Soccer - M | 2/10/2016 12:28:00 PM

BURNABY, BC – The Simon Fraser University men's soccer program has signed five high school athletes to National Letters of Intent and added one transfer student, Clan head coach Clint Schneider announced today.
 
Joining the men's soccer program for the 2016 season will be striker Kristian Yli-Hietanen from North Vancouver, defender Stefan Cuk and attacking midfielder Rahid Rahim, both of Burnaby, centre back Lucas McIlveen and winger Erik Morden, from Coquitlam, and goalkeeper Aidan Bain from Port Coquitlam.

 

Yli-Hietanen is transferring to SFU from Capilano University where he was the 2015 Pacwest Player and Rookie of the Year and Golden Boot award winner after scoring eight goals in 14 league games. All of the other players signed today will be incoming freshmen with experience ranging from Canadian national development programs to the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program.
 
All of the players played their youth soccer in the Lower Mainland.  McIlveen and Morden played for Coquitlam Metro Ford, Rahim for Mountain United, Cuk and Bain for Surrey United and Yli-Hietanen for North Vancouver FC.
 
 "We made it a priority early in the recruiting process to target the best Lower Mainland kids who are the right fit for SFU and I think we have achieved that," said Clan Schneider. "This group of players fills our needs on our soccer team and they have all demonstrated academic excellence in the classroom. I believe we have a very special group of incoming players to add to our SFU family."
 
SFU is Canada's only university competing in NCAA, and since joining Division II in 2010, the Clan has compiled a win-loss-draw record of 95-15-10 with two Final Four appearances in the NCAA national championship tournament (2012 and 2013). In 2011 the Clan was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II national polls but the university was ineligible for post-season play.
 
The Clan finished with a 10-3-4 overall record in 2015 and was second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at 9-2-3.
 
"We went after players who believe in what it means to play for SFU," continued Schneider.  "It's about representing our university, our province and rest of the Canada when we play in the United States and there is a lot of responsibility with that. Every one of these guys have bought into the culture here of selflessness and being a part of something bigger than themselves. "
 
The 2016 SFU recruiting class (in alphabetical order)
 
Aidan Bain (Port Coquitlam, BC)

High School:  Terry Fox Secondary
Youth Club: Surrey United FC
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-21/2 Weight: 175-lbsAthletic Accomplishments:  Bain was captain of Surrey United U17, winners of the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League Cup in 2014. He also has participated in the Canadian National Training Center and had a trial with Aston Villa FC in 2014. Bain was Surrey United 2015 Goalkeeper of the Year.
 
Stefan Cuk (Burnaby, BC)
High School:  Burnaby CentralYouth Clubs: Mountain United FC/Surrey United FC
Position: right back/ defensive midfielder
Height: 6-2 Weight: 150-lbs
Athletic Accomplishments: A member of the Vancouver Whitecaps youth prospects and national training centre, Cuk won a bronze medal at the U18 Canadian National Club Championship in 2014 playing for Mountain United FC. Cuk also won the golden boot award with Burnaby Central his high school and competed on numerous BC provincial teams.
 
Lucas McIlveen (Coquitlam, BC)
High School:  Dr. Charles Best Secondary
Youth Club: Coquitlam Metro Ford FC
Position: centre back

Height: 6-2 Weight: 170-lbs
Athletic Accomplishments:  A member of the Vancouver Whitecaps youth prospects where he is a teammate of Stefan Cuk, McIlveen won a gold medal with Coquitlam Metro Ford at the U16 Canadian National Championships and won gold at the Gold medal 2015 BC Secondary Schools AAA championship with Charles Best.
 
Erik Morden (Coquitlam, BC)
High School:  Dr. Charles Best Secondary Youth Club: Coquitlam Metro Ford FC
Position: Left Back, Winger
Height: 6-0 Weight: 165-lbs
Athletic Accomplishments:  Morden has participated in the national training centre and the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program, winning the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) Northwest Division championship in 2014. Morden also captained Charles Best to the 2015 BC Secondary Schools AAA championship.
 
Rahid Rahim (Burnaby, BC)
High School:  Cariboo Hill SecondaryYouth Club: Mountain United FC
Position: Attacking Midfield, Winger
Height: 5-7 Weight: 135-lbs
Athletic Accomplishments:  Rahim has been part of the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program for four years.

 

Kristian Yli-Hietanen (North Vancouver, BC)
High School:  Sutherland Secondary
Youth Club: North Vancouver FC
Position: Striker, Winger
Height: 6-1 Weight: 170-lbs
Athletic Accomplishments:  Yli-Hietanen transfers from Capilano University after scoring twice and leading the Blues to a silver medal at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship. Yli-Hietanen was named 2015 Pacwest Player and Rookie of the Year and Golden Boot winner after he scored eight goals in 14 league games. In high school, he led Sutherland to the 2013 BC Secondary Schools AAA championship.
 
--@SFUClan--