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MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team has announced a group of 10 recruits who include incoming freshmen and college transfers, and players from Michigan, other states and even several other countries.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank my staff for all of their hard work securing a phenomenal 2025 class,” said Alex Fatovic, who enters his fourth season as Wildcats head coach, in a news release from NMU Sports Information. “We secured a class that addressed our main areas for improvement with quality, experience and a passion for NMU.”

Along with Fatovic, assistant coach Chance Vang returns for his second season at Northern.

The 10 incoming players include six freshmen and four transfers, with transfers coming from NCAA Division I and Division II and the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Multiple freshmen trained in Major League Soccer Next programs, too.

Geographically, while three players are from Michigan, there are also student-athletes from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska, while spreading the recruiting net wider some recruits come from England, France, Italy and Israel, too.

“The class is very balanced between transfers, graduate students and first-time freshmen,” Fatovic said. “Our young group made significant gains this offseason, and we can’t wait to integrate this new class.”

NMU, coming off last fall’s 6-8-2 overall and 3-8-1 GLIAC campaigns, played a half-dozen exhibition games from mid-March to mid-April.

The Wildcats play another three exhibitions in the final 10 days of August, including a home game against Wisconsin-Green Bay at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, before beginning the regular season right after Labor Day.

That schedule starts at home at the NMU Soccer Field overlooking Lake Superior against former GLIAC member Northwood at noon on Thursday, Sept. 4. They follow it up with another home encounter vs. Lawrence Tech at noon on Saturday, Sept. 6.

In all, Northern plays eight home games this fall, wrapping up the regular season with a home encounter against Purdue Northwest at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Here are the recruits, listed alphabetically by position and with hometown and most recent team:

FORWARDS — Asa Dean, Grand Haven, Michigan Rangers; Luca Rosen, London, England, Northeast Community College (NJCAA)

MIDFIELDERS — McKinney Jiles, Hastings, Midwest United; Tristan Lee, Cottage Grove, Minn., St. Paul Blackhawks; Jadon Thang, Battle Creek, Midwest United (MLS Next)

DEFENDERS — Mattia Feretti, Modena, Italy, St. Bonaventure (NCAA Division I); Noah Girard, Milton, Wis., SC Wave (MLS Next); Terry Grimaldi, Toulon, France, Hyeres FC; Owen Rutledge, Omaha, Neb., Northeast CC (NJCAA)

GOALKEEPERS — Asaf Kristal, Tel Aviv, Israel, Illinois-Chicago (NCAA Division I) and West Texas A&M (NCAA Division II)

Story contents based on a Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the recruiting class. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.