MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 30, 2024) – West Virginia University men’s soccer head coach Dan Stratford has announced the addition of 11 student-athletes as part of the 2024 signing class.
Joining the Mountaineers are freshmen Sebastian Burke (Durham, N.C.), Chase Collins (Harrisburg, Pa.), Akseli Ekqvist (Houston, Texas), Weston Jonke (Cleveland, Ohio), Toby Mawer (Bath, England), Tristan Pusztahegyi (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada), Isaac Scheer (Charlotte, N.C.), Braden Stevanovic (Belle River, Ontario, Canada), and Sam Tinoco (Middletown, N.J.), as well as two transfers, Simon Carlson (Kennesaw, Ga./Georgia State) and Felix Ewald (Berlin, Germany/Temple). Another transfer, Ethan Dekel Daks (Nottingham, England/South Carolina), joined the Mountaineers back in January.
“We’re extremely excited to add this injection of experience and youth to our 2024 roster,” Stratford said. “We’ve been able to attract some experienced players in the portal with a nice balance of talented freshman that will carry the torch for many years to come. There should be a real quality of depth to this group.”
Sebastian Burke – Defender – Durham, N.C.
Originally from Nort Carolina, Burke joins the Mountaineers after spending the last seven years in England and Germany, playing for academies at Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and SpVgg Unterhaching. He helped lead his teams to a Youth Bavarian Regional League Championship and was runner up in the Youth Premier League. Burke attended Munich International School.
Simon Carlson – Midfielder – Kennesaw, Ga.
Carlson transfers to WVU after playing four seasons at fellow Sun Belt member Georgia State. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt first team selection as well as a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honoree. Carlson also excels in the classroom as he was named a College Sports Communicators second team Academic All-American in 2022.
Chase Collins – Goalkeeper – Harrisburg, Pa.
Collins joins the Mountaineers after playing for PA Classics MLS Next club team under head coach Steve Klein. He is ranked as the 17th best player from Pennsylvania and the third-best goalkeeper from the state by TopDrawerSoccer. Collins attended Central Dauphin High School but did not play for the school.
Akseli Ekqvist – Defender – Houston, Texas
Ekqvist comes to Morgantown after playing for Houston Dynamo 2 under head coach Kenny Bundy. According to TopDrawerSoccer, he is the No. 196 recruit in the nation, the 54th-ranked defender, and the 17th-ranked player from Texas.
Felix Ewald – Midfielder – Berlin, Germany
Ewald transfers to WVU after playing one season at Temple where he was named to the All-AAC Second Team. He led the Owls in goals (6), assists (5), and points (16) and was a two-time Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week. Ewald played his freshman season at Mississippi College where he scored seven goals and was named First Team All-Region and Second-Team All-Conference.
Weston Jonke – Midfielder – Cleveland, Ohio
Jonke joins West Virginia after playing for FC Cincinnati under coaches Joshua Neff, Richie Ryan, and Nikola Katic. He helped lead the FC Cincinnati Academy to a UPSL title in 2023 and also qualification for the playoffs in MLS Next. Jonke is the No. 35 ranked player in the Great Lakes region by TopDrawerSoccer.
Toby Mawer – Goalkeeper – Bath, England
Mawer joins the Mountaineers after playing for Reading FC under head coach Mikele Leigertwood. He also attended King Edwards Bath and was the England Elite School Boys Champion. Internationally, Mawer has played for Wales U16 team.
Tristan Pusztahegyi – Defender – Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Pusztahegyi joins the Mountaineers after playing for Toronto FC Academy. He appeared in six games for the club this past season with four starts. Pusztahegyi also attended St. Mary’s High School in Ontario.
Isaac Scheer – Midfielder – Charlotte, N.C.
Scheer comes to WVU from Charlotte, North Carolina where he played for the Charlotte Independence under head coach Jeff Bilyk. He earned a USL Academy contract with the independence and made eight pro appearances and was also named to the ECNL Conference Cup Best XI. He was the No. 134 ranked player and No. 47 ranked midfielder in the country by TopDrawerSoccer. Scheer attended Myers Park High School.
Braden Stevanovic – Midfielder – Belle River, Ontario, Canada
Stevanovic also comes to Morgantown from Ontario where he played for Bell River District High School. He helped lead the Nobles to South Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (SWOSAA) and Windsor and Essex County Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WECSAA) titles and was a Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations finalist. Stevanovic also played for Oakland F.C of USL League Two under head coach Steve Walker.
Sam Tinoco – Forward – Middletown, N.J.
Collins joins the Mountaineers after playing for Middletown High School South under head coach Daniel Riverso where he was the top goal scorer on the team. He also played for PDA MLS Next under head coach Tyler Stakiwicz where he served as captain and a two-time NJ State Cup winner. Scheer was the No. 16 ranked player in New Jersey by TopDrawerSoccer.
Joining the Mountaineers are freshmen Sebastian Burke (Durham, N.C.), Chase Collins (Harrisburg, Pa.), Akseli Ekqvist (Houston, Texas), Weston Jonke (Cleveland, Ohio), Toby Mawer (Bath, England), Tristan Pusztahegyi (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada), Isaac Scheer (Charlotte, N.C.), Braden Stevanovic (Belle River, Ontario, Canada), and Sam Tinoco (Middletown, N.J.), as well as two transfers, Simon Carlson (Kennesaw, Ga./Georgia State) and Felix Ewald (Berlin, Germany/Temple). Another transfer, Ethan Dekel Daks (Nottingham, England/South Carolina), joined the Mountaineers back in January.
“We’re extremely excited to add this injection of experience and youth to our 2024 roster,” Stratford said. “We’ve been able to attract some experienced players in the portal with a nice balance of talented freshman that will carry the torch for many years to come. There should be a real quality of depth to this group.”
Sebastian Burke – Defender – Durham, N.C.
Originally from Nort Carolina, Burke joins the Mountaineers after spending the last seven years in England and Germany, playing for academies at Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and SpVgg Unterhaching. He helped lead his teams to a Youth Bavarian Regional League Championship and was runner up in the Youth Premier League. Burke attended Munich International School.
Simon Carlson – Midfielder – Kennesaw, Ga.
Carlson transfers to WVU after playing four seasons at fellow Sun Belt member Georgia State. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt first team selection as well as a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honoree. Carlson also excels in the classroom as he was named a College Sports Communicators second team Academic All-American in 2022.
Chase Collins – Goalkeeper – Harrisburg, Pa.
Collins joins the Mountaineers after playing for PA Classics MLS Next club team under head coach Steve Klein. He is ranked as the 17th best player from Pennsylvania and the third-best goalkeeper from the state by TopDrawerSoccer. Collins attended Central Dauphin High School but did not play for the school.
Akseli Ekqvist – Defender – Houston, Texas
Ekqvist comes to Morgantown after playing for Houston Dynamo 2 under head coach Kenny Bundy. According to TopDrawerSoccer, he is the No. 196 recruit in the nation, the 54th-ranked defender, and the 17th-ranked player from Texas.
Felix Ewald – Midfielder – Berlin, Germany
Ewald transfers to WVU after playing one season at Temple where he was named to the All-AAC Second Team. He led the Owls in goals (6), assists (5), and points (16) and was a two-time Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week. Ewald played his freshman season at Mississippi College where he scored seven goals and was named First Team All-Region and Second-Team All-Conference.
Weston Jonke – Midfielder – Cleveland, Ohio
Jonke joins West Virginia after playing for FC Cincinnati under coaches Joshua Neff, Richie Ryan, and Nikola Katic. He helped lead the FC Cincinnati Academy to a UPSL title in 2023 and also qualification for the playoffs in MLS Next. Jonke is the No. 35 ranked player in the Great Lakes region by TopDrawerSoccer.
Toby Mawer – Goalkeeper – Bath, England
Mawer joins the Mountaineers after playing for Reading FC under head coach Mikele Leigertwood. He also attended King Edwards Bath and was the England Elite School Boys Champion. Internationally, Mawer has played for Wales U16 team.
Tristan Pusztahegyi – Defender – Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Pusztahegyi joins the Mountaineers after playing for Toronto FC Academy. He appeared in six games for the club this past season with four starts. Pusztahegyi also attended St. Mary’s High School in Ontario.
Isaac Scheer – Midfielder – Charlotte, N.C.
Scheer comes to WVU from Charlotte, North Carolina where he played for the Charlotte Independence under head coach Jeff Bilyk. He earned a USL Academy contract with the independence and made eight pro appearances and was also named to the ECNL Conference Cup Best XI. He was the No. 134 ranked player and No. 47 ranked midfielder in the country by TopDrawerSoccer. Scheer attended Myers Park High School.
Braden Stevanovic – Midfielder – Belle River, Ontario, Canada
Stevanovic also comes to Morgantown from Ontario where he played for Bell River District High School. He helped lead the Nobles to South Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (SWOSAA) and Windsor and Essex County Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WECSAA) titles and was a Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations finalist. Stevanovic also played for Oakland F.C of USL League Two under head coach Steve Walker.
Sam Tinoco – Forward – Middletown, N.J.
Collins joins the Mountaineers after playing for Middletown High School South under head coach Daniel Riverso where he was the top goal scorer on the team. He also played for PDA MLS Next under head coach Tyler Stakiwicz where he served as captain and a two-time NJ State Cup winner. Scheer was the No. 16 ranked player in New Jersey by TopDrawerSoccer.
