HIGH POINT, N.C.-- The High Point University men's soccer team's 2020 recruiting class has been ranked the 12th best in the nation in Top Drawer Soccer's final recruiting class rankings. Which the highest ranking any High Point University Athletics recruiting class has received. CollegeSoccerNews also selected this recruiting class in their top 25 in the nation.

"It's a nice honor for these guys, the program, and my staff who worked extremely hard for well over a year on this class," Head Coach Zach Haines said. It has been exciting to see how they have fit in with the returners over the course of the last few weeks. It is clear that they are a talented group that is very bought in to helping this program. Our staff is confident that this class will contribute in the short and long term to take this program to new heights."

Throughout the summer, HPU's recruiting class was ranked as high as 11th. The Panthers' final ranking of 12th is the highest-ranking of its kind in program history.  Since hosting the institution's first NCAA Tournament game in any sport in 2018 and a Big South Championship appearance in 2019, High Point Men's Soccer has solidified its stature on the national stage in recent years.   

While recruiting very talented international players throughout the program's history, the Panthers have been able to attract some top domestic players as well. This includes five players from the United States who represent California, Maryland, and North Carolina. Brady Hoffacker is an ECNL player from Wilmington, N.C. who captained the Wilmington Hammerheads. Jake Woody is also a North Carolina native from Asheville and has USL League Two experience as he played for Asheville City SC. Cooper Lindfelt hails from Redlands, California, and was a starting left wingback and captain for FC Golden State in the USSDA. Erich Miller is also from California hailing from San Rafael. Miller played at the prestigious IMG Academy where he was also captain. Cole Hyland is the lone freshman from Maryland where he appeared in 85 games for Bethesda Soccer Club in the USSDA with 16 goals and 45 assists, primarily playing fullback and winger.

This international reputation is best shown through this class which represents four countries and three states. Two of High Point's three transfers hail from different countries. Junior transfer Sebastian Chalbaud comes from Venezuela by way of Stetson. Goalkeeper Ricardo Ceballos is from Mexico City, Mexico by way of Akron who enrolled in January 2020. Chalbaud had the chance to represent Venezuela in 2017 as a member of the national U17 team and played in the CONMEBOL Championships. 
Chalbaud was named a key D1 transfer by Top Drawer Soccer earlier this summer and is expected to have an immediate impact for the Purple and White. Mason Marcey also joined the program in January 2020 after successful seasons at Valparaiso University where he established himself as one of the top midfielders in the Missouri Valley Conference and led Valpo in points as a Junior playing primarily as a center midfielder and right back. Marcey comes in with additional experience playing for Seattle Sounders U23, Charlotte Independence, and Charlotte Eagles of the USL League 2.

The two other international Panther newcomers are true freshmen in forward, Ouzi Gueye from Saint Louis, Senegal, and defender, Finn McRobb from Glasgow Scotland. Gueye spent his high school years playing for the Pennington School. McRobb Spent the last 10 years at Celtic FC, currently playing with the Reserves and under 18's. He has played against youth team sides from Liverpool, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wolves, Derby County, Arsenal, Benfica, Real Madrid, Feyenoord, and Ajax.

High Point's 12th best recruiting class ranking puts them amongst the likes of Indiana, Duke, Portland, and SMU.