After joining the Clarkson University Athletic Department early last summer, head men's soccer coach Chris Taylor was dealt a team that hadn't enjoyed much success in recent seasons, but the first-year head coach was able to nearly reach the conference tournament and was awarded with Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Now, entering his second season, Taylor has completed his first year on the recruiting trails and brought in nine new student-athletes to help bolster his squad.

"It's very exciting for us to announce our first recruiting class to Clarkson University," Taylor remarked. "Both myself and (assistant coach) Matt Konecnik worked extremely hard to attract not only excellent soccer players, but fantastic ambassadors for the University. It's a great feeling to know that these players share our vision for the direction of the program in the coming years and want to push us toward success as quickly as possible. We feel the strength of the class will bring instant competition to a strong returning group and we hope they will bring out the best in each other. I cannot wait to work with this group of players and push on from last season."

Below are brief capsules regarding the Class of 2019 and newcomers to the program

Chris Afonso – Shrewsbury, MA (High School - Shrewsbury High School; Club - GPS NPL Elite)

Coach Taylor says: "Chris is a highly technical and intelligent central midfielder. He is brave in possession and always wants to be on the ball. He is very good at keeping games ticking over through possession. When I met Chris, I was very impressed with his love for the game and commitment to playing quality soccer."

Why Chris chose Clarkson: "Because it was the best fit for me academically. Graduate school is my goal, and Clarkson will give me the best opportunity to reach that goal."

Eric Cassidy – Queensbury, NY (Previous School – SUNY Potsdam)

Coach Taylor says: "Eric is going to bring some very valuable experience to our program. He has played under the fantastic coaching of Adam Parker at Potsdam and that will be a big plus for us. He has been a successful player in tough conference for three seasons and we are excited he is going to finish up with us. Eric is a clever defender and his strong left foot gives us the opportunity to play him in several different positions."

Kevin Chrisey – Niskayuna, NY (High School – Niskayuna High School; Club – Blackwatch Premier)

Coach Taylor says: "Kevin is a player who could fill a few positions with us. I have watched him play in an array of positions for club and high school and he does a good job in all of them. He is a clever player who knows how to move the ball quickly, but can also bring that dynamic element in the final third."

Jake Davis – Manchester, NH (High School – Bishop Brady High School; Club – GPS New Hampshire)

Coach Taylor says: "Jake comes from a good club with excellent coaches. He has a lot of quality with his left foot and this will give us better balance in the squad. He has great delivery from set pieces and can get up and down the wing whether he is playing as a left back or as a winger."

Why Jake chose Clarkson: "I chose Clarkson because it offered me the perfect base for me to build (upon) my future."

Zach Golden – Monroe Township, NJ (High School – Princeton Day School; Club – Match Fit Academy)

Coach Taylor says: "Zach is coming to us from the highest level of club soccer in the country. His experience as captain of a successful USSDA Academy team is a big plus for us. We love his leadership, and also his excellent understanding of the game and how we want to play it. His strengths are his ability to play out of the back with a confidence and composure as well as being a great organizer of his teams."

Why Zach chose Clarkson: "I chose to attend Clarkson mainly because of the incredible opportunities that the Business School provided. Although it may be a little colder than Jersey, I think the school is exactly what I want both academically and socially for my college career."

James Homan – Clifton Park, NY (High School – Shenendehowa High School; Club – New York Elite FC)

Coach Taylor says: "James comes to us from not only a successful club team, but a highly successful high school program. His experience as a captain and leader for his high school team in their run to the State Final Four will help him in his transition to the college game. He is a brave defender that puts his body on the line to stop his team from conceding and he has quality on the ball to start attacks from the defensive third."

Why James chose Clarkson: "I chose to attend Clarkson because I feel that it has an emerging soccer program with a great young coach and also I feel that Clarkson gives me a world of possibilities upon graduation with the education that I will receive. It was the best of both worlds."

Ben Jackson – Cold Spring Harbor, NY (High School – Cold Spring Harbor High School; Club – Syosset Surge)

Coach Taylor says: "Ben is a crafty attacking player that has experience of playing soccer in several different countries throughout his childhood. His cultural experience of the game will be an asset as he will see things a bit differently than other players. He has experienced good coaching at the ODP level and we are excited to see him grow with our team."

Why Ben chose Clarkson: "I chose to come to Clarkson because I wanted to be at a place where I would truly be happy. At Clarkson, I will not only gain an education that will set me up for a successful future, but also a great experience socially, academically, and athletically for the next four years."

Drew Lewis – Rexford, NY (High School – Shenendehowa High School; Club – New York Elite FC)

Coach Taylor says: "Drew is a dynamic attacking player that has been part of highly successful teams with James Homan. He fills a big need for us in attacking positions and his ability to run at defenders and create overloads for us will be exciting to watch. He can play in all the positions along the front line and he will add a different dimension to our attack."

Why Drew chose Clarkson: "I choose Clarkson University for the strong academic programs and opportunities available for the students. I was also impressed with Chris Taylor's aspiration for the Clarkson Soccer program."

McDonald – Niskayuna, NY (High School – Niskayuna High School; Club – FC Dutchmen)

Coach Taylor says: "Riley will instantly bring depth to the goalkeeper position for us. He has very sound fundamentals and brings calmness to his team from the back. He can command his box and is quick off his line; this allows him to start attacks from his position. We were really impressed with his ability to consistently distribute the ball with high quality."

Why Riley chose Clarkson: "I chose Clarkson mainly for the academics, especially the Engineering Management program. That, along with Coach Taylor and the team, made Clarkson a great fit."