Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Joshua Sukoff/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Men’s Soccer Announces 2024 Signing Class
7/29/2024 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Group of nine newcomers tabbed No. 17 recruiting class nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.com
EVANSTON, Ill. (July 29, 2024) – Set to begin his fourth season with the Wildcats, Northwestern University head men's soccer coach Russell Payne announced his 2024 signing class on Monday.
The nine-member class of Akinjide Awujo (Atlanta, Ga./Woodward Academy/Villanova), Thaddaeus Dewing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy/Air Force), Joel Ineh (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), Bryce LeBel (Sparta, N.J./Sparta/Louisville), Aidan O'Neill (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier), Dominic Pereira (Las Vegas, Nev./SAI Academy), Michael Ramirez (Chicago, Ill./SAI Academy), Luke Shreiner (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands), and Joe Suchecki (New York City, N.Y./NEST+m/Maryland) will join the 'Cats and be eligible at the start of the 2024 season.
AKINJIDE AWUJO
Forward | Atlanta, Ga. | Woodward Academy | Villanova
Akinjide Awujo arrives at Northwestern following a four-year stint at Villanova University in Philadelphia. Pa. Awujo, a 6-foot-0 forward out of Atlanta, Ga., found the back of the net seven times across 44 appearances while in the City of Brotherly Love. After tallying two goals during a 2021 season in which the Wildcats advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, Awujo was one of the team's top attacking threats in 2022, racking up four goals and three assists. He will be returning to action this season after missing the 2023 campaign due to a knee injury sustained in the preseason.
THADDAEUS DEWING
Forward | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Air Academy | Air Force
Thaddaeus Dewing adds another versatile goal-scoring threat for Payne's team in the attacking third, having netted 22 goals during his four years at the United States Air Force Academy. As a junior, Dewing earned First Team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors after finishing the season as the league-leader in goals (11) and overall points (26). A three-time All-State pick during his career at Air Academy High School, the 5-foot-11 forward also dished out nine assists with the Falcons.
JOEL INEH
Defender | Orland Park, Ill. | Sandburg HS | FC Cincinnati
A local product out of suburban Orland Park, Ill., Joel Ineh joins Northwestern after plying his trade on the club level, most recently featuring with the academy program of Major League Soccer's (MLS) FC Cincinnati. The 6-foot-0 defender also spent time with both the Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids academy programs during his club career, winning a United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) title.
BRYCE LeBEL
Defender | Sparta, N.J. | Sparta HS | Louisville
Sparta, N.J. native Bryce LeBel has been a fixture along the backline the past four seasons at the University of Louisville, starting in 64 of his 65 appearances for the Cardinals. The hard-nosed 5-foot-11 defender contributed to 20 shutouts and appeared in three NCAA Tournaments. LeBel, who featured on the club level for the New York Red Bulls, also made his presence felt in the final third, totaling four goals and three assists while at Louisville.
AIDAN O'NEILL
Midfielder | Wilmette, Ill. | New Trier HS | FC United
No stranger to the area, Wilmette, Ill. product Aidan O'Neill made the most of his time at nearby New Trier High School in Wilmette, Ill. In his lone season with the Trevians in 2023, O'Neill, a 5-foot-10 midfielder who previously appeared on the club level with FC United, piled up 20 goals and nine assists en route to helping lead New Trier to its first Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state title since 2008. He went on to be named an IHSA All-State pick and the Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year.
DOMINIC PEREIRA
Goalkeeper | Las Vegas, Nev. | SAI Academy | Orlando City SC
A 6-foot-5 goalkeeper hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Dominic Pereira has enjoyed stints with a pair of MLS Next sides, appearing with Real Salt Lake ahead of a move to Orlando City SC. While in The Sunshine State, Pereira backstopped coach Javier Carillo's side to a semifinal-round berth in the U-17 MLS Next Playoffs. He also made appearances with Orlando City B in MLS Next Pro.
MICHAEL RAMIREZ
Forward | Chicago, Ill. | SAI Academy | Chicago Fire FC
Michael Ramirez joins a plethora of attacking options in the Wildcats' 2024 signing class. Out of Chicago, Ill., Ramirez has been a mainstay in the final third with his hometown Chicago Fire FC. The 5-foot-10 forward logged appearances with the club's U-17 and U-19 sides during his time with the club.
LUKE SHREINER
Defender | Dallas, Texas | Lake Highlands HS | FC Dallas
6-foot-4 defender Luke Shreiner appeared exclusively on the club level, beginning his career with the Dallas Texans Soccer Club ahead of a move to FC Dallas. The Dallas, Texas native was a member of three league championship winning sides with FC Dallas, also capturing a Texas Cup title. In just his second season with the club's U-17 side, Shriener was named an MLS Next All-Star.
JOE SUCHECKI
Midfielder | New York, N.Y. | New York City FC | Maryland
Joe Suchecki brings a Big Ten pedigree, having started in 24 of his 40 appearances at the University of Maryland. After battling injuries as a sophomore, Suchecki appeared in a career-high 18 matches during his junior campaign in 2022. The 6-foot-4 midfielder scored after coming on as a substitute in the Terrapins' 5-2 win over FDU in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. This past season, Suchecki started in seven matches and found the back of the net in a 2-0 win over UNC Greensboro.
The nine-member class of Akinjide Awujo (Atlanta, Ga./Woodward Academy/Villanova), Thaddaeus Dewing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy/Air Force), Joel Ineh (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), Bryce LeBel (Sparta, N.J./Sparta/Louisville), Aidan O'Neill (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier), Dominic Pereira (Las Vegas, Nev./SAI Academy), Michael Ramirez (Chicago, Ill./SAI Academy), Luke Shreiner (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands), and Joe Suchecki (New York City, N.Y./NEST+m/Maryland) will join the 'Cats and be eligible at the start of the 2024 season.
AKINJIDE AWUJO
Forward | Atlanta, Ga. | Woodward Academy | Villanova
Akinjide Awujo arrives at Northwestern following a four-year stint at Villanova University in Philadelphia. Pa. Awujo, a 6-foot-0 forward out of Atlanta, Ga., found the back of the net seven times across 44 appearances while in the City of Brotherly Love. After tallying two goals during a 2021 season in which the Wildcats advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, Awujo was one of the team's top attacking threats in 2022, racking up four goals and three assists. He will be returning to action this season after missing the 2023 campaign due to a knee injury sustained in the preseason.
THADDAEUS DEWING
Forward | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Air Academy | Air Force
Thaddaeus Dewing adds another versatile goal-scoring threat for Payne's team in the attacking third, having netted 22 goals during his four years at the United States Air Force Academy. As a junior, Dewing earned First Team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors after finishing the season as the league-leader in goals (11) and overall points (26). A three-time All-State pick during his career at Air Academy High School, the 5-foot-11 forward also dished out nine assists with the Falcons.
JOEL INEH
Defender | Orland Park, Ill. | Sandburg HS | FC Cincinnati
A local product out of suburban Orland Park, Ill., Joel Ineh joins Northwestern after plying his trade on the club level, most recently featuring with the academy program of Major League Soccer's (MLS) FC Cincinnati. The 6-foot-0 defender also spent time with both the Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids academy programs during his club career, winning a United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) title.
BRYCE LeBEL
Defender | Sparta, N.J. | Sparta HS | Louisville
Sparta, N.J. native Bryce LeBel has been a fixture along the backline the past four seasons at the University of Louisville, starting in 64 of his 65 appearances for the Cardinals. The hard-nosed 5-foot-11 defender contributed to 20 shutouts and appeared in three NCAA Tournaments. LeBel, who featured on the club level for the New York Red Bulls, also made his presence felt in the final third, totaling four goals and three assists while at Louisville.
AIDAN O'NEILL
Midfielder | Wilmette, Ill. | New Trier HS | FC United
No stranger to the area, Wilmette, Ill. product Aidan O'Neill made the most of his time at nearby New Trier High School in Wilmette, Ill. In his lone season with the Trevians in 2023, O'Neill, a 5-foot-10 midfielder who previously appeared on the club level with FC United, piled up 20 goals and nine assists en route to helping lead New Trier to its first Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state title since 2008. He went on to be named an IHSA All-State pick and the Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year.
DOMINIC PEREIRA
Goalkeeper | Las Vegas, Nev. | SAI Academy | Orlando City SC
A 6-foot-5 goalkeeper hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Dominic Pereira has enjoyed stints with a pair of MLS Next sides, appearing with Real Salt Lake ahead of a move to Orlando City SC. While in The Sunshine State, Pereira backstopped coach Javier Carillo's side to a semifinal-round berth in the U-17 MLS Next Playoffs. He also made appearances with Orlando City B in MLS Next Pro.
MICHAEL RAMIREZ
Forward | Chicago, Ill. | SAI Academy | Chicago Fire FC
Michael Ramirez joins a plethora of attacking options in the Wildcats' 2024 signing class. Out of Chicago, Ill., Ramirez has been a mainstay in the final third with his hometown Chicago Fire FC. The 5-foot-10 forward logged appearances with the club's U-17 and U-19 sides during his time with the club.
LUKE SHREINER
Defender | Dallas, Texas | Lake Highlands HS | FC Dallas
6-foot-4 defender Luke Shreiner appeared exclusively on the club level, beginning his career with the Dallas Texans Soccer Club ahead of a move to FC Dallas. The Dallas, Texas native was a member of three league championship winning sides with FC Dallas, also capturing a Texas Cup title. In just his second season with the club's U-17 side, Shriener was named an MLS Next All-Star.
JOE SUCHECKI
Midfielder | New York, N.Y. | New York City FC | Maryland
Joe Suchecki brings a Big Ten pedigree, having started in 24 of his 40 appearances at the University of Maryland. After battling injuries as a sophomore, Suchecki appeared in a career-high 18 matches during his junior campaign in 2022. The 6-foot-4 midfielder scored after coming on as a substitute in the Terrapins' 5-2 win over FDU in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. This past season, Suchecki started in seven matches and found the back of the net in a 2-0 win over UNC Greensboro.
Players Mentioned
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