DETROIT (3/29/2017) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer program and head coach
Nicholas Deren '99 has announced the signing of eight incoming student-athletes into the Titan family. All eight are local Michigan products and signed with the Titans during the winter signing period and are set to join Detroit Mercy prior for the 2017-18 school year.
The eight joining the Titans are
Ben Al-Gharabally (St. Clair, Mich. / St. Clair),
Kyle Bandyk (Novi, Mich. / Novi),Â
Trevor Deon (Woodhaven, Mich. / Woodhaven),
Daniel Iyok (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester),
Devin Mendez (Tecumseh, Mich. / Tecumseh),
Mohamad Miri (Canton, Mich. / Canton),
Demetri Pliakos (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) and
Jake Poorman (Brighton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central).
"I think the one characteristic that really defines this class is versatility," Deren said of the eight additions. "Numerous players out of the eight players can play multiple positions. Some are right sided players, the midfielders can play as holding-mids, attacking-mids, even center backs and then obviously we have a goalkeeper coming in and we have a center-forward who is coming in who is position specific, but the other six are very flexible.
"When our team and our program is doing well, winning games and competing for something in the Horizon League, it's due to the flexibility and versatility of our players. They're all able to acclimate to the different roles and that's what this class defines. All the players play both sides of the ball, even the center forward, which will get them on the field quicker. That's really what defines our program and the characteristics of Titan soccer is being able to defend and being able to attack on the brink and this class exemplifies everything that we really wanted to."
It's the second-straight large signing class for the Titan men's soccer team after Detroit Mercy brought in nine true freshmen prior to the 2016 season. Detroit Mercy enters its 30th season of men's soccer in 2017-18 and the eighth full campaign under Deren.
Ben Al-Gharabally
Hometown: St. Clair, Mich. (St. Clair High School)
Position: Midfield / Forward
Highlights: Lettered across four seasons for the Saints and coach Josip Kunce ... Named All-District, All-Area and All-Conference during each season of high school ... Was All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore and junior before earning Second Team All-State accolades as a senior ... Two-time MAC Gold MVP and as a senior was All-Region as well as the Blue Water Area Player of the Year ... Scored 31 goals during junior campaign before tallying 27 goals in his senior year ... Played club soccer with Nationals Soccer Club/Waza FC for seven years with several State Cup appearances ... His uncle, Rob Palmer, played hockey for the University of Michigan and professionally with the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings ... Had another uncle play collegiate basketball at Lake Superior State and another uncle attend the University in the 1980s ... Plans to major in Business.
Coach Deren on Al-Gharabally: "Ben mostly plays center-midfield for his high school. I like him as a wide player because he has tremendous dribbling ability and very good technique in and around the area. He strikes the ball with both feet very well and can score from distance and will add a lot of versatility up top as a player that will play in the front four for us."
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Kyle Bandyk
Hometown: Novi, Mich. (Novi High School)
Position: Midfield / Forward
Highlights: Lettered three years after joining varsity at end of freshmen season for coaches Brian O'Leary and Todd Phieffer ... Selected as the MLive Detroit Player of the Year and the Michigan Prep Zone Oakland County Player of the Year after senior season ... Named All-Conference, All-District and All-Region as well as to the All-State Soccer Dream Team ... Helped team reach state semifinals during 2016 season, including scoring game-winning goal in 1-0 regional championship win ... Earned All-Academic Honors and Scholar-Athlete recognition ... Was on the Olympic Development Program (ODP) State Team ... During senior season, totaled 26 goals and seven assists ... Played club soccer with the Michigan Jaguars for 10 years ... Club team earned several first-place finishes in MRL premier and just missed out on national championship in second year of National League play, placing second ... His uncle Ray Leski played football at Wayne State University and his cousin Evan Leski played football at Elmhurst College ... Had one uncle attend University ... Plans to major in Business.
Coach Deren on Bandyk: "He's an extremely powerful player who can play on the back line as well as the front line. I like him in wide areas. He plays outside back for his club team and gets forward a lot because he's crafty and clever on the ball. He scored a ton of goals in high school, they played him as the top forward. I would like to play him a little wider. I think he's very good at running at people with the ball. He enjoys attacking."
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Trevor Deon
Hometown: Woodhaven, Mich. (Woodhaven High School)
Position: Midfield
Highlights: Lettered for three seasons for the Warriors ... Earned All-Conference and All-District Team honors during career ... Part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) State Team in 2015-16 ... Also part of team that went to the ODP Region 2 camp ... Played club soccer with Waza FC (seven years) and Michigan Jaguars (one year) ... Joins several other former Michigan Jag players on the Titans, including incoming Titans Mohamad Miri and Kyle Bandyk ... Plans to major in Nursing.
Coach Deren on Deon: "He's a center midfielder who has tremendous ability. He's a very, very strong kid. He's only 5-8, 5-9, so he's not tall, but he's powerful and he's a box-to-box midfielder. His fitness levels are amazing. All of the coaches are telling me that this is the guy that will really excel at our level. I think he's fantastic."
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Daniel Iyok
Hometown: Rochester Hills, Mich. (Rochester High School)
Position: Midfield
Highlights: A two-year varsity letter-winner for the Falcons and coach Chris Purgatori ... Named Second Team All-State, All-Conference and All-District as a senior in 2016 ... Selected to Michigan Prep Zone All-Oakland County First Team ... Helped lead team to district and regional championships as a senior ... Played high school soccer with fellow incoming Titan Demetri Pliakos ... Played club soccer with the Rochester Soccer Club 99 for one year ... Plans to major in Finance.
Coach Deren on Iyok: "This is a player I've been searching for many years. He's a 6-3 defensive center-midfielder who wins everything in the air, breaks up plays and breaks the spirit of the opponent. He wins every ball. His distribution is very good. He's going to be an immediate impact on set pieces. This guy will change a soccer program, he's a difference maker. He will be an immediate impact."
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Devin Mendez
Hometown: Tecumseh, Mich. (Tecumseh High School)
Position: Goalkeeper
Highlights:Â Lettered in two seasons for the Indians and coach Jerry Nowak ... As a senior, earned First Team All-State, First Team All-County, First Team All-Region and First Team All-District honors ... Broke school records for saves in a season (182), least amount of goals allowed in a season (13) and total shutouts (nine) ... Played club soccer with the Michigan Wolves for four years, helping squad to State Cup runner-up finish and academy playoffs ... His father, Roberto Mendez, played football at Ferris State ... Plans to enter Pre-Physician Assistant program at University.
Coach Deren on Mendez: "He's a stud. With his Wolves teams, he reminds of goalkeepers that we've had in the past. He's about 6-feet tall, so not overly huge, but not small either. His commanding presence is what stands out the most about him. He's an imposing figure and is big and strong and has great technique. He can ping a ball. His goal kicks go 70 yards, his punts go 80. He's hitting the other 18 with his punts. He can hit it through the wind and he can also throw it a mile. He has all of the tools to be a next-level keeper."
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Mohamad Miri
Hometown: Canton, Mich. (Canton High School)
Position: Forward
Highlights:Â Lettered three years on varsity for the Chiefs and coach Mark Zemanski ... Named to the All-State Soccer Dream Team as a senior and was a Mr. Soccer contender, totaling 24 goals and five assists in 21 games ... Earned First Team Division 1 All-State honors along with All-Region, All-Conference and All-District accolades ... Led team to a 17-3-1 record and a top 10 ranking in Division 1 during senior season ... Helped team to state title as a sophomore in an undefeated season ... Team earned conference, district and regional titles as a junior ... Totaled 48 goals and 16 assists in his high school career, missing one season due to injury ... Played club soccer for the Livonia Meteors (three years) and Michigan Jaguars (three years) ... Plans to major in Business.
Coach Deren on Miri: "He's a guy that just scores. He's around the goal, he poaches, he makes really good runs and opens up space for other players as well as himself and knows how to play the game. He's an intelligent soccer player. And he will stretch the opponent because he is so quick. He's a powerful runner who will get in behind the defense and he has no problem running in behind to score goals. He's a super coachable kid who always wants to learn and always wants to get better."
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Demetri Pliakos
Hometown: Rochester Hills, Mich. (Rochester High School)
Position: Midfield
Highlights:Â Earned four varsity letters for the Falcons and coach Chris Purgatori ... Selected to All-State Dream Team and voted All-State First Team honors as a senior after earning All-State Honorable Mention laurels as a junior ... A two-time team captain, who earned Team MVP honors in 2016 ... Totaled 18 goals and 23 assists during his career, including 12 goals and 10 assists as a senior ... Helped team to a Division 1 regional championship title and state semifinal appearance during his senior season ... Earned Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Scholarship Nomination ... Played club soccer for Waza FC/Nationals Union from 2012-17, helping team to National Premier League finalist appearances ... Part of the Michigan Olympic Development Program (ODP) State Team from 2010-16, earning spots on the Region 2 ODP Regional Team in 2012 and Region 2 ODP Regional Pool in 2016 ... Member of the National Honor Society ... His older brother is current Titan,
Spiro Pliakos ... His father, Chris Pliakos, played collegiate soccer at Oakland University and his uncle, Denny Hocking, played Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies ... Played high school soccer with fellow incoming Titan Daniel Iyok ... Plans to enroll in five-year MBA program.
Coach Deren on Pliakos: "He scores a lot of goals. He really has improved that part of his game, where he's thinking shoot first, score first. His brother, Spiro, is usually thinking pass first, create first. That's where the two differ. Their brains are amazing. They know where people are all of the time, they are smooth on the ball, both of them. Demetri can shoot from distance and he's quick and tricky. He's grown up, he's stronger now because he's been around his brother and he knows weights are a part of it. It's a great family, soccer just runs in their blood. I'm very fortunate to get him because he just gets better and better and better."
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Jake Poorman
Hometown:Â Brighton, Mich. (Detroit Catholic Central High School)
Position:Â Defender / Midfield / Forward
Highlights:Â Lettered for the Shamrocks and coach Gene Pulice ... Part of undefeated Division 1 MHSAA state title teams during freshman and sophomore seasons and helped the squad to district and regional titles and state semifinalist during junior season ... Earned honor roll accolades every semester ... Played for Crew Academy Wolves for one year, totaling three goals and four assists in 12 games to help team to first-place finish in the Central Mid-America Division ... Helped Wolves club team to State Cup quarterfinal and semifinal appearances ... Plans to enroll in five-year MBA program.
Coach Deren on Poorman: "Talk about an athlete, I've seen tremendous changes with Jake and he's improved so much in the last two years. His feet got better, he's much cleaner on the ball. He likes the wide areas, he can play as a wing back. His natural trade growing up was as an outside back that can attack. He is tricky, crafty and quick. He's very similar to
Tyler Moorman. He's 6-2, 6-3 and wiggles through people like they are not there. He can score as well. He's scoring at the highest level of youth soccer at the academy. He has all of the tools in place to be a wide player for this program, whether it be on the back line, midfield line or front line. He'll be a player for us."
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The Titans open up their 30th season of men's soccer later this summer.
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