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With just 10 days until the UConn men's soccer exhibition opener at Rhode Island, the program made the official announcement Tuesday about the addition of eight transfer students to the roster.
They come from around the world and play a variety of positions across the pitch.
Head coach Chris Gbandi said in a school news release on Tuesday that the eight players are a good match for the Huskies.
“Throughout the recruiting process, these student-athletes demonstrated the qualities we value most in our program – a relentless competitive spirit and a willingness to grow on and off the field,” Gbandi said.
“A competitive mindset and a growth mindset are two key pillars of our program. Their drive to compete at the highest level, embrace challenges, and continually improve made them a perfect fit for our culture."
The roster additions give UConn a soccer roster of 27. Two weeks ago, the program announced the addition of five freshmen, members of the Class of 2030.
Defenders
Abel Ador
Hometown: Xikpo, Ghana
Class: Junior
2025 school: Monroe University, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Ador started 11 matches last season and totaled two goals and an assist in 786 minutes, He played as a freshman at Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Szymon Sokolnicki
Hometown: Warsaw, Poland
Class: Sophomore
2025 school: Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tenn.
Measurables: 6-4, 187
Storrs, Conn., will feel like the big city compared to Harrogate, Tenn,.population 4,400 or so, for Sokolnicki. As a freshman, he played in all 19 games with 18 starts on defense. He scored one goal.
Brayden Strait
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
Class: Senior
2025 school: Lipscomb University, Nashville
Measurables: 6-3, 195
Strait spent his only season at Lipscomb in 2025. In 14 matches, he attempted three shots and played more than 1,000 minutes. He began his college career with two seasons at the Montgomery, Ala., branch of Auburn.
Midfielders
Yotaro Furutani
Hometown: Tokyo
Class: Junior
2025 school: Monroe University, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Measurables: 5-9,155
Furutani appeared in 24 matches over two seasons, starting 18. He registered two goals and two assists at Monroe.
Jacques Mason
Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia
Class: Sophomore
2025 school: Wilmington University, New Castle, Del.
Measurables: 5-10, 166
Mason started 20 of 21 matches as a freshman. He had eight assists to go with two goals -- both game winners, He previously played for the Philadelphia Union Academy.
Aidan Sheppela
Hometown: Brentwood, N.H.
Class: Junior
2025 school: Maryland
Measurables: 5-11, 165
Sheppela played 337 minutes over 16 matches in two seasons with the Terrapins,
Forwards
Rashid Nacif Joffre
Hometown: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Class: Senior
2025 school: None
Measurables: 5-11, 178
Joffre last played in college in 2023, posting 26 goals and four assists at WVU Potomac State College in Keyser, W.Va. The past two seasons, he played with Oriente Petrolero in the Bolivian Primera Division.
Jorge Sandoval
Hometown: Gainesville, Ga.
Class: Junior
2025 school: University of North Georgia
Measurables: 5-7, 165
In two seasons at North Georgia, Sandoval appeared in 37 matches (33 starts) and put up 12 goals and 13 assists with two game-winning goals. In 2025, he was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team.
Check out the full-season schedule for the UConn men’s soccer team here.
The regular season will open Aug. 20 when Syracuse visits Storrs.
Remember to join our UCONN on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Huskies fans. If prompted to do
Continue reading...
They come from around the world and play a variety of positions across the pitch.
Head coach Chris Gbandi said in a school news release on Tuesday that the eight players are a good match for the Huskies.
“Throughout the recruiting process, these student-athletes demonstrated the qualities we value most in our program – a relentless competitive spirit and a willingness to grow on and off the field,” Gbandi said.
“A competitive mindset and a growth mindset are two key pillars of our program. Their drive to compete at the highest level, embrace challenges, and continually improve made them a perfect fit for our culture."
New on the roster
The roster additions give UConn a soccer roster of 27. Two weeks ago, the program announced the addition of five freshmen, members of the Class of 2030.
Defenders
Abel Ador
Hometown: Xikpo, Ghana
Class: Junior
2025 school: Monroe University, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Ador started 11 matches last season and totaled two goals and an assist in 786 minutes, He played as a freshman at Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Welcome to UConn, Abel Ador
https://t.co/2XJKkt2cDqpic.twitter.com/HryUW6L94U
— UConn Men's Soccer (@UConnMSOC) July 29, 2026
Szymon Sokolnicki
Hometown: Warsaw, Poland
Class: Sophomore
2025 school: Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tenn.
Measurables: 6-4, 187
Storrs, Conn., will feel like the big city compared to Harrogate, Tenn,.population 4,400 or so, for Sokolnicki. As a freshman, he played in all 19 games with 18 starts on defense. He scored one goal.
Brayden Strait
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
Class: Senior
2025 school: Lipscomb University, Nashville
Measurables: 6-3, 195
Strait spent his only season at Lipscomb in 2025. In 14 matches, he attempted three shots and played more than 1,000 minutes. He began his college career with two seasons at the Montgomery, Ala., branch of Auburn.
Midfielders
Yotaro Furutani
Hometown: Tokyo
Class: Junior
2025 school: Monroe University, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Measurables: 5-9,155
Furutani appeared in 24 matches over two seasons, starting 18. He registered two goals and two assists at Monroe.
Jacques Mason
Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia
Class: Sophomore
2025 school: Wilmington University, New Castle, Del.
Measurables: 5-10, 166
Mason started 20 of 21 matches as a freshman. He had eight assists to go with two goals -- both game winners, He previously played for the Philadelphia Union Academy.
Aidan Sheppela
Hometown: Brentwood, N.H.
Class: Junior
2025 school: Maryland
Measurables: 5-11, 165
Sheppela played 337 minutes over 16 matches in two seasons with the Terrapins,
Forwards
Rashid Nacif Joffre
Hometown: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Class: Senior
2025 school: None
Measurables: 5-11, 178
Joffre last played in college in 2023, posting 26 goals and four assists at WVU Potomac State College in Keyser, W.Va. The past two seasons, he played with Oriente Petrolero in the Bolivian Primera Division.
Jorge Sandoval
Hometown: Gainesville, Ga.
Class: Junior
2025 school: University of North Georgia
Measurables: 5-7, 165
In two seasons at North Georgia, Sandoval appeared in 37 matches (33 starts) and put up 12 goals and 13 assists with two game-winning goals. In 2025, he was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team.
The schedule
Check out the full-season schedule for the UConn men’s soccer team here.
The regular season will open Aug. 20 when Syracuse visits Storrs.
Join the Conversation
Remember to join our UCONN on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Huskies fans. If prompted to do
Continue reading...
