Northwestern University Athletics
Lenahan Welcomes 2020 Recruiting Class
5/1/2020 8:44:00 AM | Men's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. - Head Coach Tim Lenahan announced the 2020 recruiting class on Monday afternoon. The seven-man class is set to compete with the Wildcats this fall.
"With a large number of our players returning next year and after a 4th place finish in the Big Ten, we wanted to focus on adding both veteran players to hit the ground running and talented younger players to be the next generation of great players at Northwestern," said Lenahan. "We were able to add three graduate transfers, all from successful programs with NCAA experience: Spencer Farina, Nate Hall, and Ethan Bandre. Rom Brown comes to us from Israel after serving three years in the military and is a mature presence. Tej Bandahri, Joey Arena, and Tyler Warren, are three players with great attitudes, great engines, and tremendous upsides. All seven players fill a need and we are very excited about them becoming Wildcats as we look to return to the top of the Big Ten and the NCAA Tournament."
Info on incoming class is below
________________________________________________
Joseph Arena
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 170
Position: M
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Holmdel, NJ
High school: Holmdel/Berkshire (Prep)
High School: Started varsity all four years for Holmdel High School, named captain Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year. 2015 - NJ State Sectional Champion. 2017-Group II NJ State Champions, NJ A-Central Champions, Shore Conference Champions. 2018 - Group II NJ State Champions, NJ A-Central Champion. 1st Team All-State NJ, 2018 Central Jersey Sectional Player of the Year, 2018 USC All-American. 2019 - Post Graduate year at Berkshire School; named captain.
Club: Played U-14 Academy for Cedar Stars Academy team. Played club soccer for NJX Madrid... started at CM. Won U-18 NJ State Cup... named captain. Team ranked 1st in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Son of Santo Sr. and Nancy Arena... 2 sisters; Antonia and Felicia. 1 brother; Santo, plays D1 soccer at Monmouth University with along with his cousin Anthony. . His High School Coach, John NiCarlo, played for Coach Lenahan as a member of the Stockton Soccer Team in 1990. Attended Prep School at Berkshire, alma mater of teammates Deng Deng Kur and Ugo Achara.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Joey came to our attention when his high school coach, John Nacarlo, contacted me. Coach Nacarlo had played for me at Stockton and felt he'd be a great fit for Northwestern. Joe is a winner, a dogged and determined midfielder with a special personality. His is high engine, work ethic and drive will serve him well as he develops into a key player at Northwestern and the Big Ten.
Ethan Bandre
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Position: GK
Class: Grad-Student (Pacific)
Hometown: Salina, Kansas
High School: Salina South
At Pacific: Completed his undergrad at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. After red-shirting the 2017 season, appeared in 8 games in 2018, including two in Pacific's 3rd straight appearance in the National Tournament. Held a GAA of 0.92 in 2018 with 684 minutes in goal. Started 15 matches in 2019 for the Tigers and was named WCC All-Academic First Team.
High School: Attended Salina High School South, winning the 5A state championship in 2015. Was a 3 time KHSSCA first team all-state honoree as well as a 2 time state goalkeeper of the year. Was also league MVP in 2016.
Club: Played for Kansas Rush Academy under head coach Daouda Kante, winning 3 state championships in a row with the club.
Personal: Parents are Mark and Trish Bandré…1 brother; Mason (Graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas/ University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA). Attended undergrad at University of the Pacific, earning a degree in Health, Exercise, and Sports Science in 2020.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Ethan comes to us as an experienced Goalkeeper with NCAA Tournament Experience. He is an excellent shot stopper with great leadership qualities. He is a rare graduate student who will have two years experience having graduated in three years at Pacific. His ability and character will make him a key member of the team immediately.
Tej Bhandari
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Position: D
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
High school: Port Credit Secondary School / St. Martin Secondary School
High School: Started varsity at St. Martin Secondary Regional Sports School. Undefeated tournament winners 2019. ROPSSA Regional Senior Boys Champions, OFFSA Provincial Senior Boys Soccer AAA Champions.
Club: Played club soccer for Erin Mills Eagles… started at CB…winner 2019 EDP Tournament qualifier Canada and undefeated at Sigma Showcase. Team ranked 5th in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Parents are Sunil Bhandari and Laurie Plater… 2 sisters; Chloe (graduated from University of Waterloo / York University… employed: St. Joseph's Hospital) and Clarke (graduated from McMaster University / London School of Economics, UK… employed: Clinton Health Access Initiative, U.S.)
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Tej really caught our eye at the Sigma Showcase in Canada in December. His size, athleticism and toughness stood out. Tej has a great fluidity in the way he runs and in his game, which isn't always common of someone his size. Tej has the potential to become great defender in the Big Ten.
Rom Brown
Height: 6-2
Weight: 165
Position: M
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Hod Hasharon, Israel
High school: Mosinzon High School
High School: Played varsity at Mosinzon High School
Club: Played club soccer for F.C Dallas and TFC at U11 and U12. Played for F.C Hod Hasharon (2010-2020), team captain of the U19 and captain of semi pro senior team of F.C Hod Hasharon
Personal: Served at the Israeli Army Force for 3 years. Parents are Ronni and Ronit Brown… His older brother plays pro at D2 in Israel for Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem, younger brother plays for Hapoel Kfar Saba U17 team
Coach Lenahan Comments: Rom is a very mature player with a perfect mentality to play in the Defensive Center Midfielder. His experience in the Israeli Military provides an experience that very few college players have entering their first year of school. Rom is a high possession player with great defensive instincts and strong leadership qualities. We expect him to make an immediate impact.
Spencer Farina
Height: 6-3
Weight: 1185
Position: D
Class: Grad Student (Notre Dame)
Hometown: Wilmette, IL
High school: New Trier
At Notre Dame: Appeared in 18 games including 9 starts helping to lead the Irish to three NCAA Appearances and an Elite Eight Appearance in 2018..
High School. Played two years of varsity soccer at New Trier before making the switch to the academy with the Chicago Magic.
Club: Won USYS national championship in 2015 with the Magic. Played on Magic team with Northwestern teammate Miha Miskovic
Personal: Parents are Julie and David Farina. Two sisters, Allie (26) and Sophia (11) and three brothers Jeffrey (24), Joseph (20), and Kevin (14). Majored in Finance at Notre Dame with a minor in Entrepreneurship and is in the Masters of Data Science (MSDS) at Northwestern.
Coach Lenahan Comments: I've known Spencer and his family for many years as he came to our camps when he was younger living just around the corner in Wilmette, IL. Spencer brings great size and steadiness to the outside back position. He is a veteran player who survived ACC battles while at Notre Dame. With great work ethic and character, he will be looked upon to supply immediate leadership to the Wildcats in his year with the program. We were already to see that this winter as he trained and played with Northwestern.
Nate Hall
Height: 5-4
Weight: 138
Position: F
Class: Grad Student (Clemson)
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
High school: St. Paul's School/Montverde Academy
At Clemson: Made 14 appearances for the Tigers including scoring a goal and an assist during his time with Clemson leading the nation in scoring with 70 goals total. Helped lead Clemson to two NCAA Tournament appearances including Elite Eight in 2019.
High School: Started Varsity at St. Paul's School in Maryland. MIAA Championship winners in 2013. First team All-State selection, All Metro-Selection, All South Selection 2012-2015. Won 2015 MIAA Track and Field Championships.
Club: Played club soccer for Brandon Quaranta… started at Forward…winner 2013 Regional Championship. Winner of 2015 Disney Showcase. Won the Disney International Cup against the U-19 Panama Team with ASA Blackhawks. Team ranked in top 10 in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Parents are Claf and Joanne Hall… 1 brother; Spencer (Sophomore at Franklin and Marshall / Lancaster, PA).1 sister; Jennifer (Senior at University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, VA). Played four years at Clemson University and graduated with a degree in Sports Communication and a minor in Athletic Leadership.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Nate comes to us after playing soccer with Clemson, a top-5 team with the highest scoring program in the country in 2019. Nate is a spark plug in the attack, very quick, good one vs. one skills and a great engine. We are looking for him to add to our ability to create goals in his one season at Northwestern.
Tyler Warren
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Position: D
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Danbury, CT
High school: Danbury High School
High School: Started varsity all four years at Danbury High School and captained the team as a junior and senior… Earned Conference Player of the Year, All Conference, All State, and All New England honors.
Club: Played club soccer for AC Connecticut… Won the Connecticut state title in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Personal: Parents are Franz and Jennifer Warren… Both parents played Division 1 soccer at Rutgers University… His oldest brother graduated from the University of Connecticut… Has two older twin brothers… One attends the University of Rhode Island and the other attends Rutgers University.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Tyler caught our attention with his raw athleticism, left foot and ability to play left back or left center back. He comes from a great pedigree as both his mother and father were outstanding players at Rutgers – his father, Franz, helping Rutgers to a Final Four and mother, Jen still holds the single season assist record and ranks 2nd all-time. Tyler has a great frame and comes from a pedigree of athletes. He has warrior mentality and of course an always needed dominant left side.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
"With a large number of our players returning next year and after a 4th place finish in the Big Ten, we wanted to focus on adding both veteran players to hit the ground running and talented younger players to be the next generation of great players at Northwestern," said Lenahan. "We were able to add three graduate transfers, all from successful programs with NCAA experience: Spencer Farina, Nate Hall, and Ethan Bandre. Rom Brown comes to us from Israel after serving three years in the military and is a mature presence. Tej Bandahri, Joey Arena, and Tyler Warren, are three players with great attitudes, great engines, and tremendous upsides. All seven players fill a need and we are very excited about them becoming Wildcats as we look to return to the top of the Big Ten and the NCAA Tournament."
Info on incoming class is below
________________________________________________
Joseph Arena
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 170
Position: M
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Holmdel, NJ
High school: Holmdel/Berkshire (Prep)
High School: Started varsity all four years for Holmdel High School, named captain Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year. 2015 - NJ State Sectional Champion. 2017-Group II NJ State Champions, NJ A-Central Champions, Shore Conference Champions. 2018 - Group II NJ State Champions, NJ A-Central Champion. 1st Team All-State NJ, 2018 Central Jersey Sectional Player of the Year, 2018 USC All-American. 2019 - Post Graduate year at Berkshire School; named captain.
Club: Played U-14 Academy for Cedar Stars Academy team. Played club soccer for NJX Madrid... started at CM. Won U-18 NJ State Cup... named captain. Team ranked 1st in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Son of Santo Sr. and Nancy Arena... 2 sisters; Antonia and Felicia. 1 brother; Santo, plays D1 soccer at Monmouth University with along with his cousin Anthony. . His High School Coach, John NiCarlo, played for Coach Lenahan as a member of the Stockton Soccer Team in 1990. Attended Prep School at Berkshire, alma mater of teammates Deng Deng Kur and Ugo Achara.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Joey came to our attention when his high school coach, John Nacarlo, contacted me. Coach Nacarlo had played for me at Stockton and felt he'd be a great fit for Northwestern. Joe is a winner, a dogged and determined midfielder with a special personality. His is high engine, work ethic and drive will serve him well as he develops into a key player at Northwestern and the Big Ten.
Ethan Bandre
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Position: GK
Class: Grad-Student (Pacific)
Hometown: Salina, Kansas
High School: Salina South
At Pacific: Completed his undergrad at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. After red-shirting the 2017 season, appeared in 8 games in 2018, including two in Pacific's 3rd straight appearance in the National Tournament. Held a GAA of 0.92 in 2018 with 684 minutes in goal. Started 15 matches in 2019 for the Tigers and was named WCC All-Academic First Team.
High School: Attended Salina High School South, winning the 5A state championship in 2015. Was a 3 time KHSSCA first team all-state honoree as well as a 2 time state goalkeeper of the year. Was also league MVP in 2016.
Club: Played for Kansas Rush Academy under head coach Daouda Kante, winning 3 state championships in a row with the club.
Personal: Parents are Mark and Trish Bandré…1 brother; Mason (Graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas/ University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA). Attended undergrad at University of the Pacific, earning a degree in Health, Exercise, and Sports Science in 2020.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Ethan comes to us as an experienced Goalkeeper with NCAA Tournament Experience. He is an excellent shot stopper with great leadership qualities. He is a rare graduate student who will have two years experience having graduated in three years at Pacific. His ability and character will make him a key member of the team immediately.
Tej Bhandari
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Position: D
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
High school: Port Credit Secondary School / St. Martin Secondary School
High School: Started varsity at St. Martin Secondary Regional Sports School. Undefeated tournament winners 2019. ROPSSA Regional Senior Boys Champions, OFFSA Provincial Senior Boys Soccer AAA Champions.
Club: Played club soccer for Erin Mills Eagles… started at CB…winner 2019 EDP Tournament qualifier Canada and undefeated at Sigma Showcase. Team ranked 5th in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Parents are Sunil Bhandari and Laurie Plater… 2 sisters; Chloe (graduated from University of Waterloo / York University… employed: St. Joseph's Hospital) and Clarke (graduated from McMaster University / London School of Economics, UK… employed: Clinton Health Access Initiative, U.S.)
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Tej really caught our eye at the Sigma Showcase in Canada in December. His size, athleticism and toughness stood out. Tej has a great fluidity in the way he runs and in his game, which isn't always common of someone his size. Tej has the potential to become great defender in the Big Ten.
Rom Brown
Height: 6-2
Weight: 165
Position: M
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Hod Hasharon, Israel
High school: Mosinzon High School
High School: Played varsity at Mosinzon High School
Club: Played club soccer for F.C Dallas and TFC at U11 and U12. Played for F.C Hod Hasharon (2010-2020), team captain of the U19 and captain of semi pro senior team of F.C Hod Hasharon
Personal: Served at the Israeli Army Force for 3 years. Parents are Ronni and Ronit Brown… His older brother plays pro at D2 in Israel for Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem, younger brother plays for Hapoel Kfar Saba U17 team
Coach Lenahan Comments: Rom is a very mature player with a perfect mentality to play in the Defensive Center Midfielder. His experience in the Israeli Military provides an experience that very few college players have entering their first year of school. Rom is a high possession player with great defensive instincts and strong leadership qualities. We expect him to make an immediate impact.
Spencer Farina
Height: 6-3
Weight: 1185
Position: D
Class: Grad Student (Notre Dame)
Hometown: Wilmette, IL
High school: New Trier
At Notre Dame: Appeared in 18 games including 9 starts helping to lead the Irish to three NCAA Appearances and an Elite Eight Appearance in 2018..
High School. Played two years of varsity soccer at New Trier before making the switch to the academy with the Chicago Magic.
Club: Won USYS national championship in 2015 with the Magic. Played on Magic team with Northwestern teammate Miha Miskovic
Personal: Parents are Julie and David Farina. Two sisters, Allie (26) and Sophia (11) and three brothers Jeffrey (24), Joseph (20), and Kevin (14). Majored in Finance at Notre Dame with a minor in Entrepreneurship and is in the Masters of Data Science (MSDS) at Northwestern.
Coach Lenahan Comments: I've known Spencer and his family for many years as he came to our camps when he was younger living just around the corner in Wilmette, IL. Spencer brings great size and steadiness to the outside back position. He is a veteran player who survived ACC battles while at Notre Dame. With great work ethic and character, he will be looked upon to supply immediate leadership to the Wildcats in his year with the program. We were already to see that this winter as he trained and played with Northwestern.
Nate Hall
Height: 5-4
Weight: 138
Position: F
Class: Grad Student (Clemson)
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
High school: St. Paul's School/Montverde Academy
At Clemson: Made 14 appearances for the Tigers including scoring a goal and an assist during his time with Clemson leading the nation in scoring with 70 goals total. Helped lead Clemson to two NCAA Tournament appearances including Elite Eight in 2019.
High School: Started Varsity at St. Paul's School in Maryland. MIAA Championship winners in 2013. First team All-State selection, All Metro-Selection, All South Selection 2012-2015. Won 2015 MIAA Track and Field Championships.
Club: Played club soccer for Brandon Quaranta… started at Forward…winner 2013 Regional Championship. Winner of 2015 Disney Showcase. Won the Disney International Cup against the U-19 Panama Team with ASA Blackhawks. Team ranked in top 10 in the country by Got Soccer.
Personal: Parents are Claf and Joanne Hall… 1 brother; Spencer (Sophomore at Franklin and Marshall / Lancaster, PA).1 sister; Jennifer (Senior at University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, VA). Played four years at Clemson University and graduated with a degree in Sports Communication and a minor in Athletic Leadership.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Nate comes to us after playing soccer with Clemson, a top-5 team with the highest scoring program in the country in 2019. Nate is a spark plug in the attack, very quick, good one vs. one skills and a great engine. We are looking for him to add to our ability to create goals in his one season at Northwestern.
Tyler Warren
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Position: D
Class: First-Year
Hometown: Danbury, CT
High school: Danbury High School
High School: Started varsity all four years at Danbury High School and captained the team as a junior and senior… Earned Conference Player of the Year, All Conference, All State, and All New England honors.
Club: Played club soccer for AC Connecticut… Won the Connecticut state title in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Personal: Parents are Franz and Jennifer Warren… Both parents played Division 1 soccer at Rutgers University… His oldest brother graduated from the University of Connecticut… Has two older twin brothers… One attends the University of Rhode Island and the other attends Rutgers University.
Coach Lenahan's Comments: Tyler caught our attention with his raw athleticism, left foot and ability to play left back or left center back. He comes from a great pedigree as both his mother and father were outstanding players at Rutgers – his father, Franz, helping Rutgers to a Final Four and mother, Jen still holds the single season assist record and ranks 2nd all-time. Tyler has a great frame and comes from a pedigree of athletes. He has warrior mentality and of course an always needed dominant left side.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Players Mentioned
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