Video: Coach Deren Discusses 2016 Incoming Class

DETROIT (3/28/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer program and head coach Nicholas Deren '99 announced his 2016 signing class on Monday. The Titans welcome eight new players -- seven from Michigan -- to the squad, all of whom are set to join Detroit for the upcoming 2016-17 school year.

The eight that signed with Detroit are Max Becker (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted), Collin Cavanaugh (Saline, Mich. / Saline), Johnathan Kingman (Mason, Mich. / Mason), Justin Murray (Canton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central), Jake Reitzloff (Northville, Mich. / Northville), Justin Schueneman (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Eisenhower), Nick Toupin (Novi, Mich. / Northville) and Garret Weaver (Northville, Mich. / Northville).

Seven inked their NLI during the early signing period on Feb. 3, while the eighth member signed their TLI later during the winter. It's one of the largest classes for Deren and the Detroit men's soccer program in recent memory and provides depth in several areas on the pitch.

"We've had our eye on quite a few of these players for a long time," Deren said. "With this class, we have high hopes that it takes care of some of the problems that just left. We had some unbelievable defenders that we graduated. We had to address the back line and I thought we did that with this group.

"It's eight players that I think can have an impact immediately, that will find time on the field and it just depends on how quickly they adjust to the college game. They are all very talented individuals where I think it's going to be pretty easy for them to get adjusted to it."

Take a look at the 2016 Detroit men's soccer class:

Max Becker  |  Midfield
North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted
High School: A four-year letter winner in soccer and two-year letter winner in football for the Eagles ... Played soccer for coach Chris Marsh ... Started every single game since his freshman season ... Finished career with 35 goals and 45 assists and led the state of Ohio in assists during his senior season in 2015 ... Earned Second Team All-State honors in Division I as a senior ... Ranks No. 2 all-time in school history in assists ... Played club soccer for the Challenger Crew Juniors 97 Gold team, winning state cup championships from 2013-15.

Coach Deren on Becker: "Max Becker is a center-midfielder with a lot of versatility. He is a two-footed player that can serve balls with both feet. I've seen him hit corner kicks and dead balls with both feet equally as well, and that's going to cause a lot of problems for the opponents. But the one thing that will cause problems for the opponents is his passing ability and his brain. He always seems to connect passes and find the right pass."



Collin Cavanaugh  |  Defense
Saline, Mich. / Saline
High School: A two-year letter winner on varsity with the Hornets and coach Dana Reselot ... Named Third Team All-State as a senior ... A two-time All-SEC and All-District performer ... A team captain as a senior ... Tallied six goals and 13 assists in 2015 as a senior, while totaling five goals and nine assists as a junior ... Helped team to district, conference and regional titles in his junior season ... Played club soccer for Ann Arbor United, helping the team to state semifinal appearance and state cup finals.

Coach Deren on Cavanaugh: "He's your typical six. He gets it and sprays it all over the park. His ability to find players and advance positions is uncanny. He can hit a 60-yeard ball on a dime. He can connect the 10-to-15 yard pass. He can split the centerbacks. His passing ability is ridiculous as well as the way he defends. He defends very well from that position and he reads the game. We expect big things from him."



Johnathan Kingman  |  Defense
Mason, Mich. / Mason
High School: Played all four years on varsity with the Bulldogs and coach Nick Binder ... As a senior, he was named First Team All-State, First Team All-Area, First Team All-Region and First Team All-District ... Helped high school squad to MHSAA Division 2 state championship during senior year in 2015 as squad finished with a 24-3 record overall ... Assisted on goal and scored in shootout during state title match ... Also helped squad to state semifinal appearance as a junior ... Totaled seven goals and 27 assists as a senior in 2015, while tallying 12 goals and 14 assists in junior season ... Played three years for Northville Rush and two years with TNT, reaching state semifinals three times.

Coach Deren on Kingman: "John is a very talented right defender. He can get forward with extreme pace and precision and deliver balls into the penalty area. His ball-striking ability is uncanny. He can hit a 60-yard diagonal ball and he can also hit a 50 or 60 yard ball right down the channel for a runner. He also likes to join in the attack and get forward and can shoot from distance, but he can combine with players and really can play-make from the right-back position."



Justin Murray  |  Defense
Canton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central
High School: Lettered three years on varsity for Shamrocks and coach Gene Pulice ... Selected First Team All-State, First Team All-Region, First Team All-District and All-Catholic League as a senior ... Helped team to district and regional titles as a senior in 2015 ... Also named All-Catholic League as a junior ... Earned academic honor roll accolades all four years in high school ... Totaled 15 goals and nine assists from sophomore through senior season, including seven goals and four assists as a senior in 2015 ... Played club soccer with Canton Celtic (four years) and Michigan Wolves (two years), earning two Disney championships and reaching state semifinals with Wolves.

Coach Deren on Murray: "The first time I saw this guy, I said, 'That's a Division I centerback.' He's about 6-foot-2 and keeps growing. He's a great ball-winner. He's technically gifted with the ball at his feet and doesn't feel pressure. You can build out of the back with him. He also reads the passing lanes really well and can cut out passes as well if he needs to get into a physical 1-vs-1 confrontation. We expect him to have an immediate impact on the field in his first year."



Jake Reitzloff  |  Forward
Northville, Mich. / Northville
High School: Lettered three times for the Mustangs and coach Henry Klimes ... Named All-Conference and All-District as a senior ... Helped the team to conference championship in 2015 and a district title in 2014 ... Selected to academic honor roll ... Totaled 18 goals and 33 assists across three seasons, tallying highs of seven goals and 14 assists as a junior in 2014 ... Played club soccer for Northville Rush (nine years) and Waza FC U12 ... Played high school soccer with fellow incoming signees Nick Toupin and Garret Weaver. 

Coach Deren on Reitzloff: "Jake's a player that I've known since he was 8 years old. This kid loves to dribble and he loves to run by players. He's extremely talented and gifted at doing it. He eliminates defenders very similar to the way Spiro (Pliakos) did when he came in. It looks easy for him and he turns the corner, gets behind players. He can do it off the dribble or on the dribble. He can even combine and we expect him to have a big impact in his first year."



Justin Schueneman  |  Defense
Shelby Township, Mich. / Eisenhower
High School: Lettered all four years for the Eagles and coach Josh VanHouten ... Named Most Improved as a sophomore, before being selected All-State as a junior and senior ... As a senior captain, was named First Team All-State ... Also two-time First Team All-Conference and Firs Team All-District ... Tallied 10 goals and 12 assists during his senior season ... Spent one year with the FC Nova soccer club, reaching final eight in state cup in 2015 ... 

Coach Deren on Schueneman: "This is one of our later recruits. We saw him play at our prospect camp and he basically dropped our jaws. He is fast and great in the air. He has a vertical like Jason Leslie and he's actually really calm and good on the ball as well. Come to find out that he's only really been playing on the back line for a year, almost two. He's always been a forward, which bodes very well for us, because he kills two birds with one stone. We have a talented defender coming in that we recruited as a defender, but I can see him playing on the front line as a center-forward and I think he could be very productive up there as well. He's another big strong kid who is pretty imposing and dangerous on set pieces and will definitely impact the Division I game."



Nick Toupin  |  Midfield
Novi, Mich. / Northville
High School: Lettered four seasons for the Mustangs under coach Henry Klimes ... Two-time All-Conference and All-State First Team as a senior ... All-District, All-Region and All-Area First Team as a senior ... Helped team to 2015 KLAA division and conference titles as a senior ... Also helped Northville to district title in 2014 ... Posted 17 goals and 33 assists throughout high school career, which included 10 goals and 23 assists as a senior ... Earned academic honors all four years for having 3.5 GPA or better ... Played club soccer for Michigan Rush for nine years and was chosen to Rush National Select Team from 2011-13.

Coach Deren on Toupin: "Nick Toupin is your box-to-box center-midfielder. He's a No. 8 and just plays it perfectly in the club level, and I expect that to translate right over into the college game. The one thing that separates Nick from the others is that he's a goal-scoring center-midfielder. He seems to score in every other game. If at the end of the year, you have a 20-game season and he has between six and 10 goals coming out of center-midfield, that's a very positive year. Maybe not his first year, but I see that becoming a big, big part of his game is helping us score goals and win games from the middle of midfield. I think he's a big-time player."



Garret Weaver  |  Defense
Northville, Mich. / Northville
High School: Lettered two years on varsity for the Mustangs and coach Henry Klimes ... 2015 First Team All-State ... Two-time First Team All-District, two-time All-Conference, two-time All-Region and 2015 District Player of the Year ... Helped Northville to 2014 district title and 2015 division and conference titles as a senior in 2015 ... Scored five goals and five assists from center back position as a senior ... Played club soccer with Michigan Rush (three years), Michigan Wolves (one year) and Michigan Jags (five years).

Coach Deren on Weaver: "Garret's a player that I have really enjoyed coaching at the club level and I expect the same and even more at the college level. He's a centerback with unbelievable offensive ability as well as I don't think I've ever seen the kid get run by or lose a 1-v-1 confrontation in my life as well. He's about 6-foot-1 and very good in the air. He's so calm on the ball that you can build a game with him. He can carry the ball and break lines in the midfield, but also has the knowledge on when he needs to get back and when he should go forward. Just an all-around great soccer player that is very versatile."