After eight departures from last season, the UH-Hilo men’s soccer team has nearly doubled the size of its remaining roster with the addition of 14 newcomers, bringing in five freshmen and nine transfers for the upcoming fall.
Of the nine transfers, three are coming in from two-year schools, one from a Division-I program, one from a NAIA school and four from fellow Division-II teams.
“This is an exciting group of players: very talented, dynamic and athletic,” UH-Hilo assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Terry Yamane said. “Our biggest improvements will be in our creativity and overall team speed. We look forward to showcasing our 2023 Vulcans to our community.”
The incoming Vulcans will be arriving to the isle from Maui (1), California (7), Utah (1), North Carolina (1), Florida (1), Iceland (1) and Japan (2) with first official practices set to start Monday, Aug. 14.
The UH-Hilo Men’s Soccer team had five student-athletes graduate this past school year.
Apiki Daniels
The 2023 graduate of King Kekaulike HS played three seasons of varsity as a defender, and was a 2022 ScoringLive All-Hawaii Third Team selection.
Also known as Angus Daniels, he played club soccer for Albion SC Hawai’i.
“(UH-Hilo) is close to home,” Daniels said in a UH-Hilo press release. “I would travel during the summer for tournaments and that’s where I met assistant coach for the soccer team and we made it possible for me to come play for him.”
Colby Lee
Lee spent his first two years playing for Utah State University Eastern, and transfers to UH-Hilo as a junior.
He played in 25 games with 20 starts as a team captain for the Golden Eagles, totaling seven goals (two game-winners) and five assists — and was a All-Region 18 Honorable Mention.
A 2021 graduate of Weber HS in Ogden, Utah — he played four seasons of varsity and was a 2021 All-Area MVP, two-time 6A UHSAA State Champion, and two-time Utah State Cup Champion.
Chris Romero
A junior transfer and forward, Romero spent two seasons playing for Antelope Valley Community College (California) — where he played in 34 games with 27 starts for the Marauders, totaling 12 goals (six game-winners) and five assists. He was a 2022 Western State Conference South Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
Brian Trujillo
A forward and junior transfer, Trujillo spent his first two years of college playing for Taft College (California) — playing in 39 games with 31 starts for the Cougars, totaling four goals (two game-winners) and three assists.
He was also the 2022 Central Valley Conference Midfielder of the Year and was mentioned on the CCCSCA North All-Region Team.
At Palmdale HS, he was a two-time Golden League Offensive Player of the Year.
Josef Duenas
A junior transfer, the Vulcans will be Duenas’ third college soccer team.
He spent his freshman year at Palomar College near his hometown of Murrieta, Calif. — where he played in 16 games with 11 starts for the Comets, totaling six goals (three game-winners) and two assists.
During his sophomore year, he played for now-closed former Pacific West Conference competitor Holy Names University — where he played in 13 games for the Hawks, finishing with one assist.
Nicholas Fidandis
A 2022 grad of Pincrest HS in North Carolina, Fidandis sat out the 2022 season due to injury.
The forward enrolled at UH-Hilo during the spring of this year, and will kick off his college soccer career with the Vulcans this fall.
Ethan Downey
Downey graduated from Chaparral HS in Temecula, Calif., where he played for a variety of high-profile soccer clubs Justin Koerner
The freshman forward will make a jump from one tropic to another — joining the Vulcans from his hometwon, Clearwater, Fla.
Koerner played a season of varsity soccer at Palm Harbor University HS, as well as club for Chargers MLS and Florida Premier ECNL.
Ronan McFarland
Another incoming freshman from California, the forward and defender played four years of varsity soccer for San Diego’s Eastlake HS.
Pall Ingvason
A sophomore transfer from Western Illinois University, Ingvason was raised in Akureyri, Iceland.
At WIU, the defender played in all 16 games for the Leathernecks last season, with ten starts.
Shudai Ito
Ito is the Vulcans’ second sophomore tansfer raised abroad.
Originating in Morioka City, Japan, he spent his first year of college playing for Oklahoma Panhandle State University — where he played in 12 matches with ten starts for the Aggies, totaling three goals (two game-winners) and one assist.
Takato Awai
Also from Japan, the redshirt sophomore transfer, defender and midfielder grew up in Osaka.
He spent his freshman year of college at Chico State in California.
Shawn Clarke
A junior transfer, Clarke spent two and a half years at Northern Michigan Univeristy — where he played in 11 games for the Wildcats.
He spent a semester at College of Marin (California), and played two years of varsity at Redwood HS — where his team was a two-time Marin County Athletic League Champion.
Isaac Hernandez
A senior transfer and defender, Hernandez Spent one year at Chico State, one year at Folsom Lake College (2021 Big 8 Conference Co-Champion) and his freshman year at Napa Valley College.
