the soccer program ... majoring in economics with music/finance minor.

FIGUEROA ON ROWELL: "Zach comes to us as a transfer this year with three years of eligibility remaining, and we're excited about that. He has seen a lot of success coming out of high school and we expect he will continue to develop at this level. Zach is a goalkeeper who trains at a high level and will immediately make our goalkeeper position deeper. With the addition of Zach, we feel our team environment continues to become more competitive in every position."
 
Name: Billy Sinibaldi
Hometown/High School: Plaistow, N.H. / Timberlane Regional
Position: Goalkeeper                                                                                    

Height: 5'8 Weight: 163
Club Team: New England Revolution Academy
Major: Physics
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Three-year member of Revolution Academy ... played in Generation Adidas Cup as a junior ... member of National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society and Mathematical Honor Society.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Kenneth and Stacy Sinibaldi of Salisbury, Mass. ... has one sister (Amy) ... enjoys hanging out with friends and playing video games ... lists Arsenal as his favorite sports team ... names Casillas and Nick Raimondo as biggest sports influences ... chose UMass Lowell because it was the best fit for his academic and athletic careers ... can complete a Rubix Cube in 45 seconds ... was adopted from Russia ... majoring in physics.
 
FIGUEROA ON SINIBALDI: "Billy will be joining us after playing the last few years with the New England Revolution academy. A very technical goalkeeper who has been very well coached by Karl Spratt (GK coach with the New England Revolution), Billy will immediately make our goalkeeper position a competitive one. With very good feet, Billy has the ability to play out of the back and help us build from there. We're looking forward to seeing how Billy competes once we begin."

Name: Ben Waithe
Hometown/High School: Plymouth, Mass. / Sturgis Charter Public School West
Position: Defense
Height: 6'0 Weight: 190                                                                                                                    

Club Team: New England Revolution Academy
Major: Exercise Physiology
 
HIGHLIGHTS: Earned the U16 Revolution Academy "Dependability" Award as a sophomore ... won U16 Massachusetts State Cup Championship with MPS Bulldogs during his freshman season ... participated in Key Club.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Deborah and Lawrence Waithe Jr. ... has one sister (Alexandra) ... enjoys biking, tubing and cooking ... lists Scrubs, Psych, Archer and House of Cards as his favorite TV shows ... favorite professional sports teams are the New England Revolution and Arsenal ... his greatest sports moment was playing in the B level Pop Warner Super Bowl ... majoring in exercise physiology.

FIGUEROA ON WAITHE: "Ben is a player our staff has seen over the last few years and have been impressed with his ability to play in the back and in the midfield. He has spent the last two years playing with the New England Revolution academy alongside some of the area's best players, and we have no doubt that the experience he has gained there will help with his transition at the next level. His toughness and ability to play out of the back will fit in with our group."