UNC Men’s Soccer 2025-2026
- Thread starter BlueHeels02
- Start date
Didn't they just win one in cross country this year. I think they have a few of those now recently
Jr Luca Nikolai was just drafted (NYC FC), so likely leaving early. He was second on the team in assists. and had a great ability to advance the ball. However I found his shot selection and finishing ability really frustrating all year. He lead the team is shots at 55 but that only result d in 3 goals for an abysmal 0.055 SH%. He sailed so many balls.
Jack Sandmeyer (Chicago Fire) and Dylan Kropp (Real SLC) were also drafted, but did not have eligibility remaining anyway.
Jack Sandmeyer (Chicago Fire) and Dylan Kropp (Real SLC) were also drafted, but did not have eligibility remaining anyway.
HS Commitment: Def Quintin John
He was named to the MLS NEXT All-Star roster, which is effectively a top 44 recruit across basically two recruiting years. U-17 national Team for Trinidad and Tobago (dual citizenship) where he played center back. Inter Miami Academy club team.
www.intermiamicf.com
He was named to the MLS NEXT All-Star roster, which is effectively a top 44 recruit across basically two recruiting years. U-17 national Team for Trinidad and Tobago (dual citizenship) where he played center back. Inter Miami Academy club team.
Academy Update: U-16 Nash Dearmin and U-17 Quinton John Named to MLS NEXT 2025 All-Star Roster | Inter Miami CF
Dearmin and John become the seventh and eighth Inter Miami CF Academy players to be named to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game in only five years **
www.intermiamicf.com
Huge portal Pick-up:
Rising Senior Nick Lockermann was the conference DPOY and best defender/team captain for #2 ranked Vermont
uvmathletics.com
Rising Senior Nick Lockermann was the conference DPOY and best defender/team captain for #2 ranked Vermont
Nick Lockermann - Men's Soccer - University of Vermont Athletics
Nick Lockermann (10) Defender - CAREER HONORS • National Champion (2024) • America East All-Conference First Team (2025) • America East Defender of the Year
uvmathletics.com
We also had a mid-season HS recruit enrollee:
Def Myles Carson
Carson is a part of our #4 ranked HS recruiting class:
www.topdrawersoccer.com
The individual recruit rankings in that article may not look that impressive, but remember that the large majority of top 50 HS players do not attend college.
Def Myles Carson
Carson is a part of our #4 ranked HS recruiting class:
2025 Men's DI Recruiting Rankings: July | Club Soccer | Youth Soccer
A few weeks ahead of the new season, TDS updates the Men's DI Top 45 Recruiting Classes.
www.topdrawersoccer.com
The individual recruit rankings in that article may not look that impressive, but remember that the large majority of top 50 HS players do not attend college.
2026 Recruiting class
Top Drawer Soccer top 15 recruiting class, though I have no idea where in the top 15 (pay wall)
Top Drawer Soccer top 15 recruiting class, though I have no idea where in the top 15 (pay wall)
| Player_Name | National_Ranking | National_Team | Awards_Accomplishments | Pos | High_School | State | Club_Team | Signed |
| Jace Donawa | Bermuda Sr Team | Bermuda U-23 | F | Northwood School | CT | Black Rock FC | Spring Enrollee | |
| Quinton John | Trin & Tob U-17 Team | MLS NEXT All-Star (top 44 roster), Club player of the month when they MLS U-17 Championship | D | FL | Inter Miami | |||
| Jonathan Luna Sabando | TDS #1 MF in TX | ECNL 2024 A-A, DKSC Captain, ECNL U-17 TX 1st Team, TX State POY | MF | Allegiance Academy | TX | DKSC | Spring Enrollee | |
| Jayden Puna | Prep Soccer 39th player in TX | Angola U-17 | TX District MVP, TX Pub school 4th team | D | Shadow Creek | TX | Houston Dynamo | Yes |
| Adrian Sanders | US U-17 camp, US U-16, US U-15 | LAFC Player of the Month as CB | D | CA | Los Angeles FC | |||
| Marco Simion | Footy Access U-17 1st Team A-A, U-17 MLS XEXT Cup Best Goalkeeper, Club Player of the Month | GK | FL | Inter Miami FC | ||||
| Etienne Veillard | US U-17 Camp, US U-15 Camp | MLS NEXT All-Star (top 44 roster) | D | Federal Way | WA | Seattle Sounders | Spring Enrollee | |
| Myles Carson | TDS Top 100 players to watch | ECNL U-17 TX First Team | D | Bedford | TX | DKSC | Spring Enrollee |
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2026 Transfer Class so far:
When in doubt, raid Germany. And Vermont.
I am calling Milazzo a transfer because he comes in as a junior due to college credits already earned. It appears he enrolled at UNC for the spring of last year and worked as a team manager last season?
| Player_Name | National_Ranking | Awards_Notable | Pos | Previous Team | Class | Hometown |
| Nico Loebus | TDS #7 Freshman | 2025 AE Conf ROTY, AE Conf 2nd Team, USC 2nd Team All-Region, 6 Goals, 5 Assists | F | Vermont | So | Homburg, Germany |
| Nick Lockermann | TDS #20 | 2025 AE Conf DOTY, 2x USC 1st Team All-Region, NCAA Title, 2023 American East ROTY | D | Vermont | Sr | Nuremberg, Germany |
| Joschi Schleb | TDS #86 | 2025 All B1G 2nd Team, 2024 All NEC 1st Team, 20 career goals | MF/F | St Francis, Rutgers | Sr | Freiberg, Germany |
| Ryan Zellefrow | 2025 AE Conf 1st Team, USC 1st Team All-Region, 2024 AE Conf Rookie Team | MF | Vermont | Jr | Berywn, PA | |
| Cristian Milazzo | Pro dev league for 2 years (NC FC signed 2023), US Soccer Development Academy in HS | D | NC FC Academy | Jr | Cary, NC |
When in doubt, raid Germany. And Vermont.
I am calling Milazzo a transfer because he comes in as a junior due to college credits already earned. It appears he enrolled at UNC for the spring of last year and worked as a team manager last season?
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Since this what happesn today-glad we got in on it
But it stinks this is what happens
Watching Vermont win a natty a couple years ago in Cary was one of the coolest sports things I ever saw in person
Their first Natty ever in anything
Not sure how MLS contract negotiations work, but he was drafted 87th (fourth round) by NYC FC, their season just started, and he is not on their roster so...
New York City FC
All the latest news, scores, highlights, photos, and stats from New York City Football Club.
www.newyorkcityfc.com
Nikolai is listed on the UNC 2026 Spring roster, and appears to have played in our first spring game (a 2-1 win over Wake BTW)
Men's Soccer Roster - University of North Carolina Athletics
The official Men's Soccer Roster for the North Carolina Heels
Perhaps he eventually wants to go pro back in Germany/Euro as opposed to MLS? Just guessing here; not sure how any of this works.