Of the 13, six are transfers and seven are freshmen. The transfers are Gilles Aurelien, Manuel Cordeiro, Jacob Deng, Solely Diouf, Nate Kovalcik, and Austin Valdez. The incoming freshmen are Tyson Carter, Isaac Emojong, Ariel Martinez, Jackson Medina, Naime Odeh, Owen Pereira, and Sharif Sayawu.

Aurelien, a junior midfielder from Bracknell, England, played last season at Salt Lake CC, where he helped lead the Bruins to a Region 18 title and a fifth-straight NJCAA national semifinal berth, posting four goals and five assists in 10 games played. Prior to SLCC, Aurelien played one season at Otero College, where he played under UVU assistant Ty O’Connor.

Cordeiro, a junior midfielder from Serra Del Rei, Portugal, spent the last two seasons at Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York. Cordeiro helped lead the Mustangs to back-to-back NJCAA national titles, and was named first team All-American following the 2023 season.

Deng, a redshirt junior defender from Juba, South Sudan, joins the program after spending the last three seasons as a practice player in the Central Arkansas and Gardner-Webb programs. Deng prepped at Justice HS in Falls Church, Virginia, and played his club soccer at the Villarreal Virginia Academy, which is partnered with La Liga club Villarreal CF.

Diouf, a senior forward from Thies, Senegal, spent the 2023 season at George Mason of the Atlantic 10 conference, picking up five goals and three assists in 15 games played. Prior to GM, Diouf spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Otero College, the latter of which he played under O’Connor. Diouf scored 10 goals and added six assists that season.

Kovalcik, a senior defender from Redlands, Calif., comes to UVU after spending the last two years at D-II Biola University. Kovalcik appeared in 26 games with 19 starts, contributing a goal and two assists in 1,773 minutes of action. Kovalcik helped lead Biola to its first PacWest title in program history in 2022.

Valdez, a redshirt sophomore goalkeeper from Seattle, Wash., spent the last two years at Denver, where he did not see any action. Valdez played his club soccer for the Barca Residency and Seattle Sounders academies, and participated in the MLS Next Cup with the Barca academy.

Carter, a forward from Saratoga Springs, Utah, prepped at Cedar Valley HS and the RSL Academy in Herriman. Carter was a two-time 5A All-State honoree, leading the classification in goals in both years. Carter made his professional debut with the Real Monarchs.

Emojong, a midfielder from Davis, Calif., prepped at the ASU Prep Academy and played his club soccer for Sacramento United and USL side Sacramento Republic FC.

Martinez, a goalkeeper from Santa Ana, Calif., prepped at Hunter HS in West Valley, Utah. At Hunter, Martinez earned 5A first team All-State honors, and set school records in shutouts and assists by a goalkeeper. Martinez played his club soccer for the Utah Redwolves.

Medina, a goalkeeper from Heber City, Utah, prepped at Wasatch HS, where he helped lead the Wasps to three state titles in four years. Medina was twice named goalkeeper of the year, and was named to the Utah Best XI following his senior season. Medina finished his HS career ranking second in the Utah record books for most career clean sheets.

Odeh, a midfielder from West Haven, Utah, prepped at Fremont HS, where he scored 17 goals and added 18 assists in 17 games played. Odeh was named All-Area MVP, first team All-State, and to the Deseret News Best XI. Odeh played his club soccer for La Roca, with whom he won the 2022 Dallas Cup.

Pereira, a midfielder from St. Louis, Missouri, prepped at Marquette HS, where he played just his freshman year. Pereira played his final three HS seasons on the MLS Next circuit with Scott Gallagher (2021-23) and Lou Fusz (2023-24). Pereira was selected to play in the MLS Next “Best Of” match last December.

Sayawu, a forward from Agona Duakwa, Ghana, prepped at Odupong Senior HS and played his club soccer at the Phoenix Academy, which has produced numerous MLS, USL, and NCAA Division I athletes since its inception in 2018. Sayawu was his team’s top goal scorer in 2023 with 15, and was named the Phoenix Academy Showcase’s best player in 2024.

Utah Valley opens the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 22 at Sacramento State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Webber makes Top Drawer list

Utah Valley University senior forward Faith Webber continues to earn national recognition, as she was ranked No. 36 on the prestigious Top Drawer Soccer Top-100 List, released on Tuesday. This ranking further solidifies Webber’s status as one of the premier players in college soccer heading into her final season with the Wolverines.

Webber, who has already made an impact this season by scoring the game-winning goal in UVU’s 2-0 exhibition victory over No. 3 ranked BYU, is coming off a record-breaking junior year in which she tied for fifth in the nation with 16 goals. She also broke her own UVU single-season goal record and earned a host of accolades, including First Team All-WAC and All-District honors. Recently named the WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Webber is poised to make her senior season one for the record books.

Webber’s ranking at No. 36 places her among the elite in college soccer, underscoring her remarkable contributions on the field and her potential to continue excelling at the highest level. With just 10 goals needed to tie the all-time UVU goals record and 34 points to match the career points record, Webber is poised to leave an indelible mark on the program.

The Wolverines prepare to officially open their season in Webber’s home state of Michigan, with matches at the University of Michigan on Aug. 15 and at Detroit Mercy on Aug. 18. The game at Michigan will be broadcast live on the B1G+, while the game at Detroit Mercy will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Huddleston finishes experience at US Amateur

CHASKA, Minn. -Utah Valley golfer Dane Huddleston completed his run at the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship, finishing in a tie for 86th place after two rounds of stroke play. Huddleston posted a two-round total of 2-over-par 144 (74-70), narrowly missing the cut for the round of 64.Huddleston began the championship with a 2-over-par 74 at Hazeltine National Golf Club, followed by an impressive even par 70 at Chaska Town Course. Despite the strong second round, Huddleston did not advance to the match-play portion of the tournament.

“Dane showed great resilience and composure throughout the championship,” said Utah Valley head coach Chris Curran. “Competing at this level is an invaluable experience, and I’m proud of how he represented our program. His performance this summer has been outstanding, and I know this will fuel him for the upcoming season.”Huddleston’s appearance at the U.S. Amateur Championship capped off a remarkable summer, highlighted by his victory at the 103rd Washington Men’s Amateur Championship, which secured his spot in the prestigious U.S. Amateur field.

With his summer competitions now concluded, Huddleston will return to Utah Valley, where he will begin his sophomore season with the Wolverines. The First Team All-WAC golfer will bring with him the experience and lessons learned from competing at the highest level of amateur golf, which will undoubtedly contribute to his continued success with the team.The U.S. Amateur Championship, one of the most celebrated tournaments in amateur golf, took place at Hazeltine National Golf Club and Chaska Town Course, both located in Chaska, Minnesota.