NC State men’s soccer signs seven recruits to National Letters of Intent

RALEIGH – Fourth-year head coach George Kiefer and the NC State men’s soccer team signed a solid class of future Wolfpackers during the early signing period, as seven student-athletes inked National Letters of Intent.

“We are very excited to welcome this class to Raleigh and to the Pack,” said Kiefer. “These young men bring a lot to the table both athletically and academically, and each one of them will be tremendous additions to our team’s culture.”

Yaniv Bazini • Midfielder
Ness Ziona, Israel • Hapoel Rishon Lezion 
• Spent eight seasons playing for Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the first league
• Team captain for U19 squad
• Most valuable player two seasons in a row
• Born July 16, 1999
• Son of Mindy Stern and Guilad Bazini

Will Buete • Midfielder
Wake Forest, N.C. • NCFC Academy
• Region 3 ODP Team
• NCYSA State Champion
• Four-year U.S. Soccer Development Academy player
• Academic honor roll honoree
• Born July 3, 2002
• Older sister and brother both play college soccer

Alex Darko • Defender
Accra, Ghana • Phoenix Academy
• Helped team become Inter High School Champions and Inter Houses Champions
• Named Phoenix Academy Tournament MVP
• Born August 11, 1998
• Son of Alex Kweku Darko

Kobe Franklin • Defender
Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Toronto FC Academy
• Canadian National Team member
• Played in U17 World Cup in Brazil
• Toronto FC Academy product
• Academic honor roll all four years of high school
• Born May 10, 2003

Lucas Hatsios • Goalkeeper
Charlotte, N.C. • Charlotte Independence
• Spent nine seasons playing for Carolina Rapids/Charlotte Independence
• Spent one season and a pair of Generations Adidas Cups with Real Salt Lake
• Called up to U14 and U17 U.S. National Team camps
• Signed two academy contracts (2018 and 2020) with Charlotte Independence
• Honored with award for integrity and hard work at his high school
• Born January 7, 2003

Luke Hille • Midfielder
Cary, N.C. • NCFC Academy
• Called up to the U14 USA Boys National Team
• Signing USL amateur contract with NCFC
• Academic honor roll honoree
• Born February 19, 2003

Vusumzi Plamana • Midfielder
Engcobo, Eastern Cape • Ubuntu Football Academy
• U17 and U20 South African National Team
• U12/14/16 SAFA LFA Squad
• U12/15/17 SAFA Regional Squad
• U15 Amazulu Metro Cup Player of the Tournament
• U16 Player of the Season
• U18 Engen National Tournament Player of the Tournament
• Born July 21, 2002