DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's soccer program has added nine student-athletes for the 2017 season, head coach Gareth Smith announced. Joining the Bulldogs next season are Alex Andersen (North Liberty, Iowa), Luke Anderson (Wayzata, Minn.), Leroy Enzugusi (Marion, Iowa), Erik Fahner (Omaha, Neb.), Ryan Johnston (West Des Moines, Iowa), Juan Louis (Minneapolis, Minn.), Erik Sigman (Cincinnati, Ohio), Jake Taylor (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) and Ben Vukovich (Brookings, S.D.).
 
"We are delighted with our 2017 recruiting class," Smith said. "We have intentionally searched the country for young men high in character, academic performance and ability because these are the key qualities that will make them successful Bulldogs. We eagerly await their arrival and look forward to welcoming them and their families to the Bulldog family."
 
Alex Anderson is a midfielder from Iowa City, Iowa, who has played three seasons for Iowa City West. He was selected to the All-Mississippi Valley Conference First Team as a junior after he garnered honorable mention accolades as a sophomore. Anderson was a member of Iowa City West's 2014 Class 3A State Championship team. He is a two-time captain for his club team, ISC United.
 
Luke Anderson, who hails from Wayzata, Minn., is the lone goalkeeper in the 2017 class. He was a member of the Orono Lake High School team for two seasons, including his freshman year when he was the lone freshman on the team. Anderson is a member of the Minnesota Thunder Academy club and this year his team is on pace to be the first academy club to make the USSDA's playoffs.
 
Enzugusi, a forward for Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa, is a prolific scorer with 57 career goals along with 39 assists. He is the reigning Gatorade and Iowa Player of the Year, who helped Linn-Mar win the 2015 Iowa 3A State Tournament with his future Drake teammate, Jack Ramsey. Enzugusi is a member of the CRSA club.
 
The next player in the class is Fahner from Millard West High School in Omaha, Neb. He is a midfielder who has lettered three seasons for Millard West and helped the team win a state championship his sophomore year. Fahner is a member of the Omaha FC 98 club.
 
Johnston is a local member of the signing class from West Des Moines Valley High School. Heading into his senior season, he has scored 49 career goals and handed out 33 assists. Johnston helped Valley win the Iowa Class 3A State Title in 2016 and was picked to the Elite All-State Team that season. The Tigers have qualified for the state tournament in each of Johnston's first three seasons. He is a member of Sporting Iowa.
 
Louis is a forward/striker from Minneapolis, Minn., who played three seasons for Washburn High School. Originally from Haiti, he scored 24 goals and tallied 11 assists as a senior, as Washburn won the Minneapolis City Conference championship. Louis is a member of the Minneapolis City club.
 
Sigman, from Cincinnati, Ohio, played three seasons for Summit Country Day School. A three-year starter at the defender position, he helped Summit Country Day win back-to-back Ohio Division III State Titles his junior and senior years as he earned all-conference accolades each season. Sigman is a member of the Cincinnati United Premier (CUP) Gold club.
 
Taylor is a graduate transfer from Marquette University who joins the Bulldogs after lettering three seasons for the Golden Eagles. A defender, he was twice selected to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. Taylor is from Whitefish Bay, Wis., and lettered four years at Whitefish Bay High School, where he was twice tabbed the North Shore Conference Player of the Year and the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year as a senior. He played for the Bavarian Soccer Club.
 
Rounding out the class is Vukovich who hails from Brookings, S.D. He lettered all four seasons at Brookings High School, where he helped the team qualify for the state tournament twice. Vukovich is a forward who scored 41 career goals and was named first team all-state and all-conference as a junior and senior. He is a member of the Dakota Alliance Soccer Club.
 
Smith Breaks Down Each Member of the 2017 Class
Alex Anderson: "Alex is an exciting, dynamic and versatile player who has the ability to play a number of positions very effectively, which is a rare quality. He has very good pace, technical foundation and is tactically mature, which will make him a success at the Division I level. We are very much looking forward to working with Alex and seeing him leave a lasting impact on our program."
 
Luke Anderson: "Luke is an exciting young goalkeeper who has all of the tools to flourish at the Division I level. He is an excellent shot stopper and commands his penalty box and defense with great authority. He has a relentless drive to be the best version of himself and will stop at nothing to reach his full potential. We are excited about watching him leave a legacy here at Drake University."
 
Leroy Enzugusi: "Leroy is a very talented forward with excellent pace, technique and a proven ability to score goals. He is very effective with his back to goal and bringing his teammates into the game well. Leroy will have a high impact due to his intelligent movement off the ball and his exhilarating pace which will cause any defense problems. We anticipate an exciting future for Leroy and eager to see him take the stage in the MVC."
 
Erik Fahner: "Erik has been a pleasure to watch play over the past few years. He is a very creative and technically gifted midfield player who loves to drive out of the midfield into the attacking third. He is tactically very intelligent and will be a key player in attacking strategies to unlocking defenses. We are delighted to have him join our program."
 
Ryan Johnston: "Ryan has all the qualities to be a major success at Drake. His character personifies what is means to be a Bulldog. He has an exceptional work rate, is a relentless competitor and is always in pursuit of excellence both on-and-off the field. Ryan is quick, strong and agile and has a great desire to impact the game both offensively and defensively. His ambition and ability will be a great asset to our team next year."
 
Juan Louis: "Juan is a gifted and versatile attacking player who can play a variety of positions effectively. He is creative and has very good technical ability which makes him effective in the attacking third. His tactical intelligence, ability to find space between the lines and fearlessness when running at defenders makes him a threat to any defense. We are excited to see his impact on our program and team and look forward to watching him grow and develop in our Bulldog family."
 
Erik Sigman: "We are delighted to have Erik join our team as he personifies academic and athletic excellence. He is a gifted attacking left-sided player who will provide us with great balance. He has very good positional sense and demonstrates a tireless work ethic in both attack and defense. Erik has a wonderful combination of athletic ability and technical proficiency and will undoubtedly be a big success at Drake."
 
Jake Taylor: "Jake is a proven player at the Division I level and we are delighted to have him join our team. He is a very experienced defender who has demonstrated an unrelenting drive to reach his potential. Jake's physical maturity, experience and leadership will be a key component in our push to compete at the highest level. I look forward to watching Jake excel here at Drake University."
 
Ben Vukovich: "Ben is a young man with great character and talent. He is a promising left-sided player who has a great combination of athletic and technical ability. He has an unquestionable dedication to his soccer development and has demonstrated he will invest whatever it takes to become the best version of himself both on-and-off the field. He can play a number of roles, both in defense and attack, and we anticipate him having a big impact on our team and program."