HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky.- The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team has inked 13 players for the upcoming 2017 season, head coach Stu Riddle announced on Thursday afternoon. The class includes Jim Barkei, Victor Bjurhall, Felix Komolong, Alex Greive, Brett Wilson, Tom Suchecki, Rikard Lindqvist, Edo Durante, Abdul Kooistra, Jake Minkovitz, Joe Paasewe, Harvey Moyes and Isaiah Schatz.
 
"It's been an incredible amount of work since January putting this class together and I am delighted that we have managed to secure the commitments of these 13 players," Riddle said. "We literally scoured the globe for the best talent available to us and have a very exciting group of incoming freshman and transfers that will compliment each other and the returning players."
 
Barkei, a transfer goalkeeper from Loyola University Chicago, hails from Downers Grove, Illinois. In 2016, Barkei saw limited action with the Ramblers. Prior to Loyola, he was a standout performer for the Chicago Magic academy program anchoring the team to a pair of United States Soccer Association Championships in 2010 and 2011, receiving the Adidas Golden Glove award in both of those years.
 
Bjurhall, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, joins the Norse as a defender. Prior to NKU, Bjurhall attended Danderyds Gymnasium. In 2015, he was a Stockholm district team call up and also played for U-19 Allsvenskan.
 
Defender Komolong, a native of Lae City, Papua New Guinea, graduated from Kings College in 2015. This year, Komolong saw time with Papua New Guinea's (PNG) National Team in World Cup Qualifying. Komolong has played with PNG U-17 (2013), PNG U-20 (2014) and PNG U-23 (2015). At the club level, the defender has recently played with Canterbury United FC in Christchurch, New Zeland of the ASB Premiership. Komolong is the younger brother of from NKU men's soccer alum Alwin Komolong.
 
Greive, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, attended Sacred Heart College (NZ). Greive was named MVP of the National Tournament 2016 (NZ). The midfielder/forward was a member of Sacred Heart's Auckland Secondary Premier Championships in 2015 and 2016. At the club level, Greive has won National Tournament Championships with ACFC U-17 (2015 and 2016) and Napier U-19 (2015).
 
Wilson, a native of Apopka, Florida, transferred from Presbyterian College where he played soccer (2014-2016) and football (2013-2014). With the Blue Hose in 2016, Wilson was team captain, made 18 starts and played in 20 games logging 1,646 minutes. On the grid-iron Wilson saw action in 11 games in 2014 at kicker and seven games in 2013.
 
Suchecki, a native of New York City, will take the field after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt in 2015, he appeared in nine games taking one shot attempted in each winning match against St. Peter's and VMI. In high school, Suchecki spent time playing for the United States Soccer Development Academy teams while at Stuyvesant High School. Additionally, Suchecki spent a month training with Brasilis FC Academey in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2012.
 
Lindqvist, a native of Stockholm Sweden, is a transfer from the University of Buffalo. In 2016 with the Buffalo, Lindqvist played in 19 games starting 18 of them while scoring three goals and dishing out five assists for 11 total points. Prior to Buffalo, the midfielder played for Djurgården IF. In 2015, Lindqvist helped lead the club to a 21-2-3 record while finishing in second place at the U-19 Sweden National Tournament.
 
Edoardo Durante, a native of Lavagna, Italy, will hit the pitch for Northern Kentucky as a forward. Durante is a 2015 graduate of Liceo classic Delpino. At the club level, Durante has recently spent time with Sestri Levante.
 
Kooistra, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, is a transfer from the University of Wisconsin. The redshirt sophomore is a product of Madison Memorial High School where TopDrawerSoccer.com ranked him as a four star prospect. At the club level, Kooistra has played with Rush Wisconsin U-15-U17 and FC Wisconsin Nationals U-17/U-18 as part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
 
Minkovitz, a native of Tampa Florida, will join Northern Kentucky playing forward. Minkovitz scored 22 goals and recorded 13 assists in his time playing for the Braulio Alonso High School Ravens. In club play, Minkovitz most recently played for the Clearwater Chargers where he has earned nods at the clubs Top Goal Scorer and Player of the year.
 
Paasewe, a Louisville, Kentucky native, played for Waggener High School. Paasewe scored 21 goals with 10 assists in his time with the Wildcats. Paasewe also saw club action with the Derby City Rovers.
 
Moyes, a midfielder from Glasgow, Scotland, attended the Jordan Hill School. He most recently played for the Univeristy of Stirling FC in Stirling, Scotland.
 
 Schatz, a native of Cedar Springs, Michigan, is a product of Cedar Springs High School. In addition to playing goalkeeper for the Red Hawks, the 6' 165 pound Schatz also competed in track and field.
 
"We're not here to make up the numbers in this league," Riddle added. "I feel the work that both coach Blair Stevenson and I have put into this class provides us an excellent platform moving forward as we seek national relevance here at NKU"
 
For updates on the team you can visit NKUNorse.com or follow NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook and Twitter.