HILO — With one full year under his belt, Hawai’i Hilo men’s soccer head coach Diego Marroquin has loaded up with 15 newcomers for the upcoming fall season.
It’s a balanced incoming class with eight freshmen and seven transfers — four juniors and three seniors. Eight student-athletes will arrive to the Big Island from across international borders — Japan (4), Germany (3), Spain. The rest are products of California (2), Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Hawai’i (2).
“So much credit goes to coach Terry Yamane, who has done an unbelievable job with our recruiting class,” Marroquin said. “Coach Yamane has the ability to identify and attract elite student-athletes from all over the world. He is a tireless recruiter with an extensive global recruiting network and an eye for talent. Our program is extremely lucky to have one of the top recruiters on the West Coast.”
Marroquin joined late last summer to serve as acting head coach and posted the Vulcans’ third double-digit win season. Earlier this month, he was named the program’s 10th head coach.
“This class exemplifies the values we search for and believe will produce incredible student-athletes who have the tools to find success on and off the pitch,” Marroquin said. “These student-athletes will compete and complement a lineup that returns nine of 11 starting players from a dynamic squad that was able to raise the standard of our program to new heights.”
The Vulcans return 18 players after 12 departures from a season ago — five to graduation/exhausted eligibility. This year’s team features 10 seniors, 11 juniors, two sophomores and 10 freshmen.
Hawai’i Hilo begins its 17-game regular-season slate on Sept. 5 — hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Aboubacar Cisse
MID | 5’6 | SR-R | Temecula, Calif. | Chaparral HS / Dominican
• Spent three years at Dominican University of California
• Played in 40 matches, making 23 starts through three seasons with the Penguins
• 2022 Pacific West Conference Co-Champion
• Scored game-winning penalty kick in 56th minute against the Vulcans in 2022
• Honors: 2022 All-PacWest Second Team
• Academic All-PacWest Team (x2)
• 2020 graduate of Chaparral High School (California)
• Played four seasons of varsity soccer for coach AJ
• Southern League Champion (x2)
• Honors: Southern League MVP, All-Southern League Team (x4)
• Played club for City SC Temecula
Major: Communication
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “Great environment and great opportunity to achieve great things.”
Coach’s words: “Cisse is a free-flowing player who can run the show in midfield — he can defend, distribute and attack. He will provide a relentless competitive edge and winning mentality to the group.”
Xavi Jul
DEF | 6’1 | SR | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | Newberry College
• Spent three years at Newberry College (South Carolina)
• Played in 25 matches, making 20 starts across three seasons with the Wolves
• Scored one goal and contributed to three combined shutouts
• Played club for Atletico Rafal
Major: Business Administration
Coach’s words: “Xavi is a central defender with an elite understanding of the game from an attacking and defending standpoint. He has a wealth of experience and will add a different dimension to our backline immediately.”
Mirai Sato
FWD | 5’11 | SR | Suginamiku, Tokyo, Japan | Komazawa University HS / Notre Dame College
• Spent one year at Notre Dame College (Ohio)
• Played in 17 matches, making 14 starts for the Falcons
• Led the team with nine goals (three game-winners), finishing ranked No. 5 in the Mountain East Conference
• Helped Falcons to an appearance in the NCAA Super Region 1 First Round
• Honors: D2 CCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team, All-MEC First Team, MEC Offensive Player of the Week (x2)
• 2023 Fall Mountain East Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll
• Spent two years at Waseda University (Japan)
• Graduate of Komazawa University High School (Japan)
Coach’s words: “Mirai is a prototype forward. He has all the tools we put a premium on as an attacking player while providing goals in a variety of different ways.”
Felix Drizinsky
F/D | 6’4 | JR | Essen, Germany | Carl-Humann-Gymnasium / Eastern New Mexico
• Spent two years at Eastern New Mexico University
• Played in 32 games, making 30 starts through two seasons with the Greyhounds
• Totaled two goals (one game-winner) and six assists
• Honors: 2023 All-Lone Star Conference Second Team, LSC Defender of the Week (x2)
• 2021 graduate of Carl-Humann-Gymnasium (Germany)
Major: Business Administration
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “Great culture in and out of the team, and an amazing location plus great academics.”
Coach’s words: “Felix is a powerful athlete who can have a positive impact for us in several different ways and positions. He is dominant in the air and has a knack for cruising by defenders.”
Lukas Stark
MID | 5’8 | JR | Hamburg, Germany | Heinrich-Heine Gymnasium / Irvine Valley College
• Spent two years at Irvine Valley College (California)
• Played in 40 matches, making 20 starts over two seasons with the Lasers
• Totaled two goals
• 2021 graduate of Heinrich-Heine Gymnasium (Germany)
Major: Business Administration
Coach’s words: “Lukas is a tidy midfielder with an exceptional range of passing. He can play in a deep play-making position or give us attacking quality with his final pass higher up the pitch.”
Gen Takahashi
MID | 5’9 | JR | Tokyo, Japan | Nihon University Buzan HS / Hesston
• Spent two years at Hesston College (Kansas)
• Played in 26 matches, making 24 starts over two seasons with the Larks
• Totaled 19 goals (four game-winners) and one assist
• All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II First Team Midfielder (x2)
• Graduate of Nihon University Buzan HS (Japan)
Major: Business Administration – Management
Coach’s words: “Gen is an attacking midfielder who loves to play off of the number nine. He loves to get into dangerous areas to combine and create attacks in the final third.”
Paul Waschkau
GK | 6’1 | JR | Dusseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | Landferman Gymnasium / Eastern N.M.
• Spent two years at Eastern New Mexico University
• Played in 24 matches, making 22 starts through two seasons with the Greyhounds
• Posted 88 saves and an 8-9-5 record with three shutouts
• Graduate of Landferman Gymnasium (Germany)
Major: Business Administration
Coach’s words: “Paul is a shot stopper who has a huge presence in goal. He is confident as the first attacker — he can start the buildup play and break the forward line with his passing.”
Romeo Brown
F/MF | 6’3 | FR | Olympia, Wash. | Red Mountain HS
• 2024 graduate of Red Mountain HS (Arizona)
• Played two seasons of varsity soccer for coach Nick Boartright
• Played club for Washington Premier FC ECNL, FC Dallas Academy MLS Next, Phoenix Rising FC MLS Next
Major: Business Administration – Finance
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “The love I felt from coach Diego and the environment of training with the team. I felt very welcomed and couldn’t wait to be apart of it.”
Coach’s words: “Romeo is a dynamic attacking player with a willingness to drive past opponents. He has the profile to develop into a dominant attacking threat.”
Aidan Burns
DEF | 5’10 | FR | Peoria, Ariz. | Sunrise Mountain HS
• 2024 graduate of Sunrise Mountain High School (Arizona)
• Played club for RSL MLS Next
• Nickname: Burnsy
Major: Business Administration
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “To keep my passion for soccer alive while pursuing my future and getting a degree in the beautiful state of Hawai’i.”
Coach’s words: “Aidan is a strong and agile defender who can control the left flank. He is an attacking-minded defender who provides quality from the wide channel.”
Yoke Duku
MID | 6’1 | FR | Portland, Ore. | David Douglas HS
• 2024 graduate of David Douglas High School (Oregon)
• Honors: 2023 Class 6A All-State First Team
• Played club for United PDX
Major: Computer Science
Coach’s words: “Yoke is a versatile player who can play anywhere in the spine of the team. He’s at his best when running into space, driving with the ball or playing the final pass from midfield.”
Jakob Santiago
DEF | 6’3 | FR | Los Angeles, Calif. | Village Christian School
• 2024 graduate of Village Christian School (California)
• Played four seasons of varsity soccer for coaches Keith Costigan and Christian Chavarria
• Played club for Albion LA
• Other Sports: Football, Track & Field
Major: Business Administration
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “To pursue academics and athletics.”
Coach’s words: “Jakob is a very clean, skillful defender who is an exceptional distributor. He can organize a backline defensively and provide an aerial threat in the boxes.”
Kaito Swanson
DEF | 6’1 | FR | Kahului | Maui HS
• 2024 graduate of Maui High School (Hawai’i)
• Played four seasons of varsity soccer for coach Timothy Akina
• Played club for Albion SC Hawaii
• Other Sports: Swimming
Major: Kinesiology & Exercise Sciences
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “It’s close to home and the sense of community with genuine people seems to be strong here. The ocean is also a large part of my life so having the opportunity to stay near it is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Coach’s words: “Kaito is a composed and steady defender. He has tremendous defensive instincts paired with the ability to connect us to the midfield in possession with his passing.”
Kanata Taira
FWD | 5’8 | FR | Kitamoto, Saitama, Japan | Shohei Junior and Senior HS
• Graduate of Shohei Junior and Senior High School (Japan)
• Played three seasons of varsity soccer for coach Akito Muramatsu
Major: Undeclared
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “It’s a school that’s perfect for me because I’m good at studying and sports.”
Coach’s words: “Kanata is a true number nine who is desperate to score goals. He links the team, plays off shoulders and arrives in dangerous positions in front of goal.”
Kanilau Tolentino-Perry
FWD | 5’5 | FR | Puna | Ke Kula ‘O Nawahiokalani’opu’u Iki
• 2024 graduate of Ke Kula ‘O Nawahiokalani’opu’u Iki (Hawai’i)
• Played three seasons of varsity soccer at Hilo High School (Hawai’i) for coach George
• Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I Champion (x2)
• Played club for Albion
• Other Sports: Volleyball
• Older brother Kaleihalia was a member of the Vulcans Men’s Soccer team (2019-2022)
Major: Undeclared
Coach’s words: “Kanilau is a creative attacker who will look to break teams with his dribbling ability. He is a local talent who has a hunger to represent our island with pride.”
Kai Yoshida
MF/F | 5’9 | FR | Tokyo, Japan | Meitoku Gijuku HS
• 2024 graduate of Meitoku Gijuku High School (Japan)
• Played three seasons of varsity soccer for coach Akira Komatsu
• Kochi Prefecture Tournament Champion
• Honors: Kochi Prefecture Player of the Year, Team Captain
Why Hawai’i Hilo: “I believe it offers an excellent environment to enhance not only my soccer skills but also my communication abilities and English proficiency. The diverse and supportive community at Hilo provides the perfect setting for personal growth both on and off the field. I am eager to engage with international teammates and coaches which will help me develop my teamwork and leadership skills while also improving my language abilities in a multicultural setting.”
Coach’s words: “Kai has a skillset that will allow him to play across any of the front four positions. His quality is his technical ability which will allow him to create time and space for himself and others.”
