MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University men’s soccer program already has the first wave of student-athletes set to compete for the Wolves when the program begins competition in the fall of 2022. Head coach Stan Rodrigues is excited to announce the list of seven student-athletes that have signed on to join the program.
Cade Ficek is a centerback originally from Eugene, Ore., and competed at Sheldon High School. He spent the past seasons playing at Lane Community College. During this past season at Lane, Ficek started 11 games, tallying a goal and helped the team to a strong finish picking up three straight wins to end the year, including a 1-0 shutout win. While at Sheldon, Ficek played all four years on varsity, earning First Team All-State, Player of the League, OPD and NWAC All-Star. He put together an impressive final year of high school scoring 18 goals and added 14 assists. Ficek helped the team to the West Side 2017 State Championships.
Kyle Babcock is a centerback from Springfield High School in Springfield, Ore. He played on varsity all four seasons, taking home First Team All-League and was a captain for two seasons. During the 2020 season he tallied four goals and five assists and this past season he put together a big season with 14 goals and 15 assists. Babcock helped the team go 9-5-1 this past year. In addition, he competed in both football and track, earning All-League honors in football and placing second at state in the 400-meter.
Dylan Panui is a centerback/forward from Kamehameha Kapalama High School and his hometown is Nanakuli, Hawaii. He played on varsity all four seasons, earning the Golden Boot Winner award. During the 2018 season, he recorded 14 goals for Whitfield SC and also added a goal playing forward/defense during the varsity season. In 2019, he added 12 goals for Whitfield SC and then during the varsity season collecting two goals playing forward/defense. He competed for Whitfield SC in 2020 posting eight goals and didn’t have a varsity season due to COVID. In 2021, he collected four goals for Whitfield SC. The team was the MISO League Champions in both 2018 and 2021, Hawaii State Cup Finalists in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and then was a MISO League Finalist in 2019.
Justin Huttinger is a goalkeeper at Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek, Wash. He spent the past season playing at Emmanuel College in Boston, Mass. Emmanuel tallied eight wins this past season and reached the conference quarterfinals. He played on varsity all four seasons of his prep career, serving as a team captain over his final two seasons. He earned All-State honors in 2020 as the starting goalkeeper and also added All-Area honors. He was tabbed a First Team All-WESCO selection during his final season and graduated as the winningest goalie per season at Henry M. Jackson. Huttinger served as the Student Body President as a senior.
Diego Gonzalez-Ruiz is a midfielder from Legacy High School in Las Vegas, Nev. He spent the past few seasons playing at College of Southern Nevada. Throughout his career with the Coyotes, Gonzalez-Ruiz played in 27 games that included 24 starts, compiling three goals and an assist. He helped lead the team to six wins this past season and a nine-win campaign his first season. In addition, he played for the LA Galaxy Academy and the Portland Timbers Academy.
Arjun Venkat is a midfielder who competed at Liberty High School in Renton, Wash. He is originally from Newcastle, England. Venkat is a versatile midfielder that can play center midfield or centerback as he competed for three years on varsity throughout his prep career. He earned First Team All-State during his high school career.
Hawkin Sweeney is a forward from Powell High School in Powell, Wyo. He has started on varsity throughout his prep career, and put together an impressive true freshman season with 11 goals. After not being able to compete due to COVID as a sophomore, he returned as a junior and had an even more impressive year collecting 31 goals in just 17 games. In addition, he added four assists as a freshman and five assists as a junior. So far in his career he has 42 goals and nine assists, accounting for 93 points. During this past season, Sweeney helped his team to a 14-3 year and finished as the State Championship Runner-Up. Sweeney also competed in football all four years, earning two All-Conference honors and two years in basketball. In just three seasons of soccer, Sweeney has been named All-Conference and All-State.