KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Head coach Chad Wiseman has announced the 2018 Western Michigan men's soccer recruiting class. The Broncos have added eight players: Ben Champine, Alex Dalou, Caden Jackman, Mike Melaragni, Antonio Rizzo, Zack Shane, Jaylen Shannon and Lukas VonLienen.

Seven of the eight players hail from the state of Michigan. VonLienen is a goalkeeper from Germany. For the third-straight year the Broncos have signed the Mr. Michigan Soccer recipient, as Melaragni earned the award at Stoney Creek High School.

"We are extremely pleased and excited about the additions we are making with the 2018 class," Wiseman said. "It is a class that has a little bit of everything and is very well rounded collectively with multiple attributes.From an athletic standpoint this may be the biggest, strongest and fastest class we have ever assembled in our tenure thus far. It also possesses some very skilled and technical players that also have incredibly high soccer IQ's. 

"The 2018 class is also full of future leaders both on and off the field. As a group they do extremely well in the classroom and know how to take care of business in that area. They are also simply outstanding young men of high character that are going to be great ambassadors both for the Kalamazoo community and Western Michigan for years to come."

The Broncos finished a historic 2017 with a 17-4-1 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. WMU won its first ever regular season Mid-American Conference championship and finished the season ranked No. 9 in the nation. The team also produced the school's first All-Americans as well as Academic All-Americans, had a record eight players named All-MAC and produced the MAC Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Two Broncos were selected in the MLS Draft, with the No. 8 overall and No. 46 overall selections.

Ben Champine - Highlights: https://youtu.be/nHrcgYjDg5s
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 160
Hometown: Rochester Hills, Mich.
High School: Rochester Adams
Club: Nationals
 
Accolades:
High School Division I Second Team All-State
2x High School Team MVP
2016 State Cup Champions
2017 State Cup Runner up
2017 Regional Semifinalist
 
Anticipated Major: Engineering
"I chose WMU because it immediately felt like a place where I could excel on the field as well as in the classroom. I was inspired by the passion that each member of the Bronco Family possessed and knew I wanted to be a part of it."

Wiseman's thoughts on Champine:
"Ben is a player we identified quite early in the recruiting process, and as soon as he came on his campus visit we all knew it was the right fit all the way around.  He has played most of his minutes in club soccer as a center mid but definitely has the versatility in his game to play a few different spots. He is physically ready to compete at the Division I level and his feet are very clean. He rarely loses the ball in possession and has a very high soccer IQ. Ben also brings a level of bite and toughness to our group which you can never have enough of. His personality is ultra-competitive and he hates to lose which is something we really like in our players. Ben has a very bright future for the Broncos." 


Alex Dalou - Highlights: https://youtu.be/thr6N9KUx90
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-7 | Weight: 140
Hometown: West Bloomfield, Mich.
High school: Walled Lake Central
Club: Michigan Jags
 
Accolades:
Second Team All-State
Third in the nation
Captain both junior and senior year in high school
10 goals, 14 assists senior year
USYS 2017 U17 Region 2 Champions
USYS 2017 U17 National Championships semifinalist
 
 Anticipated major: Engineering
"I love everything about Western Michigan, it's a place perfect for me. I believe the coaching staff and support services will help me excel in the classroom and would do anything to play at WMU. It's not too far away from home, but far enough. I can't wait for the season to start."

Wiseman's thoughts on Dalou:
"Alex has all the attributes to have a very successful career in a Bronco uniform. His soccer IQ and decision making on the field is impeccable. What he lacks in size he makes up for with technical ability, skill and ideas. He has an innate ability to make things happen in the attacking third whether it is scoring or creating goals. He sees things many other players don't see and is able to read the game in real time at a very high rate. We are very excited to see what Alex can accomplish in a Bronco uniform."

 
Caden Jackman - Highlights: https://youtu.be/AaGNulpmAuE
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-9 | Weight:150
Hometown: Caledonia, Mich.
High School: Caledonia
Club: Midwest United FC
 
Accolades:
Division I First Team All-State
2x All-Conference
Team MVP (16&17)
Finished Top 10 all-time scoring at Caledonia
 
Anticipated Major: Business
"WMU will provide me the chance to get a great education at the Haworth College of Business while allowing me to pursue my dream of playing highly competitive Division I soccer. I'm thankful that the University is willing to give me an opportunity and I look forward to contributing to the Bronco community."

Wiseman's thoughts on Jackman:
"Caden is a great player that we have pulled from the soccer hotbed of Grand Rapids. We want to continue to have the best players up and down US-131 here in Kalamazoo, and Caden certainly fits that bill. Most of his skills don't always show up in the box score, but he knows how to really control the rhythm of a game. He reads the game at a very high level and his technical ability and great range of passing can really help win the battle in the middle of the field. He is great at limiting his touches and keeping the ball moving, creating space and time for his teammates and help pick apart his opponents. We believe Caden is going to have a huge impact for future Bronco teams."

Mike Melaragni - Highlights: https://youtu.be/NgAz_SdJSHs
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 200
Hometown: Rochester, Mich.
High School: Stoney Creek
Club: Rochester Soccer
 
Accolades:
2017 Michigan Mr. Soccer
2017 All-American
2017 Michigan Dream Team
2017 Michigan First Team All-State
2016 First Team All-State
School single-season record 32 goals
School record 81 career goals
 
Anticipated Major: Health Sciences
"I chose WMU because I think it is the best fit for me both as a player, and as a student. The entire soccer program is passionate about winning and about the community and I cant wait for a chance to be a part of it."

Wiseman's thoughts on Melaragni:
"For the third consecutive year, Michigan's Mr. Soccer is coming to Kalamazoo. 'Big' Mike can do things other players simply can't do and is a real load for defenders to handle. At 6-3 and 200 pounds, he can be a real bulldozer on the soccer field. He is deceptively fast and has a knack for getting in behind and causing fits for back lines. His entire youth career he has found a way to score goals and be dangerous in every game he plays. He is also a player that is capable of scoring goals in multiple ways. Mike is going to have a great career at WMU, and we think you will see his name in a lot of future box scores along the way."


Antonio Rizzo - Highlights: https://youtu.be/xrEO1Ph9Tf4
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 160
Hometown: Hartland, Mich.
High school: Hartland
Club: Michigan Jaguars
 
Accolades:
MHSAA Second Team All-State
3x KLAA All-Conference
2x KLAA Scholar Athlete
3x First Team All-Livingston County
ODP Region 2 team
USYS 2017 U17 Region 2 Champions
USYS 2017 U17 National Championships Semifinalist
 
Anticipated Major: Sport Management
"I chose Western Michigan because it was the perfect fit for me academic and athletic wise. The quality education that WMU offers plus the great athletics would help me succeed as a player and a student."

Wiseman's thoughts on Rizzo:
"Rizzo is a very athletic, blue collar type player that does his best work in the final third. Tony enjoys running at defenders and knows how to create and finish in and around the 18. He is another player in this class that really buys into what we do and how we do things at WMU and really didn't want to go anywhere else. In our tenure at WMU, players with a makeup like Tony have had very successful careers in the Brown & Gold."
 

Zack Shane - Highlights: https://youtu.be/u70tA2jTm3E
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 185
Hometown: Fruitport, Mich.
High School: Fruitport
Club: Midwest United FC

Accolades:
Four year varsity player
Team captain junior and senior seasons
FIrst Team All-State as a senior
Third Team All-State as a junior
102 career goals, 37 Assists
2015 Lakes 8 Conference champion
2017 OK Black Conference champion
 
Anticipated Major: Civil Engineering
"When I visited Western Michigan for the first time I fell in love with the campus. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences will be a great fit for me. Also, the coaching staff and the players on the team have a great bond, and I look forward to becoming a part of that. I know Playing at WMU will bring me to another level in my soccer career."

Wiseman's thoughts on Shane:
"Zack is another player that comes in this class that has scored goals wherever he has been. He takes a real blue collar approach to the game and covers a lot of ground on the field. His size and speed will be a tough matchup for our opponents. He seems to always have the right ideas around the goal and understands in each moment what type of finish is needed to put the ball in the back of the net. Zack comes with a tough workman's attitude that is contagious and his teammates are really going to be happy they get to play with him rather than against him."


Jaylen Shannon - Highlights: https://youtu.be/FdD6P3-phAo
Position: Defender
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
Hometown: Saint Joseph, Mich.
High School: Saint Joseph
Club: Kingdom SC 
 
Accolades:
2x Honorable Mention All-State
2016 Super Y National Champion
2017 Kalamazoo Kingdom State Champion
 
Anticipated Major: Sports Management
"I chose WMU because it is one of the top schools in the state and in the nation right now and close to my hometown. I know I will be able to get a great education and obtain my college degree. I will also be able to continue my passion for soccer. They had a historic season this past year and I want to be a part of such a great program."

Wiseman's thoughts on Shannon:
Jaylen is a player we have known for quite some time and is another local standout that joins us from St. Joe. He is a beast of an athlete and will be ready to compete physically at our level immediately. Each year of the past few years he has taken great strides with his soccer IQ, technique, and his ability on the ball and what he can do with the ball at his feet. He is the type of center back that no one really wants to run at and is very tough defender both in the air and on the ground. Once he establishes body position it is very difficult to get around him. He is going to compete for time right away and will be a massive addition to an already athletically loaded roster. Jaylen makes us a better side the minute he steps on campus."

Lukas VonLienen - Highlights: https://youtu.be/4_VNd1hX5Xg
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 170
Hometown: Bremen Germany
High School: SC Werder Bremen
 
Anticipated Major: Aviation
 "After doing my research I felt there was no better place than WMU to accomplish all of my goals. The real determining factor was that I can combine my two dreams of continuing playing soccer at a high level and studying aviation. I am very happy and excited to be a part of the Bronco family and the Kalamazoo community."

Wiseman's thoughts on VonLienen:
Lukas is a phenomenal goalkeeper that joins us all the way from Germany. He is extremely athletic, a terrific shot stopper and his distribution is second to none.  He is very good at commanding his box and understands how to direct his back line to work as a fluid unit. He is an extremely competitive individual who is hungry to contribute as soon as he arrives in Kalamazoo. He takes a very professional approach to his training and to the game that is sure to rub off on his teammates. We had to fight off some very good programs in the process, but Lukas cannot wait to be in Kalamazoo and get to work and enjoy everything that WMU has to offer."