Men’s Soccer Welcomes A Lot of Young Blood for 2021

2021 SUFFOLK MEN'S SOCCER ROSTER 

BOSTON – More than half of Suffolk's men's soccer's 35-man roster will put on the blue-and-gold for the first time as head coach Bill Maddock recruited 19 newcomers to join the Rams ranks for the 2021 campaign. 

The group is a mixture of collegiate first-years with 17 true freshmen, a standout graduate transfer in Nigel Leo and senior transfer Fira Lam. Position wise, the group is made up of nine midfielders, five defensemen, three forwards and a pair of goaltenders. 

"I couldn't be more pleased with the group of young men and families who are joining our program here at Suffolk," Maddock said.  "Each of the guys will bring something different to our group and collectively will help take this program to new levels. This class isn't afraid of the challenge ahead and their presence on campus will impact us for many years."

When combined with the experienced returners, Suffolk looks to make a splash in its first season in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). Action kicks of Wednesday, Sept. 1 when the Rams entertain Massachusetts Maritime Academy at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park at 7 p.m.

EDWARD ABOUZEID | FR. | M | 6-1 | 180 | NORTON, MASS. / NORTON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – NORTON 
Letterwinner at Norton and captained the team as a senior … Led Norton to back-to-back MIAA D3 South Sectional finalist finishes in 2018 and 2019, respectively … Helped Norton to the 2017 Tri-Valley League Championship … Two-time Eastern Massachusetts All-Star … Two-time Tri-Valley League All-Star … Two-time Sun Chronicle All-Star … Also lettered in track & field … Member of Norton's record-holding sprint medley relay … 2021 Tri-Valley League Javelin Champion … Tri-Valley League All-Star as a senior … Belonged to National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.

XANDER BALOG | FR. | GK | 6-0 | 185 | TALLAHASSEE, FLA. / LEON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – LEON
Letterwinner at Leon and served as captain as a senior in 2020-21 … Led Leon to back-to-back district championships … Aided Leon to a state-regional finalist finish. 

JACK CATTIE | FR. | D | 5-3 | 130 | WILLOW GROVE, PA. / UPPER MORELAND
BEFORE SUFFOLK – UPPER MORELAND
Letterwinner at Upper Moreland … Led Upper Moreland to the 2020 PIAA District 3A Championship … Helped Upper Moreland to a state semifinalist finish in 2020 … Also lettered in track & field … Two-year National Honors Society member … Presidents Aware recipient his senior year … German language department award honoree … Belonged to jazz band as a freshman. 

EDSON DOIRAIN | FR. | F | 5-10 | 180 | MARLBOROUGH, MASS. / MARLBOROUGH
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MARLBOROUGH
Letterwinner and two-year captain at Marlborough … Led Marlborough to the league and district titles … Helped Marlborough to the semifinals of the state tournament … Named all-conference, all-mid watch and all-state.

TOMMY HANDELSMAN | FR. | D | 5-11 | 150 | WOODBERRY FOREST, VA. / WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
BEORE SUFFOLK – WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
Letterwinner at Woodberry Forest School and captained the team in 2020 … Helped Woodberry Forest School to the state tournament twice … First-Team All-Prep League honorable mention in 2019 … Named Woodberry Forest MVP in 2021 … Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 … Honor Roll student in 2020 … On board of Woodberry Forest School's Broadcasting Network WFSPN … Played in school Bagpipe Band. 

TAJ JENSEN | FR. | M | 5-7 | 155 | PROVIDENCE, R.I. / WHEELER SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WHEELER
Letterwinner and two-year captain at Wheeler … Led Wheeler to the 2018 Division 2 State Championship … RIIL Third-Team All-Division … Two-time second-team all-division … Helped Bruno United Football Club to the 2019 Club State Championship … Served as Black Affinity Co-Head for two years … Peer supporter in 2020 … Belonged to students involved in cultural awareness from 2018-20.

MURAD KUP | FR. | GK | 5-11 | 180 | ROCKY HILL, CONN. / ROCKY HILL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ROCKY HILL
Letterwinner at Rocky Hill. 

FIRA LAM | SR. | M | 5-8 | 145 | HONG KONG, CHINA / ST. LAWRENCE / HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – ST. LAWRENCE (2018)
Began his collegiate career at St. Lawrence … Helped St. Lawrence to the 2018 Liberty League regular-season and post-season championship Appeared in on game with the Saints. 

BEFORE SUFFOLK – HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Letterwinner at the Harrow International School and captained the team … Led Harrow School to the HKSSF Championship in 2014 … Also lettered in hockey and lacrosse.  

PAT LAVELLE | FR. | F | 140 | 6-0 | HOLYOKE, MASS. / SOUTH HADLEY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – SOUTH HADLEY
Letterwinner at South Hadley … Also lettered in basketball. 

NIGEL LEO | GR. | M | 5-8 | 170 | RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIF. / BELMONT / PALOS VERDES PENINSULA
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BELMONT (2017-21)

Began his collegiate career at Belmont … Four-year letterwinner for the Bruins … Helped Belmont to the 2021 Southern Conference Tournament Runner-Up Finish … Played in 57 games over four seasons … Recorded nine points on two goals and five assists … Southern Conference Attacker of the Week and Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week nominee … Two-time Southern Conference All-Academic honoree … Four-year Dean's List student. 

BEFORE SUFFOLK – PALOS VERDES PENINSULA 
Letterwinner at Palos Verdes Peninsula … Member of the U14 Southeast Division USSDA Team of the Season in 2014 and 2014 … Ranked 26th in Southern California by TopDrawerSoccer in 2013 … Member of National Chinese Honor Society.  

TJ MASELEK | FR. | M | 6-1 | 175 | SUTTON, MASS. / SUTTON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – SUTTON
Letterwinner at Sutton and captain the team as a senior … Led Sutton to three Dual Valley Conference Championships … Also lettered in basketball and captained the team in 2020-21 … Helped Sutton to the Division 4 State Championship title as a junior … Competed for the Boston Bolts club program … Aided to a pair of Boston Bolts State Cup Championships in 2018 and 2021, respectively. 

AIDAN MCLAUGHLIN | FR. | D | 6-1 | 170 | MEDFORD, MASS. / MEDFORD
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MEDFORD
Letterwinner at Medford and captained the team … Helped Medford to the 2019 Division 1 North State finals appearance in 2019 … Aided to the GBL Championship semifinal trip in 2021 … Two-time GLB All-Star … 2021 Medford MVP … Medford Best Defender in 2019 … Belonged to CCSR from 2017-20. 

ELIJAH PACHECO BLOCH | FR. | M | 5-11 | 170 | LEXINGTON, MASS. / LEXINGTON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – LEXINGTON
Letterwinner at Lexington.  

DEVEN PAPADIMITRIOU | FR. | D | 6-0 | 145 | SHELTON, CONN. / SHELTON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – SHELTON
Letterwinner at Shelton and captained the team in 2020 … Led Shelton to the 2018 Division Championship … Also lettered in track & field … High Honor Roll. 

DOMINIC RINALDI | FR. | D | 6-0 | 145 | WESTFIELD, MASS. / WESTFIELD
BEFORE SUFFOLK – WESTFIELD
Letterwinner at Westfield and served as captain of the squad … Second-team all-conference. 

CAM SANDERSON | FR. | F | 6-3 | 175 | LUDLOW, MASS. / LUDOW
BEFORE SUFFOLK – LUDLOW
Letterwinner at Ludlow … All-Western Mass … Also lettered in track & field … Honor Roll … Two-year member of Spanish Club.  

COLIN SHEEHAN | FR. | M | 6-0 | 170 | EAST SANDWICH, MASS. / STURGIS WEST CHARTER SCHOOL
BEFORE SUFFOLK – STURGIS WEST CHARTER SCHOOL
Letterwinner at Sturgis West Charter School and captained the team as a senior … Helped Sturgis West Charter School to the Cape and Islands League Championship as a freshman … Cape and Islands League All-Star as a senior … Two-time Cape and Islands League Sportsmanship Award honoree … Member of the business club. 

ERIK VAN EVEN | FR. | M | 6-3 | 185 | BOSTON, MASS. / BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY
BEFORE SUFFOLK – BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY
Letterwinner at Boston Latin Academy … Also lettered in track & field … Won state cup tournament in the hammer throw in 2017.  

MIGUEL VARELA | FR. | M | 5-10 | 160 | MILTON, MASS. / MILTON
BEFORE SUFFOLK – MILTON
Letterwinner at Milton and captained the team as a senior … Tallied 49 points over four seasons … Two-time Eastern Mass. All-Star … Three-time Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic … Three-time Bay State All-Star … Bay State MVP runner-up as a sophomore … Also lettered in baseball … Honor Roll student.