Photo by: Henry Frieman/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Men’s Soccer Unveils 2025 Signing Class
6/18/2025 4:15:00 PM | Men's Soccer
13-member group ranked No. 13 recruiting class nationally by Top Drawer Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. (June 18, 2025) – Northwestern University head men's soccer coach Russell Payne announced his 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday. The group of 13 incoming student-athletes was recognized as the No. 13 recruiting class nationally by Top Drawer Soccer.
"This is the most balanced class of players that we have assembled over the past four seasons," Payne commented. "We have reloaded with attacking players that are ready to consistently finish attacks, midfielders that are dogged, diligent, and reliable on both sides of the ball, and defenders that embrace the role of winning duels and starting attacks. Training sessions will be ferociously competitive, and I am excited to get to work with this group."
TRE BARRETT
Forward | Hampton, Va. | Kecoughtan HS | William & Mary
Tre Barrett makes his way to Northwestern following a standout debut campaign at The College of William & Mary. In his lone season with the Tribe, Barrett tallied three goals and five assists, tying for the team lead in the latter category, en route to earning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) All-Rookie Team honors. The 5-foot-11 forward was also a two-time All-State selection during his time at Kecoughtan High School and won a pair of state titles on the club level with the Virginia Legacy.
DALTON BULOWSKI
Defender | North Tustin, Calif. | Mater Dei HS | Strikers FC
A hard-nosed defender out of North Tustin, Calif., Dalton Bulowksi plied his trade exclusively on the club level for Strikers FC and coach Roy Chingirian for the past five seasons. Following an appearance in the final of the U16 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs in 2022, Bulowski helped lead the club to the U19 MLS NEXT title in 2024.
EVRIT FISHER
Midfielder | North Richland Hills, Texas | Allegiance Academy | DKSC
North Richland Hills, Texas native Evrit Fisher looks to establish himself among a talented midfield rotation for the 'Cats. Playing for coach Edvaldo Pedro's D'Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC), Fisher, an eight-year member of the club, enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022 that saw him named the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Player of the Year, as he led DKSC to the ECNL title. The 6-foot-2 midfielder was also a member of the U16 United States Youth National Team.
DOUG HAINER
Midfielder | Oakland, Mich. | Bloomfield Hills HS | Coastal Carolina
5-foot-11 midfielder Doug Hainer brings a wealth of experience at the Division I level with him to Evanston, having appeared in 50 matches during stints at Oakland University and Coastal Carolina University, respectively. Hainer is coming off a junior campaign with the Chanticleers in which he finished with three goals and two assists, a ledger highlighted by the game-winning strike in a 2-1 victory over USC Upstate. Prior to beginning his collegiate career, the Oakland, Mich. product also enjoyed a successful club career with Vardar SC, leading both the U17 and U19 MLS NEXT sides in scoring.
OMAR JALLOW
Forward | Powder Springs, Ga. | Hillgrove HS | Drexel
Drexel University transfer Omar Jallow adds another venerable attacking threat in the final third for the 'Cats. Jallow, out of Powder Springs, Ga., started in nine of his 17 appearances for the Dragons in 2024, closing his first season with three goals and an assist. A Gatorade Player of the Year nominee as a senior at Hillgrove High School, Jallow was named the Georgia 7A State Player of the Year and the Marietta Daily Journal Player of the Year during his time with the Hawks.
ANDREW JOHNSON
Defender | Lee's Summit, Mo. | Pembroke Hill School | Sporting Kansas City
After beginning his club career with KCA Galacticos, Andrew Johnson, a 5-foot-11 defender out of Lee's Summit, Mo., has spent the past three seasons in the academy system of Major League Soccer (MLS) side Sporting Kansas City. During his time with the club, Johnson has helped the team to quarterfinal-round berths in the Generation Adidas Cup and the MLS NEXT Playoffs.
SETH MAHLMEISTER
Forward | Lima, Ohio | Lima Central Catholic HS | Purdue Fort Wayne
Over the course of a four-year stay at Purdue Fort Wayne, Seth Mahlmeister established himself as an elite-level scoring threat in the attacking third. After finding the back of the net four times as a sophomore, the Lima, Ohio native rifled home 10 goals during his junior campaign in 2023 on the way to being named a First Team All-Horizon League pick. Mahlmeister, who missed all but three games as a senior due to injury, enjoyed a wildly successful club career that saw him lead Fort Wayne United in scoring for seven straight seasons ahead of a move to the Columbus Crew Academy in 2020.
ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ SANTAMARIA
Forward | Santander, Spain | ÍES Leonardo Torres Quevedo | Milwaukee
Alejandro Martinez Santamaria is fresh off an outstanding 2024 season at Milwaukee, where he brought home First Team All-Horizon League distinction in his lone season with the Panthers. Martinez stuffed the stat sheet as he started in all 19 games, scoring a team-high nine goals and dishing out four assists. Prior to his time at Milwaukee, the Santander, Spain product spent three years at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, earning Third Team All-America accolades from the United Soccer Coaches following a sophomore season in which he led the Rangers in both goals (8) and overall points (20).
SAM NAGANO
Midfielder | West Torrance, Calif. | West Torrance HS | Strikers FC
Sam Nagano joins teammate Dalton Bulkowski as one of two Strikers FC products in Northwestern's incoming class. A 6-foot-0 midfielder out of West Torrance, Calif., Nagano, who began his club career in the Real Salt Lake Academy, was a driving force behind Strikers FC appearing in a pair of MLS NEXT finals during his time with the club.
YUVAL NIMRODI
Midfielder | Giv'at Shmuel, Israel | Ohel Shem | La Salle
Midfielder Yuval Nimrodi appeared in 23 matches across the last two seasons at La Salle Univeristy. Nimrodi found the back four times while with the Explorers, a total highlighted by a game-winning strike in just his second collegiate appearance as part of a 1-0 blanking of Army West Point on August 28, 2023. This past season, the Giv'at Shmuel, Israel native scored in a clash with Drexel before dishing out an assist in a 3-0 triumph over Atlantic 10 Conference for Saint Joseph's.
AARON O'REILLY
Forward | Naperville, Ill. | Naperville Central HS | Sockers FC Chicago
A local product out of suburban Naperville, Ill., Aaron O'Reilly has developed in the prestigious Sockers FC Chicago system. Playing under coach David Richardson, O'Reilly represented the club in this year's Generation Adidas Cup and has also prominently featured in MLS NEXT competition.
BARAKA TARLETON
Midfielder | Andover, Minn. | Andover HS | Evansville
Baraka Tarleton arrives at Northwestern following a two-year stint at the University of Evansville, where he appeared in 36 matches. He was a fixture in the lineup last season, starting in 19 matches for a Purple Aces team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament after winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title. Tarleton, a two-sport athlete who also played basketball during his time at Andover High School, was a First Team All-State selection for the Huskies and on the club level with the Minnesota Thunder.
DIMAS VAN DER HEIDE
Defender | New York, N.Y. | The Beacon School | SC Heerenveen
6-foot-4 defender Dimas Van der Heide looks to bolster an already impressive Northwestern defensive unit. Van der Heide, who calls New York, N.Y. home, was an MLS NEXT All-Star during his club career, which included a stop with the academy program at FC Cincinnati, before featuring overseas for the U19 side at SC Heerenveen of the Eredivisie in his native Netherlands.
"This is the most balanced class of players that we have assembled over the past four seasons," Payne commented. "We have reloaded with attacking players that are ready to consistently finish attacks, midfielders that are dogged, diligent, and reliable on both sides of the ball, and defenders that embrace the role of winning duels and starting attacks. Training sessions will be ferociously competitive, and I am excited to get to work with this group."
TRE BARRETT
Forward | Hampton, Va. | Kecoughtan HS | William & Mary
Tre Barrett makes his way to Northwestern following a standout debut campaign at The College of William & Mary. In his lone season with the Tribe, Barrett tallied three goals and five assists, tying for the team lead in the latter category, en route to earning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) All-Rookie Team honors. The 5-foot-11 forward was also a two-time All-State selection during his time at Kecoughtan High School and won a pair of state titles on the club level with the Virginia Legacy.
DALTON BULOWSKI
Defender | North Tustin, Calif. | Mater Dei HS | Strikers FC
A hard-nosed defender out of North Tustin, Calif., Dalton Bulowksi plied his trade exclusively on the club level for Strikers FC and coach Roy Chingirian for the past five seasons. Following an appearance in the final of the U16 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs in 2022, Bulowski helped lead the club to the U19 MLS NEXT title in 2024.
EVRIT FISHER
Midfielder | North Richland Hills, Texas | Allegiance Academy | DKSC
North Richland Hills, Texas native Evrit Fisher looks to establish himself among a talented midfield rotation for the 'Cats. Playing for coach Edvaldo Pedro's D'Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC), Fisher, an eight-year member of the club, enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022 that saw him named the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Player of the Year, as he led DKSC to the ECNL title. The 6-foot-2 midfielder was also a member of the U16 United States Youth National Team.
DOUG HAINER
Midfielder | Oakland, Mich. | Bloomfield Hills HS | Coastal Carolina
5-foot-11 midfielder Doug Hainer brings a wealth of experience at the Division I level with him to Evanston, having appeared in 50 matches during stints at Oakland University and Coastal Carolina University, respectively. Hainer is coming off a junior campaign with the Chanticleers in which he finished with three goals and two assists, a ledger highlighted by the game-winning strike in a 2-1 victory over USC Upstate. Prior to beginning his collegiate career, the Oakland, Mich. product also enjoyed a successful club career with Vardar SC, leading both the U17 and U19 MLS NEXT sides in scoring.
OMAR JALLOW
Forward | Powder Springs, Ga. | Hillgrove HS | Drexel
Drexel University transfer Omar Jallow adds another venerable attacking threat in the final third for the 'Cats. Jallow, out of Powder Springs, Ga., started in nine of his 17 appearances for the Dragons in 2024, closing his first season with three goals and an assist. A Gatorade Player of the Year nominee as a senior at Hillgrove High School, Jallow was named the Georgia 7A State Player of the Year and the Marietta Daily Journal Player of the Year during his time with the Hawks.
ANDREW JOHNSON
Defender | Lee's Summit, Mo. | Pembroke Hill School | Sporting Kansas City
After beginning his club career with KCA Galacticos, Andrew Johnson, a 5-foot-11 defender out of Lee's Summit, Mo., has spent the past three seasons in the academy system of Major League Soccer (MLS) side Sporting Kansas City. During his time with the club, Johnson has helped the team to quarterfinal-round berths in the Generation Adidas Cup and the MLS NEXT Playoffs.
SETH MAHLMEISTER
Forward | Lima, Ohio | Lima Central Catholic HS | Purdue Fort Wayne
Over the course of a four-year stay at Purdue Fort Wayne, Seth Mahlmeister established himself as an elite-level scoring threat in the attacking third. After finding the back of the net four times as a sophomore, the Lima, Ohio native rifled home 10 goals during his junior campaign in 2023 on the way to being named a First Team All-Horizon League pick. Mahlmeister, who missed all but three games as a senior due to injury, enjoyed a wildly successful club career that saw him lead Fort Wayne United in scoring for seven straight seasons ahead of a move to the Columbus Crew Academy in 2020.
ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ SANTAMARIA
Forward | Santander, Spain | ÍES Leonardo Torres Quevedo | Milwaukee
Alejandro Martinez Santamaria is fresh off an outstanding 2024 season at Milwaukee, where he brought home First Team All-Horizon League distinction in his lone season with the Panthers. Martinez stuffed the stat sheet as he started in all 19 games, scoring a team-high nine goals and dishing out four assists. Prior to his time at Milwaukee, the Santander, Spain product spent three years at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, earning Third Team All-America accolades from the United Soccer Coaches following a sophomore season in which he led the Rangers in both goals (8) and overall points (20).
SAM NAGANO
Midfielder | West Torrance, Calif. | West Torrance HS | Strikers FC
Sam Nagano joins teammate Dalton Bulkowski as one of two Strikers FC products in Northwestern's incoming class. A 6-foot-0 midfielder out of West Torrance, Calif., Nagano, who began his club career in the Real Salt Lake Academy, was a driving force behind Strikers FC appearing in a pair of MLS NEXT finals during his time with the club.
YUVAL NIMRODI
Midfielder | Giv'at Shmuel, Israel | Ohel Shem | La Salle
Midfielder Yuval Nimrodi appeared in 23 matches across the last two seasons at La Salle Univeristy. Nimrodi found the back four times while with the Explorers, a total highlighted by a game-winning strike in just his second collegiate appearance as part of a 1-0 blanking of Army West Point on August 28, 2023. This past season, the Giv'at Shmuel, Israel native scored in a clash with Drexel before dishing out an assist in a 3-0 triumph over Atlantic 10 Conference for Saint Joseph's.
AARON O'REILLY
Forward | Naperville, Ill. | Naperville Central HS | Sockers FC Chicago
A local product out of suburban Naperville, Ill., Aaron O'Reilly has developed in the prestigious Sockers FC Chicago system. Playing under coach David Richardson, O'Reilly represented the club in this year's Generation Adidas Cup and has also prominently featured in MLS NEXT competition.
BARAKA TARLETON
Midfielder | Andover, Minn. | Andover HS | Evansville
Baraka Tarleton arrives at Northwestern following a two-year stint at the University of Evansville, where he appeared in 36 matches. He was a fixture in the lineup last season, starting in 19 matches for a Purple Aces team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament after winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title. Tarleton, a two-sport athlete who also played basketball during his time at Andover High School, was a First Team All-State selection for the Huskies and on the club level with the Minnesota Thunder.
DIMAS VAN DER HEIDE
Defender | New York, N.Y. | The Beacon School | SC Heerenveen
6-foot-4 defender Dimas Van der Heide looks to bolster an already impressive Northwestern defensive unit. Van der Heide, who calls New York, N.Y. home, was an MLS NEXT All-Star during his club career, which included a stop with the academy program at FC Cincinnati, before featuring overseas for the U19 side at SC Heerenveen of the Eredivisie in his native Netherlands.
Players Mentioned
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