HIGHLAND HEIGHTS,
Ky. – Northern Kentucky men's soccer head coach
Tom Poitras announced the signing of 15 student-athletes to join the Norse squad in fall of 2023.
Edis Alic,
JJ Brown,
Yonatan Cohen,
Bennett Gerak,
Tim Griffin,
Sander Heggheim,
Gavin Kreitmeir,
Will Nicholson,
Romeo Paparesta,
Jason Purks,
JT Roden,
Trey Shaw,
Nico Stoddart,
Rashad Suhaiba and
Jacob Haskins each signed and completed their National Letters of Intent paperwork to officially join Northern Kentucky Men's Soccer.
"I am excited to welcome this new class to our NKU Soccer family," said head men's soccer coach
Tom Poitras. "We have filled a lot of voids from a large graduating class. We have a great mix of Freshmen and transfers in this class and look forward to their arrival on campus in early August. I know many of these guys will be coming in to compete for places in the team and minutes from the start. We are looking forward to building a strong culture through competition, positive leadership and team first mentality that our returning guys have developed."
EDIS ALIC
- A center back from Växjö, Sweden
- Attended the high school ProCivitas Privata Gymnasium
- Previously played for the club Östers IF
- Son of Azur and Sauda Alic
JJ BROWN
- A 5-foot-10 winger/forward from Madisonville, Kentucky
- Attended Madisonville North Hopkins, graduating in 2023
- Numerous accolades during his high school career: Three-time All-District, Two-Time All-Region, Two-Time Region Player of the Year, Second Team All-State, First Team All-State and All-American finalist
- Most recently played for the club Bowling Green FC, playing for Coach Evan Sutherland
- Son of Josh and April Brown
- Will look to major in psychology while attend Northern Kentucky University
YONATAN (JOHNNY) COHEN
- A 5-foot-11 center attacking midfielder/striker, joins the Norse from Ramat Gan, Israel
- Son of Eyal and Haya Cohen
BENNETT GERAK
- A 6-foot center midfielder, Gerak joins the Norse from Hebron, Kentucky.
- Attended Dixie Heights High School, graduating in 2023
- Led his HS program to a 18-3-1 record with 21 goals and 17 assists
- Nominated for the 2023 Cincinnati Enquirer HS Sports Awards (June)
- 2022 Northern Kentucky Player of the Year
- Multi-time 9th Region All-Tournament Team selection
- Multi-time NKHSBCA First Team Midfielder
- 2022 Academic All-State
- Son of Patrick and Shannon Gerak; Has three siblings, Mya, Morgan and Madelynne.
- Morgan Gerak currently plays for the University of Dayton women's soccer team
- Mya formerly played for the University of Kentucky women's soccer team
- His father Patrick formerly played for the University of Kentucky men's soccer team
- Recently played for the club Cincinnati United Premier
- Will look to pursue a major in political science while attending Northern Kentucky University
TIM GRIFFIN
- A 5-foot-9 winger, Griffin joins Northern Kentucky from Cincinnati, Ohio
- Attended Archbishop McNicholas where he graduated in 2023
- GCL Player of the Year
- All-American Honorable Mention
- Two-Time All-Region, Two-Time All-State, Four-Time All-League, Four-Time All-City, Three-Time All-Southwest Ohio
- Two-Time Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Year
- All-Time leading goal scorer at Archbishop McNicholas and has the record for most goals scored in a single match
- Most recently played for the club Kings Hammer SC, where he was coached by James Thomas
- National Championship MVP, ECNL continental all star game, golden ball winner, National Champion, and best 11
- Son of Robyn and Tim Griffin; Has two siblings Kennedy and Logan
- Will look to pursue a degree in business while attending Northern Kentucky University
SANDER HEGGHEIM
- A 6-foot midfielder/defender, Heggheim joins the Norse from Sandnes, Norway
- Previously attended Bryne High School
- Prior to NKU, Heggheim played one season at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas
- Played in 18 total matches, making starts in 11 of them
- Totaled one goal, two points, seven shots and four shots on goal during his season at Friends
- Son of Aashild Floerli
- Will look to study in business administration while attending Northern Kentucky University
GAVIN KREITMEIR
- A 6-foot midfielder from Waukesha, Wisconsin
- Attended Waukesha West High School, graduating in 2023
- Three-Time First Team All-Conference, Two-Time All-State, Two-Time Team MVP
- 2022 Conference Player of the Year, All-Region and All-American
- Most recently played for the club FC Wisconsin in Milwaukee where he was coached by Billy Solberg and Ben Shepherd
- ECNL All-Conference Midwest, ECNL National Training Camp Selection
- Son of Scott and Jackie Kreitmeir; Has one sibling Kace
- Will look to study criminology while attending Northern Kentucky University
WILLIAM NICHOLSON
- A 6-foot goalkeeper from St. Charles, Missouri where he attended St. Dominic High School graduating in 2021
- Missouri Class 4 Goalkeeper of the Year in 2020, helping the Crusaders to a state tournament runner-up finish by posting a 20-2 record with 10 shutouts and a 0.51 goals against average
- A first-team all-state selection, Nicholson also was named the Missouri Athletic Club Sam Coppel Goalkeeper of the Year, as well as the St. Louis Post Dispatch Goalkeeper of the Year
- Four-year letterman for head coach Greg Koeller
- Graduating magna cum laude, Nicholson earned the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish
- Previously attended Bradley University where he was a member of the soccer program for two seasons
- Named Honorable Mention for the MVC's Defensive Player of the Week during his two starts
- Played for the club St. Louis Scott Gallagher where he was coached by Denny Marschuetz.
- The son of David and Joyce Nicholson; Has one sibling, Drew – twin brother
- Nicholson will look to pursue a degree in both finance and economics while attending
ROMEO PAPARESTA
- A 6-foot goalkeeper from Bari, Italy
- Attended Liceo Scientifico Scacchi Bari graduating in 2022
- Previously attended Bellevue University for one year, was the starting goalkeeper for the Bruins
- Omaha World-Herald Honorable Mention NAIA/D3 All-Midlands Team
- CAC Tournament, All-Tournament Team, Second team all-CAC
- CAC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 10)
- Started all 19 games in which he appeared
- Posted a 6-9-3 record in net despite a terrific 1.06 goals against average and .775 save percentage
- Finished the year with 69 saves in almost 1700 minutes of action
- Registered six shutouts while combining on two others
- Son of Gianluca Paparesta and Marcietta Pomes
- Father and grandfather were each international soccer referees with his father officiating Italian first division and Champions League matches.
- Will look to complete his degree in business administration while attending Northern Kentucky University
JASON PURKS
- A 5-foot-8 winger from Oakwood, Ohio
- Attended Oakwood High School where he graduated in 2023
- SWBL Player of the Year, District Player of the Year, Section Player of the Year
- Ohio First Team selection, All-Region and All-American selection
- Previously played for the club Cincinnati United Premier where he was coached by NKU's own Erdi Engin
- Son of Susan and Jeff Purks; Has two siblings Anna and Sidney
- Will look to pursue a degree in business while attending Northern Kentucky University
JT RODEN
- A 5-foot-8 winger/forward from St. Leon, Indiana
- Attended East Central High School
- Dearborn Country Newcomer of the Year
- Three-Time EIAC All-Conference, Four-Time All-Dearborn County, Two-Time Dearborn Country Offensive Player of the Year, Two-Time EIAC Offensive MVP, Two-Time First-Team All-District,
- 2021 2nd Team All-State, 2022 1st Team All-State, 2022 United Soccer Coaches Great Lakes All-Region, Indy Star Top 10 POTY Nomination.
- Assist Record and All Time Points Record East Central High School (199)
- 2 Year Team Captain (2021, 2022)
- Played for Cincinnati United Premier
- Son of Jennifer and Justin Roden: Has one sibling Hailey
- Mother Jennifer played soccer at Mount St. Joseph
- Father Justin played football at Mount St. Joseph
- Will look to pursue a degree in business while attending Northern Kentucky University
TREY SHAW
- A 5-foot-11 left back from Cherry Hill, New Jersey
- Attended Cherry Hill East High School
- Was named to Olympic Conference All-Conference team, All-South Jersey and All-State teams
- Also competed for the Track & Field program
- Most recently played for Real Central from Ewing, New Jersey, and was coached by Ira Jersey
- Son of Alison Weinroth and Kevin Shaw; Has one sibling, Kasey
- Will look to pursue a degree in cybersecurity while attending Northern Kentucky University
NICO STODDART
- A 6-foot-1 forward from Brampton, Ontario, Canada
- Attended David Suzuki S.S, graduating in 2020
- Was named Most Valuable Player as a member of the soccer program
- Previously played for both Coffeyville Community College and St. Francis
- Started all 16 matches for the Red Flash
- Collected three goals and two assists on the season
- Named NEC Player of the Week for his contributions in the team's victories against Bucknell (9/14) and Longwood (9/17)
- Played at Coffeyville Community College for two years
- Named KJCCC Second-Team All-Conference
- Recorded 13 starts, 11 goals and seven assists
- Son of Kerith Stoddart and Nicole Wright
- Will look to complete his degree in marketing while attending Northern Kentucky University
RASHAD SUHAIBA
- A 5-foot-8 wing-back from Pickerington, Ohio
- Attended Pickerington Central High School
- Recently played for the Crew Academy
- Was named MLS Next Team of the Tournament – 2022
- Son of Hawabu and Zuneidu Suhaiba; Has two siblings Aisha and Salma
- Will look to pursue his degree in sports science while attending Northern Kentucky University
JACOB HASKINS
- A 6-foot-0 defender from Cincinnati, Ohio where he attended Milford High School
- Haskins joins NKU from fellow Horizon League member Robert Morris University
- 2022 (Sophomore): Appeared in 16 games, with four starts as a defender for the Colonials Ended the season with one shot and one shot on goal
- Placed a shot on goal at VMI Finished the season with 750 minutes played for RMU
- Helped the Colonials finish second in the conference in goals against average (1.07)
- 2021 (Freshman): Made 17 appearances, including 16 starts for RMU
- Made his collegiate debut and first career start against West Virginia
- Ended the year with three total shots, including two coming on goal
- Fired shots on goal against Oakland and Green Bay
- Led the team in minutes played
- Played 90+ minutes in 12 contests for the Colonials
- Son of Rob and Carri Haskins; Has one sibling Nicklaus
- Will look to pursue his degree in accounting while attending Northern Kentucky University
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