https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2021/8/9...eason.aspx
Just prior to the start of a highly anticipated 2021 season, Charlotte men's soccer head coach Kevin Langan has announced the completion of the 2021 signing class.
The class features six incoming freshman and a transfer from a major conference, in-state foe in Wake Forest.
Koby Carr | San Antonio, Texas | The Woodlands High School | Wake Forest
"Koby is a very technical and sharp player who is excellent off the dribble in attacking areas. He transfers to us with great college experience. His natural playing style will be a great fit here at Charlotte."
Koby Carr comes to Charlotte following three seasons in Winston-Salem with Wake Forest. With a potential for a free year due to COVID, Carr will have up to three years of eligibility remaining in his collegiate career.
At Wake, Carr saw action in 17 games, while scoring a goal in his first college game against Davidson on Sept. 25, 2018. Following his freshman campaign in 2018, the San Antonio, Texas native was named the 71st-best freshman in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Luke Husakiwsky | Davidson, N.C. | Barcelona Academy (Arizona)
"Luke is a wonderful passing midfielder who is very composed in possession. He has a great attitude to learn and develop and we are looking forward to watching him flourish in our program."
A midfielder from nearby Davidson, Luke Husakiwsky comes to the 49ers after spending the last three years in Arizona playing for the Barcelona Academy. In the last year leading up to his move to Charlotte, Husakiwsky captained the academy's U19 side.
Lasse Laursen | Silkeborg, Denmark | Silkeborg IF Academy
"Bak (Lasse) is a dominant defender who is very strong in 1v1 duels. In possession he has an excellent passing range to build attacks. He has a great attitude to compete and fight for his team."
Lasse Laursen arrives in the Queen City from Silkeborg, Denmark. A member of the Silkeborg IF youth academy since he was 10, Laursen mainly played along the club's back line earning second place finishes in both the Danish youth league and cup competitions at the U17 level.
JP Mbuthia | Mooresville, N.C. | Community School of Davidson | Charlotte Independence Pro Academy
"JP is a very quick forward who is a very good finisher in front of goal. He loves to stretch defenders by making runs in behind and is very good at attacking crosses. He has a great attitude to train well and develop."
JP Mbuthia stays in state and joins the 49ers following a successful youth career with the Charlotte Independence Pro Academy. In each of his four years in high school, Mbuthia played at the national level and won the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Boys National Championship during his senior year.
Alessandro Negri | Milan, Italy | AC Milan Academy
"Ale has a very high soccer IQ and can play in several positions. He is very comfortable in possession. He had an incredibly successful youth career and we are excited to watch him bring his experience, knowledge and maturity to Charlotte."
Alessandro Negri comes to Charlotte as another of three defenders in his class, manning the back line for AC Milan's youth academy for over 11 years. His time in Milan is highlighted by his 35 appearances at the U20 level, while playing games in both the third and fourth tiers of Italian soccer.
Negri also spent time training in the last year with AC Milan's First Team, practicing against the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gonzalo Higuain and Leonardo Bonucci.
Ian Pilcher | Charlotte, N.C. | Ardrey Kell High School | Charlotte Soccer Academy
"Ian is a very composed defender who reads the game well. He is accomplished in possession and is very good at picking his passes. We are very excited to watch his development with us and believe he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Pat Hogan."
Ian Pilcher is a big defender who manned the back line for the Charlotte Soccer academy during his high school years. During his final two years with CSA, Pilcher was club's captain and led the squad to the second fewest goals conceded in the state.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Pilcher has spent half his life living just outside the Queen City, arriving on campus as a local product.
Callum Watts | Yeovil, England | Southampton FC Academy
"Callum is a technical, busy midfielder who loves to get on the ball. He has a great engine and is very good at arriving in the box late to score. He is another who had a great youth career so we are excited to watch how he transitions into college soccer."
Callum Watts, a crafty midfielder from Yeovil, England arrives at Charlotte as a product of the Southampton FC Academy, representing the Saints from U8 through the U23 level.
The highlight of Watts' youth career according to him was his goal for Wales on his international debut for the Wales U16's against Germany.
The seven signees and the rest of the 49ers roster will suit up for the first time together in an exhibition match against Virginia Tech on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET in Blacksburg.
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