Michigan Announces 2026 Signing Class
7/2/2026 1:58:00 PM | Men's Soccer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan men's soccer head coach Chaka Daley announced Thursday (July 2) the addition of seven incoming freshmen and four transfers to the roster for the upcoming 2026 season.
"Our staff is very excited about the potential and contribution of our incoming group for 2026 and for years to come," Daley said. "We have recruited a group of outstanding young men who are impressive students, great teammates with the potential to be impactful soccer players and contributors within our culture. Our incoming class all have outstanding character, and they will undoubtedly complement an already ambitious returning group. This class is motivated and excited to represent a team and program that will continue to push Michigan soccer to the highest level of the B1G and college soccer."
Sebasthian Chavez | D | 5-10 | White Plains, N.Y. (Scholar Athlete Leadership Academy) | New York Red Bulls Academy
• Competed with New York Red Bulls from 2023-26
• Co-captain of NYRB U18s
• Won the MLS Next Pro Cup with Red Bull New York II (2025)
• Represented U.S. Youth National Teams (U-15, U-16 and U-17 level)
Daley on Chavez: "Sebasthian will bring strong defensive qualities to the back of the team as a fullback or center back. His tenacity, maturity and competitive edge set him apart from many young players his age, and will be a fantastic addition to our team culture."
Andrew Craig | D | 6-0 | Philadelphia, Pa. (YSC Academy) | Philadelphia Union Academy
• Competed with Philadelphia Union Academy for 10 years
• Captained Philadelphia Union U18s
• Won the Dallas Cup Under 19 Gordon Jago Super Group in 2026 and Generation Adidas Cup in 2023 and 2024
• Featured for Philadelphia Union 2 and has made 10+ appearances
Daley on Craig: "Andrew is an outstanding defender, leader and fierce competitor. Andrew's intelligence, aerial prowess and passing ability will assist our defensive unit on both sides of the ball immediately."
Camron Estala | D | 5-11 | Westland, Mich. (Salt Lake Academy) | Real Salt Lake
• Competed with Real Salt Lake Academy for four seasons
• Co-Captain Real Salt Lake U18's
• Represented U.S. Youth National Teams (U15, U16 and U17 level)
• U-18/U-19/U-20 Combined Domestic Training Camp Callup
Daley on Estala: "Camron is a versatile defender with excellent technical quality. He has experience in multiple positions in various high-level environments which will benefit him and our group immediately in his college career."
Thomas Fraser | M | 6-1 | Saint-Hilaire, Quebec (Champlain College Saint-Lambert) | Celtix du Haut-Richelieu L1QC
• Named Champlain Male Athlete of the Year in 2025-26
• CCAA All-Canadian
• Five-time RSEQ All-Star
• Plays with Celtix du Haut-Richelieu in Ligue 1 Québec
Daley on Fraser: "Thomas is an athletic attacking player who provides a constant threat to the opposition in any attacking position. His maturity, high soccer IQ and technical abilities with both feet will be a great addition to our attacking group."
Alex Gimple | F | 5-10 | Commerce, Mich. (SAI Academy) | Columbus Crew Academy
• Competed with Columbus Crew Academy for four years
• MLS NEXT Cup Champions 2025-26
• Twenty appearances and 600+ minutes for Columbus Crew II
• Played 10 years with Michigan Jags before Columbus Crew
Daley on Gimple: "Alex is an electric and athletic player who can impact the game up and down the flanks. He is relentless, provides a 1v1 attacking threat and always creates goal-scoring opportunities for the team."
Landon Strohmeyer | M | 6-0 | Denver, Colo. (Arapahoe) | Colorado Rapids Academy
• Competed with Colorado Rapids Academy for four years
• Co-Captain, Rapids U-18 Academy
• Twenty-five-plus appearances for Colorado Rapids 2 in MLS Next Pro
• Generation Adidas Cup finalist in 2025
Daley on Strohmeyer: "Landon is an extremely versatile midfielder who can impact the game in both controlling possession and in the attack. His athleticism and technical ability will add top-level impact and value to our midfield."
Austin Su | M | 5-9 | Rochester Hills, Mich. (Troy) | Columbus Crew Academy
• Competed with Columbus Crew Academy for three seasons and was honored with the "Win the Day" award with the Columbus Crew Academy
• Made debut with Columbus Crew II in 2024
• Named to "Dream Team" by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association and team MVP at Troy High School
• Received callup to U.S. Men's National U15 team
Daley on Su: "Austin has made a seamless transition since arriving in Ann Arbor this January, setting his mark both on the field and in the classroom. His high soccer IQ, coachability and quality on the ball have been driving forces behind his immediate growth and contribution."
Kian Concepcion | D | 6-0 | Austin, Texas (UCLA) | Austin FC Academy
• Transfers after one season at UCLA
• Former top-60 TopDrawerSoccer 2025 incoming recruit
• Regular starting left-sided player for Austin FC's U18 squad
• Trained and played with Austin FC II in MLS NEXT Pro
Daley on Concepcion: "Kian is a very exciting transfer that will add versatility and athleticism to our defensive group. He comes from an environment that values possession, playing at speed and technical proficiency, like us. We expect him to have an immediate impact on our defensive corps."
Nico Pendleton | M | 6-0 | Shawnee, Kan. (Marquette) | Sporting KC Academy
• Transfers after playing two seasons in three years at Marquette, featuring in 28 matches and notching 18 pts
• Two-time All-Big East Academic Team
• Trained and played with Sporting KC II in MLS NEXT Pro
• Kansas Gatorade High School Player of the Year
Daley on Pendleton: "Nico is an attacking player with tremendous technical and play-making abilities. His quality, soccer IQ and experience in college soccer will bring an immediate impact to our program."
Michael Haikal | M | 6-0 | North Easton, Mass. (Bentley) | NEFC
• Transfers after 53 games with 48 starts in four seasons at Bentley University
• United Soccer Coaches Division II National Scholar Player of the Year
• Northeast-10 Player of the Year
• United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American; D2CCA Third Team All-American
Daley on Haikal: "Michael brings a proven track record of success at the collegiate level, driven by his ball-winning ability, aggressive mentality, possession retention and range of passing. We are looking forward to integrating these skills into our team immediately."
Stefan Momcilovic | M | 6-1 | Chicago, Ill. (Barry) | Edgewater
• Transfer after three seasons at Barry University
• Appeared in 39 matches, scored 10 goals and added four assists during his tenure at Barry
• Named All-South Region and All-SSC Conference in 2025
• Earned SSC Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2025
Daley on Momcilovic: "Stefan's comfort and composure on the ball as a left-footed attacker will provide us with a variety of dangerous options in both the attack and on restarts. Having arrived on campus this past January, he has utilized the spring season to transition to the institution and immerse himself in the team culture."
