FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern men's soccer head coach Matt Watts is thrilled to announce the addition of 11 newcomers that will joining the team for the upcoming 2017 season. The list of new players are detailed below:
 
Youssef Abougendia
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Position: Forward
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175
Previous School: Upper Iowa University

Watts on Youssef: "Youssef is a transfer from Upper Iowa University. He is a local lad who wanted to get back closer to home. He came in for a tryout and impressed me with his work ethic, pace and technical ability. Youssef will continue to learn from the older, experienced forwards around him, and I fully expect him to have an impact of some sort in his first season as a Shark."

OT Bah
Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 153
Previous School: Tennessee Wesleyan
 
Watts on OT: "We have known about OT for a while, and I have always admired the way that he plays. He played against my former Alabama-Huntsville team when he was at Tennessee Wesleyan and tormented us every time. He has a fantastic left foot and his vision is exciting. He is strong, experienced, and I am very excited to see OT play in the competitive SSC. I expect him to make an immediate impact."
 
Arns Carrenard
Hometown: Carrefour, Haiti
Position: Defender
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 174
Previous School: Florida Memorial

Watts on Arns: "Arns is a transfer from Florida Memorial University who I have seen play several times. He is an experienced player who will provide exceptional quality going forward and help bolster our defense. His athleticism and leadership will serve our team well. He is very determined to be successful and we love how much he wants to win championships. This is certainly a quality I think will rub off on to the rest of the team."

Zach Chisholm
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 145
Previous School: West Broward High School

Watts on Zach: "Zach is a player Coach Moore and I have seen play several times locally, as well as seeing him at our Elite Camp. He impressed us with his technical ability and his soccer IQ. Zach is certainly someone we feel will come in and compete for time. He is a player for the future of the NSU soccer program and I think he will learn a lot from the seniors in front of him. With his work ethic and determination, I believe he will push himself into the mix."

Lucas Dessoliers
Hometown: Graignes-Mesnil-Angot, France
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 153
Previous School: Lycee Polyvalent Chevrollier

Watts on Lucas: "Lucas is a defensive center midfielder from France. He comes highly recommended and we are thrilled to still get him to NSU even late in the recruiting process. I believe his understanding of the game and soccer IQ will be the biggest asset to our team. His movement is very good also. If we can increase his athleticism and strength, he will make an impact for us in the future."
 
Jake Geyer
Hometown: Titusville, Fla.
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 165
Previous School: Titusville High School

Watts on Jake: "Jake is a player I first saw in the 2016 Florida State Cup, where his club team won the state championship. His work ethic and energy in the middle of the pitch makes him a tough competitor, and are certainly qualities we look for when recruiting. He has quality on the ball, and improvements with his athleticism will help him push for more playing time."

Ignacio Goya
Hometown: Palma Mallorca, Spain
Position: Forward
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 154
Previous School: Monroe College

Watts on Ignacio: "Ignacio is a player Coach Moore and I have seen play at Monroe CC in New York and at the Junior College National Championship in Texas. We were both impressed each time we saw him play. He has great movement, a good soccer IQ and can play in tight spaces. He loves to drop deep to receive the ball and assist other players, which is rare in a forward. I am excited to see Ignacio's transition into the SSC."

Oliver Karlsson
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Position: Defender
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 172
Previous School: University of Bridgeport

Watts on Oliver: "Oliver is a Swedish transfer from the University of Bridgeport. He is a natural left-footed defender who will add quality to the left side of our backline. He likes to attack and get forward, which suits our style of play. He is comfortable on the ball and is a good 1v1 defender. I expect Oliver to come in and make an impact right away."
 
Darwin Lom
Hometown: Guastatoya, Guatemala
Position: Forward
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190
Previous School: Shorter

Watts on Darwin: "Darwin comes to us as a transfer from Shorter University. He was the joint top goal scorer in the Gulf South Conference in 2016, which I know is a very good level. Over the last two years, he has scored 18 goals in 34 appearances and I fully expect him to continue this quality in front of goal with us. He is powerful, quick and can be dangerous going at defenders. Darwin will definitely add some quality going forward and experience to our team." 

Nathanael Washington
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.
Position: Forward
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 160
Previous School: Shoreland High School
 
Watts on Nathanael: Nate, or "Squeaky" as he likes to be called, came to an ID Camp of ours last summer. At the time, we didn't feel he was quite ready and he wanted to try out in the spring of 2017. He came out and did great, and has a fantastic attitude. He improved dramatically in the spring and even got some minutes playing at center midfield and right back. He is versatile, comfortable in possession and a great team player. He is involved in various things around campus and we are excited to have him represent this program."
 
Andre Zabala
Hometown: Doral, Fla.
Position: Defender
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 160
Previous School: Doral Academy Preparatory School

Watts on Andre: "I saw Andre play at Doral Academy and for his club team, Real Miami FC. He comes from a good background of teams that play a similar style to us. I immediately liked his athleticism as a defender and his ability to organize the backline. He was fantastic at a tryout with our team and fit in very well. He can play one or two -ouch out of the back, which is a quality we look for in our system."
 
To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the season, follow along on Twitter @NSU_MSoccer.