Syracuse men’s soccer program goes all in on experience with 10 spring signings
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse men’s soccer head coach Ian McIntyre and his coaching staff signed 10 student-athletes to the 2024 spring roster.
The 10 new additions bring more than 360 games of collegiate experience to a Syracuse squad that made its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and eighth under McIntyre in 2023.
“We are excited to welcome an outstanding group of young men to campus this spring semester,” said McIntyre. “It is a talented group with a tremendous amount of college soccer experience among them. Each player is a wonderful addition to our locker room and to our Syracuse soccer culture. We will need time to grow and evolve as a new team, but we are excited to get to work and see how much we can progress as a group this spring.”
Michael Acquah– Awutu Bereku, Ghana – Lindsey Wilson College
Michael Acquah joins the Orange after spending his freshman year at Lindsey Wilson College, where he scored six goals and recorded one assist in 16 matches. The Awutu Bereku, Ghana, native was named to the All-Mid-South Conference Second Team, Mid-South Academic All-Conference and to the Mid-South Conference men’s soccer Champions of Character Team; which honors an individual based on leadership both on campus and in the community.
Ernest Bawa– Portor, Ghana – University of North Carolina
Ernest Bawa arrives in Central New York with 60 career appearances at Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina. A midfielder/forward, Bawa scored 10 goals and registered three assists over four seasons with the Tar Heels. The Portor, Ghana, native tallied four goals and an assist across 22 matches in 2023. A decorated high school athlete, Bawa was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Connecticut and was an All-State All-American Game and New England All-Star Game participant during his prep career.
Aboyke Bikyeombe – Herriman, Utah – Real Monarchs MLS Next Pro
Aboyke Bikyeombe joins the Orange following stints with Real Salt Lake MLS Next Academy and Real Monarchs MLS Next Pro. The Tanzania-born midfielder appeared in 18 matches with Real Monarchs between 2022 and 2023 and was a member of the 2023 MLS Next Cup Champion squad. Bikyeombe has enrolled at Syracuse in January, joining nine mid-year transfers from other institutions.
Daniel Burko– Lovenstad, Norway – Lincoln Memorial University
Daniel Burko comes to Syracuse following a breakout sophomore campaign at Lincoln Memorial University. Burko scored 20 goals in 19 matches, the third-most in the country amongst Division II players. The Lovenstad, Norway, native was named the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Offensive Player of the Year, All-SAC First Team, Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) First Team All-American and D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year for his efforts in 2023.
Elton Chifamba– Blacklick, Ohio – Clemson University
Elton Chifamba, a three-year member of ACC rival Clemson University, appeared in 56 career games, making 30 starts and assisting on five goals for the Tigers. During his freshman season, Chifamba was a member of the 2021 National Champion squad, appearing in over 700 minutes of action.
Sam Layton– Brisbane, Australia – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Sam Layton, a product of Brisbane, Australia, played four seasons at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Laton scored a pair of goals while assisting on eight tallies in 53 career matches. The midfielder registered career-highs in assists (six) and minutes played (1,301) in 2023.
Ben Rosenblatt– Huntington Woods, Mich. – Elon University
An experienced defender/midfielder, Ben Rosenblatt appeared in 3,493 minutes on the pitch across 47 career games with Elon. The Huntington Woods, Mich., native scored three goals and an assist in four seasons with Elon and was named to the 2021 and 2022 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) All-Tournament Teams.
Nathan Scott– San Jose, Calif. – UC Riverside
Nathan Scott joins California native Jason Smith on the 2024 roster. Scott played one season at UC Riverside, starting all 16 contests in which he appeared in. The midfielder assisted on three goals in 1,185 minutes of collegiate action.
Gabe Threadgold– Bremerton, Wash. – University of Washington
Gabe Threadgold heads to the East Coast following three seasons at the University of Washington. A native of Bremerton, Wash., the midfielder started in 41 of his 68 career games, recorded one goal and eight assists in 3,640 minutes on the pitch.
Carlos Zambrano– Miami, Fla. – Daytona State College
A midfielder from Miami, Carlos Zambrano joins Syracuse after 32 career games at Daytona State College. Zambrano scored 13 goals and tallied 16 assists across two seasons at DSC, including six goals and nine assists in 14 matches in 2023.
