SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Following yesterday's signing of six standout prep players, UC Santa Barbara head men's soccer coach Tim Vom Steeg today announced the addition of five transfer players for the upcoming season.
The transfers will arrive at UCSB from marquee programs in conferences such as the Big Ten and ACC, while others competed for national titles at the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels.
All put together, the incoming recruiting class for the Gauchos was given the No. 5 rank in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer, best in the Big West Conference. To read about yesterday's signings, click here.
"We're extremely excited about this incoming group of student-athletes," said UCSB head coach Tim Vom Steeg. "With the strength of our last two recruiting classes, we feel as a program that we have a legitimate two-year window to win a national championship. We did not want to pass up the opportunity to compete nationally for a title, and these new players that we have added will help us towards our goal while also setting us up down the road for future success."
Many of UCSB's incoming transfers are already established contributors at the collegiate level and three came from top-level Division I men's soccer programs. One of the student-athletes, Ahinga Selemani, is already enrolled and attending school at UCSB, and thus will feature in any spring matches with the squad. Selemani was dubbed the "most high-profile transfer" of the offseason by Top Drawer.
The two non-Division I transfers both reached at least the Elite Eight in their respective national tournaments, with Kevin Feucht (University of Charleston) even playing for a national championship.
Ahinga Selemani - Forward
Previous School: Michigan
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.
College Player Rankings: No. 55 freshman
High School/Academy Rankings: No. 3 national (College Soccer News), No. 1 Great Lakes Region, No. 7 forward, No. 12 national (Top Drawer)
Ahinga Selemani, a current member of the US Men's National U-20 Team, comes to UCSB as a transfer after a superlative freshman season as a 5-8, 170 pound forward at Big Ten member Michigan. Selemani was an integral part of the 2014 Wolverines, ranking second on the squad in goals (3), assists (2), points (8), shots (37) and shots on goal (16), leading to a selection onto the conference All-Freshman team. Before that, he was a four-star recruit with his club team CSA Wolves, where he was ranked as high as the No. 3 prospect in the country (CollegeSoccerNews.com). An honor roll student at Ann Arbor Pioneer, he was also a member of the US U-17 National Residency Program in both 2012 and 2013.
Kevin Feucht - Midfielder/Forward
Previous School: University of Charleston
Hometown: Schwetzingen, Germany
German-born Kevin Feucht was a star for the University of Charleston this past season, where he played for a Division II National Championship, falling 3-2 in the final to Lynn. The Golden Eagles ended the year going 22-1-1 while outscoring their opponents 85-12. Feucht made 20 starts as a true freshman with Charleston, mostly operating as a mid, recording seven goals and three assists for 17 points. Feucht scored goals in the Elite Eight and Round of Sixteen in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Adepapo Adeniyi – Defender
Last school: University of Mobile
Hometown: London, UK
Adeniyi, coming off his freshman season at the University of Mobile by way of London, was a key cog on the back line this past year for the Rams. The 6-0, 200-pound defender earned First Team All-League honors after helping his squad to a 15-4-3 record and allowing just 14 goals for the entire year, postseason included. After winning the SSAC Tournament and advancing to the NAIA Tournament, Adeniyi scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick in the team's first round matchup. The Rams would eventually end up in the Elite Eight of the tournament.
Seo-In Kim - Midfielder
Previous School: Duke
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
High School Rankings: No. 1 Kansas/Heartland Region (Top Drawer Soccer)
A talented midfielder out of Overland Park, Kan., Seo-In Kim will be transferring to UCSB from Duke, a member of the ACC. Kim sat out the 2014 season, but was a frequent participant for the Blue Devils in his freshman season of 2013, entering all 19 of the team's games and recording four assists. Kim was a top recruit before going to Duke, as he was the top-ranked prospect in his home state as an 18-year old. The South-Korean born Kim played his club ball for Sporting KC, even entering a pair of MLS Reserve matches against the Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake.
Kevin Armstrong - Goalkeeper
Previous School: New Mexico
Hometown: Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Armstrong comes to UC Santa Barbara after spending his redshirt freshman season at the University of New Mexico. He made one appearance with the Lobos as a backup to starter Michael Lisch in the 2014 season. As an academy player, he starred with the San Diego Surf U-17 team of the USSDA for two seasons, winning the 2011 Academy Surf Cup. He also trained with former USMNT keeper coach Zak Abdul.
