MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 10, 2023) – West Virginia men's soccer coach Dan Stratford has announced the addition of three transfers and one international signee to the 2023 roster.
 
Joining the Mountaineers are Brayden Borutskie (Brampton, Ontario, Canada/Liberty), Carlos Hernando (Madrid, Spain/William Carey), Dante Huckaby (Morgantown, W.Va./Louisville), and Constantinos Christou (Nicosia, Cyprus).
 
The quartet join freshmen Sam Clark (Charleston, W.Va.), Luke Lenz (Wheeling, W.Va.), Sam Nyenka (Lower Merion, Pa.), Andrew O'Neill (Fairport, N.Y.), Jake Ross (Wilmington, Del.), and Ryan Vaubel (Middletown, N.J.) as well as transfers Thomas Decottignies (Lille, France/UConn) and Max Broughton (Rawtenstall, England/SIUE), who joined the team this past spring.
 
"We have been able to replace experienced players within this recruiting cycle and are thrilled to find a group of talented young men whose ambition aligns with that of the program," Stratford said. "We anticipate an exciting preseason that will hopefully show a surplus of talent within our squad, that is undoubtedly necessary if we are to sustain elite-level performances throughout the fall season. I know I speak on behalf of all my staff with just how excited we are to get these guys in our environment and get to work!"
 
Brayden Borutskie – Defender – Brampton, Ontario, Canada – Liberty University
Borutskie joins the Mountaineers after playing four seasons at Liberty where he made 54 starts and played nearly 5,000 minutes. In addition to being a standout defender, he also scored two goals in his career with the Flames.
 
Stratford on Borutskie
"There are few more experienced players in the country that we could have acquired than Brayden Borutskie. A former Toronto FC Academy product, Brayden was a four-year starter at Liberty. Brayden is an athletic centerback that really shines in the frantic defensive moments that inevitably occur throughout the season. We also believe Brayden will be an immediate fit within the group and a positive contributor to the culture we strive for within the program."
 
Carlos Hernando – Defender – Madrid, Spain – William Carey University
A native of Madrid, Hernando joins WVU after playing two years at William Carey in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He played in 28 games and logged over 1,800 minutes while tallying a goal and two assists.
Stratford on Hernando
"Carlos joins WVU after a successful two years with William Carey in the NAIA. Carlos is a very talented distributor of the ball from the back and has a wonderful left foot. Carlos is hungry to learn and develop in our environment, and we anticipate he will be a great asset to the quality of our play as well as the culture."
 
Dante Huckaby – Defender – Morgantown, W.Va. – University of Louisville
Huckaby returns home to Morgantown after two years with the Louisville Cardinals. He started 17 matches as a freshman and finished with a goal, three assists and 1,417 minutes played before being sidelined his sophomore year due to injury.
 
Stratford on Huckaby
"Dante joins us after two years at Louisville and we're thrilled to welcome him back to his hometown of Morgantown. Dante's soccer career took him out of West Virginia to the Philadelphia Union where he had valuable experience in their second team playing in the USL Championship before beginning his collegiate career at Louisville. Dante is a versatile player that can fill defensive roles in midfield, central defense or fullback. He will undoubtedly add an injection of depth and quality to our defensive efforts."
 
Constantinos Christou – Midfielder – Nicosia, Cyprus
Christou joins the Mountaineers from Cyprus where he played for Omonia Nicosia, scoring a goal in limited action for the team. He also has represented the Cyprus National Team on the U19 and U21 squads.
 
Stratford on Christou
"Cos", more simply, is a very exciting talent joining us from Cyprus. Cos has done it at almost every level and at such a young age, most recently representing the U21 National Team this summer. Cos is a dynamic attacking midfielder with versatility in the positions he can play and will add to an already experienced group of players in our squad. We have incredibly high hopes for the impact Cos might make from day one."
 
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