A Recruiting Milestone
High Point University’s men’s soccer program has once again positioned itself among the nation’s elite prospects, landing at No. 12 in the 2026 recruiting rankings released by TopDrawerSoccer.com. The class marks the sixth time the Panthers have earned a top‑tier national ranking, reinforcing the program’s steady ascent since its inaugural NCAA Division I Sweet Sixteen appearance.
The incoming cohort consists of eleven newcomers who will join sixteen returning letterwinners, creating a blend of experience and fresh energy. Six of the newcomers arrive as transfers, while five are freshmen, a mix that Head Coach Zach Haines says gives the team both depth and dynamism.
Building the Squad
Central to the recruitment effort were the program’s assistant coaches and administrative staff, including Dan Hauser, April Wines, Ana Holt, Kim Grissett, Drew Sanchez, Ellie Cook, Liz Lefever, Lauren Moore, Leah Bwolf, Sandra Norris, Kerr Ramsey, Chelsea Shaughnessy, Dana Bragg and Doug Hall. Their coordination with high‑school and club coaches across the country helped secure commitments from a diverse set of prospects.
Among the freshmen, forward Nick Sarantakos of Williamsburg, Virginia, stands out as the highest‑ranked prospect at No. 80 overall, while defender Kieran Smith from Manhattan, New York, enters at No. 143. Both bring MLS Next Pro exposure and strong youth‑national team pedigrees.
The class also features standout transfers such as Ashton Miles, a 6‑foot‑4 sophomore defender who spent four seasons with Orange County SC in the USL Championship, and Bernardo Raposo, a Brazilian midfielder who logged over 1,400 minutes for Se Palmeiras before joining the Panthers.
Additional contributors include forward‑midfielder Jackson Stephens, who arrives from Boise, Idaho with MLS Next Pro experience, and goalkeeper Connor Kirkpatrick, an MLS Next U19 Finalist from Ashburn, Virginia. Their varied backgrounds reflect the program’s national reach.
With a roster that blends proven collegiate performers like Lucas Kelly, a graduate defender from Wake Forest, and Noah Joseph, a three‑time Big Ten champion from Oregon, the Panthers are poised to translate recruiting success into on‑field results. The coaching staff believes the new class can help the program sustain its momentum and potentially contend for another Sweet Sixteen berth.