Valparaiso University men’s soccer head coach, Mike Avery, and his staff, announced on Friday five very promising additions to an exciting 2015 recruiting class. All five newcomers will look to make an immediate contribution and bring a wealth of experience and individual accolades to an already promising 2015 roster.

Full name: Kevin Fallet

Hometown: Takoma Park, Md.

Position: D/MF

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 205 lbs.

Previous School: High Point University/Montgomery HS

Club Team: Bethesda S.C.

Avery on Fallet: “Kevin is a tremendous addition to our group and has the combination of experience, talent, and physical qualities that suggest he will play a big role for us in 2015. Kevin reminds me of former Valpo player Stefan Antonijevic. Stef was the Horizon League Defender of the Year, and MLS draft pick, and currently is having a tremendous season as a professional player with the Tampa Bay rowdies of the NASL.  Kevin has a big frame and a big presence, but also has great feet and is a technical player. He can play in the back or sit deep in the midfield, and I really believe he has pro potential as a player. Growing up in the Ivory Coast, Kevin represented his country as a youth national team player, before moving to the DC area for high school. He has two seasons of college soccer under his belt with High Point University, which is always a talented group, and Kevin is spending another summer with the u23 team of DC United. I know he will come in ready to go, and I can’t wait for him to get here and join us. Kevin is a great fit for Valparaiso, and we could sense that within minutes of him arriving on his visit.”

Full name: Franklin Kirui

Hometown: Copley, Ohio

Position: F

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 140 lbs.

Previous School: Copley HS

Club Team: Internationals SC USSDA

Avery on Kirui: “We have seen Franklin off and on over the past few years with his Cleveland Internationals academy side, and had the opportunity to get a good late look at him up close at our spring break VIP camp.  Obviously, we liked what we saw. Franklin is a dynamic, technical, attacking player with a great left foot.  He can take players off the dribble, and can break down defenses with quality passing. He has good pace to get behind defenses, and has versatility to play as a striker or on either side of the midfield. Franklin has all the tools to be a strong player for us, and we are very excited to see how quickly he adapts to the college game. 

Full name: Jose Nelson Landaverde

Hometown: Springdale, Ark.

Position: MF/F

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 140 lbs.

Previous School: Neosho County Community College/Springdale HS

Club Team: N/A

Avery on Landaverde: “Nelson is another player that joins us as a transfer and has the quality and experience to make a push to play immediately. We have had El Salvadorian players in the past, including graduating senior Diego Calix, and we are excited to keep that connection alive. Nelson was born in Santa Ana, El Salvador and moved to Arkansas before high school. He was the Gatorade State Player of the Year for Springdale HS and a NJCAA All-American at Neosho County Community College. Success has followed Nelson at every step, and we expect that it will continue at Valparaiso. As a player, Nelson reminds me of our current senior-to-be Jacob Gandarilla. He is a tricky attacker that is a lot of fun to watch. At Neosho, Nelson led his team in goals, assists, points, and game winning goals – and was also an academic All-Conference performer. Nelson is the whole package, and has a bright future as a Crusader.”

Full name: Jacob Pesek

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

Position: D/MF

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 170 lbs.

Previous School: Chaminade HS

Club Team: St. Louis Scott Gallagher

Avery on Pesek: “Jake comes to us out of the very strong St. Louis soccer region. In terms of US youth soccer, coming from Chaminade High School and the St. Louis Scott Gallagher club is about as strong of a resume as a player can have. Those are two traditional brand names in soccer that have produced many great players over the years, and Jake is another. At Chaminade Jake was named to the 2014 NSCAA Fall High School All American team as a midfield player. We saw Jake at our winter VIP camp and like the versatility he has. Jake could play in a central midfield role but also looks like he could have a bright future as a center back. We require our backs to not only defend but to also be able to play and possess the ball, and Jake can do all those things very well.”

Full name: Dan Rosenfeld

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Position: GK

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 180 lbs.

Previous School:N/A

Club Team: Centro Deportivo Israelita Club

Avery on Rosenfeld: “Dan comes to us with a strong goalkeeping background and the potential to develop into another in a long line of great goalkeepers at Valparaiso. Dan is a native of Mexico City, but his soccer talents have led him to some tremendous experiences beyond Mexico. Dan represented Mexico in the Maccabiah Games in Brazil in 2011 and Israel in 2013. Dan has had training stints in Europe with youth academies of FC Brugge in Belgium and Manchester City in England, on top of spending time at home in Mexico with Pumas and Club America. Dan’s desire to attend university in the U.S. has led him to Valparaiso, and we think he will be a strong addition to a talented pool of goalkeepers. We had Dan and his parents on campus this past spring, and there is no doubt we have found another young man that fits the culture of our team.”