VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's soccer team is proud to announce four outstanding recruits for the upcoming 2019 U SPORTS season.

The defending Canada West champion T-Birds have boasted tremendous recruiting classes year after year and this season promises to be no different with the addition of Sebastian Dzikowski, Sam Aiello, Chris Fisher, and Andrew Metcalfe.

"With all four of these incoming players we are getting intelligent, motivated student athletes with great attitudes towards the game and their education," said UBC head coach Mike Mosher who enters his 24^th season at the helm of the most decorated soccer program in U SPORTS history. "These are young men of strong character who will be very good fits for our program."

 

Sebastian Dzikowski is a forward out of Calgary and boasts plenty of size and skill. The 6-foot-4, 190 pound striker comes out of the Calgary Foothills program and is set to study Applied Science at Point Grey come the fall.

"Sebastian is a big #9 type forward who can hold the ball well and has good feet for a big man," said Mosher. "He's an intelligent player and comes from a strong club that is doing very good things at the moment in producing players."

Sam Aiello hails from Vancouver and brings versatility to the T-Birds, able to play as either a defender or midfielder. Set to study Arts at UBC, the 5-foot-9, 160 pound Aiello is a product of Mountain United.
 

"Sam is a smart and versatile player," Mosher explained. "He is one of those quiet guys that kind of flies under the radar but he does a lot of good things on the pitch. He's technically clean on the ball and makes good decisions. He will be a good player for our program for several years."

Chris Fisher will also provide the T-Birds with versatility at either midfielder or on the back end. A native of Powell River, B.C., the 6-foot-4, 175 pound Applied Science major won the Vancouver Island Premier League championship as a member of the Upper Island U18 Riptide.

 

"Chris has terrific physical qualities, he's good technically and has a first rate attitude," praised Mosher. "Chris came to several of our camps over the past couple years and we liked what we saw each and every time while keeping tabs on him."

In addition to the three true freshmen this season, the T-Birds are also gaining some veteran experience in goalkeeper Andrew Metcalfe. Originally from Winnipeg, Metcalfe is transferring to UBC from Seattle University and will enter the Sauder School of Business. He spent two seasons as a red shirt and last year as a medical red shirt following an injury. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Metcalfe is literally a big addition to UBC's crease.

 

"We see him pushing our goalkeepers for the starting spot come September," said Mosher. "He moves very well for a big man and gets down quickly."

The two-time defending Canada West champion Thunderbirds begin their 2019 season in August. But before training camp rolls around, expect Mosher's squad to be adding even more impressive names to the roster.