Kull welcome transfer heavy, first recruiting class for the Aggies

Goodwell,Okla-The OPSU Men's Soccer Program will welcome 12 new Aggies as they open their preseason camp starting next week. This will be Head Coach Garrett Kull's first recruiting class after assuming the position late last July. What is unique about this class is it will feature 11 newcomers who have previous experience at the NAIA or junior college level and one freshman.

"We really felt to be able to compete in Sooner Athletic Conference that we needed to get more experience on the field. We targeted a group that we felt could complement our returners and provide us with some depth in key areas. It's an exciting group that earned a lot of accolades at their previous institutions. That makes us feel we can accomplish special things this fall."

OPSU will return nine players from the squad last season including minutes leader Marko Madaras and captain Mauricio De Santiago which started last season 4-1-1 before injuries slowed the Aggies' momentum in conference play. The Aggies have also added two walk-ons who were with the team last spring. Kull hopes to continue to foster these opportunities this fall for those who were overlooked in the recruiting process.

"The group we have coming back is rich with experience. We're returning a lot of minutes, assists, points, shots, and most importantly leadership. This group was so close in a lot of games last year and have returned with a real hunger to exceed expectations. Their ability to lead this group will be a defining factor for our season this fall since they already have a lot of the knowledge needed to excel on and off the field here at OPSU."

The Aggies will again feature a unique group of nationalities with players coming from Africa, South America, Central America, the Middle East, and various parts of Europe. Domestically, OPSU will include two native Oklahomans and a player from Colorado. Kull spoke to the challenge of uniting such a diverse group.

"It's a really rewarding aspect of this position to see so many different nationalities in one locker room come together. Our biggest goal is to bring this team together in the first couple of weeks. While this group comes from many different backgrounds, we feel we've recruited similar student-athletes that want to build a competitive and inclusive environment so we can achieve our goals together this fall."

Kull also praised the hard work of assistant coach Malik Mohammed who returns for his third season. Mohammed worked with an offense last year that produced 10.5 shots per game and a goal a game average. Last winter, Kull turned to Mohammed to be the program's recruiting coordinator and implement Kull's recruiting strategy.

"Malik is a hard worker and has a great eye for talent. He developed a lot of key relationships and really bought into the ideas and vision for the OPSU program", said Kull. "His experience and commitment to the program made the decision easy to have him spearhead our recruitment process. It's been rewarding to watch him grow into the role and consult with him on different strategies."

The Aggies will welcome Northern Oklahoma College Enid on August 14 and Seward Community College on August 17 for two preseason scrimmages. Admission is free and open to the public.