SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford men's soccer coach Ralph Polson announced the signing of eight players to national letters of intent or letters of commitment on Wednesday. The Terriers have added one forward, three midfielders, two defenders, and two goalkeepers.
 
"While we lost an outstanding group with this year's seniors, we are excited about the 2017 recruiting class," Polson said. "This group brings a wealth of talent and experience to our program, possessing skill, athleticism, and a competitive attitude that will help us to compete for a Southern Conference Championship in 2017. Additionally, these young men are outstanding students. They boast an average GPA of 4.16 and an ACT score of 29. They are certain to make a strong impact on and off field during their careers. We are excited to have them join the Wofford Soccer family."
 
2017 Signees at a Glance…
 
Zach Aversano, Midfielder, Mount Pleasant, S.C. Developed during his early years with the SC Battery Development Academy program until he switched to USA Mount Pleasant and Coach Shiloh Tisdale.. Invited to the US National Training Camp on two separate occasions.  Selected to the All Region and SC AAAA All State teams while playing at Wando High School…  Named to Topdrawersoccer.com's All-State and All-Southeast Region Team.
 
Polson on Aversano – "We are thrilled that Zach is a Terrier. He is one of the most talented and passionate players on our squad. He will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact."
 


 
Sam Friedrich, Defender, Mount Pleasant, S.C.   Appeared as both a center back and a defensive midfielder for Bishop England High School. Since being voted captain of his high school team in 2015, has been named to the All-Region and All-State teams three times and the team MVP in 2015 and 2016, and led Bishop England to a 2A High School State Championship in 2016…  Selected to the Generation Adidas International team sponsored by Real Madrid…  Played on the Southeast Region Futsal team in 2015 following his performance at the US National Futsal ID Camp.
 
Polson on Friedrich – "Sam is clearly one of the most versatile players on our team. He has a tremendous upside. We believe he has a very bright future at Wofford."
 
 


Ethan Marshall, Goalkeeper, James Island, S.C. 4 year letter winner in soccer at James Island Charter High School… Started since his freshman year… Recorded a 1.1 goals against average and allowed just 48 goals in 44 games, tallying 157 saves… While playing for coach Shiloh Tisdale at USA-Mt. Pleasant, Marshall's club team finished 15-2, good for a runner-up finish in South Carolina...  Member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society… Volunteers as a coach in the local micro-soccer league.
 
Polson on Marshall – "We're happy to have Ethan as a Terrier. He will add depth and experience to our goalkeeping corps next fall."
 
 

Daniel Mayorga, Midfielder, Doral, Fla.  Prolific goal scorer out of the midfield position…  Named All-Dade County Offensive Player of the Year and to the All-Dade County First Team following his junior season… Played for Coach Michael Steward at Christopher Columbus High School…   Played for Pinecrest Premier SC in the Florida State Premier League, winning the league championship once and finishing second on two other occasions.
 
Polson on Mayorga – "Daniel is a #10. We are excited about his ability to control the midfield and maintaining possession while connecting passes with his teammates. He also has a knack for scoring goals, too. We are very excited Daniel is coming to Wofford College."
 
 
 

Gabriel Mesa, Forward, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.  Played the past several seasons with Boca United in the US Soccer Developmental Academy and is finishing his senior season as a member of the St. Thomas Aquinas High School while serving as the team's captain…  Before moving to South Florida, Mesa was the captain of Gainesville Soccer Alliance, where Brian Giunta coached him...  Consistently ranked among the top goal scorers for both his club and high school teams.  
 
Polson on Mesa – Gabe is a goal scorer. We believe he can continue his goal scoring ways at the next level. We fully expect him to contend for playing time early on."
 
 


Dean Sinatra, Defender, Greenville, S.C. Played for both Carolina Elite Soccer Academy Premier and J.L. Mann High School…  With CESA, Sinatra played a vital part in five state championships, a Southeast Regional Championship, and participated in the USYSA National Championships under Coach Nick Finotti...  Helped lead J.L. Mann to the SC AAAA State Championship in 2015.
 
Polson on Sinatra – "Dean is a solid player. He is tenacious defender with the ability to defend 1v1. He will be a solid asset to our program and could battle for playing time early in his career."
 



 
Grant Wollam, Goalkeeper, Leesburg, Ga.  Five-year letter winner at Deerfield Windsor School…  Named All-Region four years and All-State three years… Voted captain of the team his junior year and helped lead them to the Region Championship 3 years in a row... Playing for United Futbol Academy under the direction of Lee Blenman, Wollam recorded the lowest goals against average of any goalkeeper in the state his junior and senior seasons… Member of the Beta Club, the Science Club, and the Key Club.
 
Polson on Wollam – "Grant is an outstanding student-athlete that possesses skill, confidence, and athleticism. He is an outstanding shot stopper and brings experience that should allow him to compete for playing time."
 



Eduardo Velazco, Midfielder from Coral Gables, Fla.  Major contributor for Coach Michael Stewart's Christopher Columbus High School team that won the Florida State Championship in 2014...  Named to the All-Dade County team following his junior season while playing as a midfielder and as a defender… Played for Pinecrest Premier SC in the Florida State Premier League, where his team has made it to the state semi-finals and finals the past 4 years.
 
Polson on Velazco – "Eddie is a versatile player with a wealth of talent. His versatility will allow him to compete for in a number of positions. We fully expect him to contend for playing time early on. We are very happy Eddie is coming to Wofford College."
 

The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to Wofford College and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center.