PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team will welcome six student-athletes into the fold for the upcoming 2017 season, as announced by James C. Gentle Head Coach Rudy Fuller.
"We are excited to welcome these six young men to the Penn Soccer family," commented Fuller. "As always, we looked for student-athletes with great character, high level talent, and a passion for excellence. Each of these young men has a strong pedigree of success from a variety of backgrounds and playing experiences, and they are eager to help move Penn Soccer to new heights in the years ahead. My staff and I are confident that they will represent Penn and our soccer program extremely well over the course of their careers in the Red and Blue"
Joey Bhangdia | M
5'10 | 150 pounds
Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area/North Union
Before Penn: Four-time letterwinner in soccer ... Served as team captain in 2016 ... Back-to-back PIAA AA State Champion with a combined record of 49-1 junior and senior year ... Named NSCAA All-American in 2016 ... Named NSCAA East Regional All-American in 2015 and 2016 ... Named Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association 2016 Male Player of the Year ... PSCA All-State in 2015 and 2016 ... Lewisburg all-time leading goal scorer with 117 career scores ... Williamsport Sun Gazette Player of the Year for three-straight years ... Set Lewisburg single-season goal scoring record in 2015 with 48 ... Named 2015 Standard Journal Player of the Year ... Three-time letterwinner in track and field ... State medalist in 4x800 relay in 2014 and 2016 ... Member of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society ... Named to Distinguished Honor Roll.
Personal: Son of Maria and Darshan Bhangdia ... Cousin, Jake, plays tennis at Furman University ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fuller on Bhangdia: "Joey is a dynamic, attacking player that can impact a game in a variety of ways. He tallied 117 goals throughout his high school playing career at Lewisburg High School, and captained the team to the Pennsylvania state title in his junior and senior seasons. He is a hardworking, humble kid with a 'team first' attitude that will undoubtedly make a positive impact on our program on and off the field. We expect that Joey will cause our opponents a lot of trouble in the years ahead."
Filip Guhr | D
6'1 | 175 pounds
Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Prep International School/Team Boca
Before Penn: Varsity letterwinner at Boca Prep International School ... Played club soccer for Team Boca ... Winner of four club soccer championships, including the Disney Showcase and IMG Boys Invitational Cup in Florida, the CASL Showcase in North Carolina, the Kukkonia Cup in Slovakia and the Potomac Memorial in Maryland ... Recipient of Boca Prep's Most Athletic Award junior year ... Recipient of the Presidents Award in 2015 ... Member of National Honors Society ... Vice President of Student Government senior year ... Recipient of IB Outstanding Achievement Award in Science and MYP Certificate in 2014.
Personal: Son of Nora and Roman Guhr ... Comes from a globally athletic family as mother was a gymnast in Hungary, father competed in national table tennis, sister, Erika, is a dancer, grandmother, Maria Guhrova, played handball in Slovakian National League and grandfather, Les, played volleyball in Slovak National League ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fuller on Guhr: "Filip brings a wealth of playing experience with him to Penn. In addition to playing domestically with Team Boca in Florida, he has also spent his summer playing in Slovakia. We see him as a left back, but he can also play higher up in the midfield or as a winger. We think that versatility will be an asset for our team. He is a mature kid with a tremendous passion for the game. Filip's work ethic and technical ability will serve him well as he looks to make the jump to the college game and find his place in our team."
Jake Kohlbrenner | M
5'8 | 155 pounds
East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa Central/Empire United
Before Penn: Varsity letterwinner at East Syracuse Minoa ... Team's leading scorer in 2014 and 2015 ... Played club for the Empire United Academy ... Competed at five U.S. training centers ... Top Drawer Soccer top-150 ranking ... Named Tristate Player of the Week ... 2013 All-League honorable mention ... Recipient of Cornell Book Award ... Appeared twice at DECA Internationals and four times at DECA States ... Valedictorian of senior class.
Personal: Son of Corissa and Justin Kohlbrenner ... Enrolled in Wharton School of Business as finance major.
Coach Fuller on Kohlbrenner: "Jake is a soccer player, through and through. We are confident that he could find a way to help his team win while playing just about any position on the field. He has been a stalwart for his Empire United Academy team for the past few years, and has played in whatever role required of him. We've seen Jake do it all over the course of the past two years as we were recruiting him for our program, and we love his ability to impact a game in a variety of ways. He is as unselfish as they come, and he has a winner's mentality. Those traits will allow him to positively impact our program from day one."
Amado Lozano | M
5'7 | 135 pounds
Alameda, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd/San Jose Earthquakes Academy
Before Penn: Played club soccer for the San Jose Earthquakes Academy since 2013 ... Was selected and participated in the Norcal PDP Program from 2010-13 ... Was selected as one of 54 players nationally in 2012 to attend the Norcal ID2 in Casa Grande, Ariz. ... Invited and trained at the US Soccer Training Center for two years, first at the West Ham United National Camp in Rome, Ga. and again then at the International Academy in London ... Ranked the No. 7 player in the Northwest Region by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 52 nationally in 2015 ... Member of National Honor Society ... President of Filipino/Polynesian club.
Personal: Son of Dessiree and Amado Lozano Jr ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Fuller on Lozano: "Amado has been a key player for a very good San Jose Earthquakes Academy team, and we think he has a bright future in the Red and Blue. He is a confident kid with strong leadership qualities. He is a central midfield player that passes well and has a strong understanding of the game. Amado can play in any of the central midfield positions, and we are eager to see where he fits best within our team. We believe that his experience with San Jose has prepared him well for this next stage of his career, and we look forward to his arrival next fall."
Alex Touche | D
6'4 | 190 pounds
Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Academy/Rio Rapids SC
Before Penn: Four-year letterwinner at Albuquerque Academy ... Three-year team captain ... New Mexico State Champion in 2015 and 2016 ... State Champion for club team, Rio Rapids SC, in 2014 and 2015 ... Named first-team All-State, All-District and All-Metro in 2016 ... All-state Player of the Year, District Player of the Year, first-team All-State, All-District and All-Metro in 2015 ... First-team All-State, All-District and District Player of the Year in 2014 ... Honorable mention All-State in 2013 ... Member of Cum Laude Society ... Recipient of Latin Prize ... Finnegan's Wake Club Founder and President ... Community Service Executive Board Member ... A capella singer.
Personal: Son of Alicia Keyes and Peter Touche ... Born in London, England ... Twin brother, Charles, enrolled to play soccer at Cornell ... Enrolled in Wharton School of Business.
Coach Fuller on Touche: "Alex is a big, strong center back that is confident in the air and organizes well from the back. We identified him at the Generations Adidas Cup while he was playing for the Colorado Rapids Academy. He came up through the Rio Rapids program and has established himself as a key player on that team. We believe that he will fit in well with our current crop of defenders and provides some much needed depth at the center back position this fall."
RC Williams | D
5'9 | 160 pounds
Wayne, Pa./YSC Academy/Continental FC
Before Penn: Attended YSC Academy, the first MLS high school affiliated with the Philadelphia Union ... Team captain in 2016 ... Played for USSDA Continental FC for four years ... Received US Soccer Training Center invitation from 2012-14.
Personal: Son of Kristen and Craig Williams ... Brother, Scott, played baseball at Virginia and currently plays professionally for the Texas Rangers ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences as an economics major.
Coach Fuller on Williams: "RC is a local product that comes to us from the Continental FC Academy program. He has captained the team from his right back position this past year and has been a stalwart along their backline. He is very comfortable getting forward from his wide back position and that is one of the things we liked most about him. He passes well out of the back and serves a good ball from flank areas. He is an athletic defender with a bit of pace to him. He will have the opportunity to serve as an understudy to senior Sam Wancowicz this fall, and we believe that will benefit him greatly in the years ahead."
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