Bowling Green State University Athletics
Nichols, Falcons Add Eight to Program
February 07, 2018 | Men's Soccer
BGSU men's soccer announces newest additions to the Falcon Family
Bowling Green State University men's soccer coach Eric Nichols and his staff have announced the addition of eight student-athletes to the program. Mitchell Hughes (Columbus, Ohio), Jensen Lukacsko (Gahanna, Ohio), Colin McCort (Powell, Ohio), Kale Nichols (Bowling Green, Ohio), Alec Srodawa (Copley, Ohio), Isaac Swiger (Fairmont, W.Va.), Ryan Troutman (Louisville, Ky.) and Matthew Walters (Marysville, Ohio) are the latest additions to the Falcon family.
Hughes is already enrolled at BGSU, and will participate with the Falcons during the spring season. Hughes, like the other seven newcomers, will be a freshman in terms of eligibility this fall.
The class has a strong Ohio flavor, as six of the eight signees are from inside the state. Nichols and his staff also adding one newcomer each from Kentucky and West Virginia.
LINK: BGSU Men's Soccer 2018 Newcomers Photo Gallery
""This is an impressive class," said Nichols. "Each one of these young men have accomplished a great deal, and each has a huge desire to be successful at the next level. This combination of ambition, skill and mentality is exceptional and is a formula that will lead to big things for Bowling Green Men's Soccer."
Hughes, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was a First-Team all-city selection at Whetstone H.S. under coach Larry Howell. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier and coach Alan Yost. In the classroom, he made the honor roll in all four years, and finished high school with a GPA above 4.0. As mentioned, Hughes is already at BGSU, having enrolled in time for the Spring 2018 semester. He is the son of James and Kelly Hughes.
"I've watched Mitchell for a number of years and knew early on his ability on the ball and his defensive tenacity would  make him a very  successful player in college," said Nichols. "In his short time here he has adapted very well to our way of doing  things, and he is going to have an immediate impact on our program."
Lukacsko, a native of Gahanna, Ohio, is in his senior season at Gahanna Lincoln H.S. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his high-school career to date. Lukacsko has played club ball for the Columbus Crew Academy under coach Ben Cross. He was the Crew Academy Player of the Year in 2018, and was captain of his academy team in all six of his seasons. Lukacsko, the son of Don and Taya Lukacsko, was voted one of the top-15 midfielders in the nation at the U-18 level.
"Jensen may be the most complete player in the nation," said Nichols. "He plays the deep lying midfield position like a veteran pro, with the ability to control tempo and dictate the game. Jensen's future is extremely bright and the effect he will have in our midfield will be substantial."
McCort, a native of Powell, Ohio, is in his senior year at Olentangy Liberty H.S., where he was an All American under coach Marc D'auteil. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier under coach Travis Wall. McCort was named to the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Boys All-America Team, and also earned all-conference and all-state first-team honors. His high-school team was ranked number one in the state through the regular season, and was ranked first in the nation at one point. The son of Mark and Michelle McCort, he helped his club team to six state titles, two national championships appearances and the 2017 National League Championship.
"Colin's history is littered with championships and accolades," said Nichols. "He is strong on both sides of the ball, which enables him to have a big impact in games. Colin has a track record of delivering key performances in the biggest matches, and we are confident he will do the same at BGSU."
Nichols, a native of Bowling Green, Ohio, is a senior at St. John's Jesuit H.S., under coach Tom Shook. He has played club ball for the Crew Academy (coached by James Field and Joaquin Gonzales), where he captured a division title at the Generation adidas Cup, and the BG Crew Juniors (under coaches Zach Mason and Eric Reed). He earned first-team all-district and all-league (Three Rivers Athletic Conference) honors, helping the Titans to a 7-0-0 league record and a TRAC title. He is the son of Eric and Marianne Nichols, and joins fellow SJJ product Zach Buescher on the Falcons' roster.
"Kale grew up in the shadows of Bowling Green soccer and has a full understanding of what this program stands for," said his father and future coach. "He is motivated and well equipped to push this program to the next level."
Srodawa, a native of Copley, Ohio, is in his senior year at Copley H.S., where he played for coach Dave Antal. The goalkeeper has played club ball for the Crew Academy, and recently joined Team Challenger FC, where he plays for coach Ante Pilekic. With the former team, he captured a division title at the Generation adidas Cup. The son of Michael and Karen Srodawa, he will join fellow Copley products Chris Brennan and Vinny Worner on the BGSU roster.
"Alec has great feet, a good voice and continues to grow as a shot stopper," said Nichols. "Alec's game is on a good trajectory, and he will thrive working alongside Anto (current Falcon Anthony Mwembia) and (fellow signee) Ryan (Troutman) in one of the top goalkeeper corps in the nation."
Swiger, a native of Fairmont, W.Va., is in his final year at Fairmont Senior H.S., under coach Jimmy DeNardi. A four-time All-State selection, he earned All-State First-Team honors on three occasions. Swiger scored 39 goals as a senior and was named the 2017 West Virginia Coaches Association State Player of the Year. He had a school-record 127 career goals, and helped his team to a pair of conference titles and the 2015 state championship. Swiger has played club ball for Steel Town Magic, coached by Adam Hunter. He is the son of Scott and Denise Swiger.
"Ike is one of the most exciting players coming out of high school in 2018," said Nichols. "He has displayed high-end quality in attacking areas to create goals for himself and his teammates. He can affect the game from a number of roles and will have a big impact on the MAC."
Troutman, a native of Louisville, Ky., is a senior at Trinity H.S., where he played for coach Dale Helfrich. A First-Team All-State goalkeeper, he was nominated for the USC All-America Team. Troutman has played club ball for Javanon FC under coach Jose Zabaneh, and  helped his team to three state finals appearances. He is the son of David and Shannon Troutman.
"For a young 'keeper, Ryan is remarkably complete and driven," said Nichols. "With his motivation and skill set, he is a perfect addition to our goalkeeper corps and will help push that bar even higher."
Walters, who hails from Marysville, Ohio, is a senior at Marysville H.S. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier under coach Travis Wall, where he was a teammate of fellow Falcon signee Colin McCort. Walters was a three-time all-conference first-team and all-district selection for MHS, and earned team MVP honors twice. He was also a four-year Scholar Athlete. He helped his club team to five-straight Ohio South State titles and the 2017 National League championship.
"Matty is as well rounded as an outside back can be," said Nichols. "He is a tough lock-down defender who can add a real spark to the attack.  We anticipate Matty quickly growing into one of the top outside backs in the  MAC."
BGSU finished the 2017 season with an overall record of 7-9-1. Five of the team's losses came by one goal on the road to nationally-ranked opponents. Nichols and his staff had seven seniors – Aaron Davis, Theo Jamilloux, Prayag Jina, Billy Larsen, Brad Macomber, Keaton Reynolds and Alexis Souahy – on the '17 roster.
BGSU MEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES
Name – Pos. – Hometown (Previous School)
Mitchell Hughes – M – Columbus, Ohio (Whetstone)
Jensen Lukacsko – M – Gahanna, Ohio (Lincoln)
Colin McCort – M – Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty)
Kale Nichols – M – Bowling Green, Ohio (Toledo St. John's Jesuit)
Alec Srodawa – GK – Copley, Ohio (Copley)
Isaac Swiger – M – Fairmont, W.Va. (Fairmont Senior)
Ryan Troutman – GK – Louisville, Ky. (Trinity)
Matt Walters – D – Marysville, Ohio (Marysville)
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Hughes is already enrolled at BGSU, and will participate with the Falcons during the spring season. Hughes, like the other seven newcomers, will be a freshman in terms of eligibility this fall.
The class has a strong Ohio flavor, as six of the eight signees are from inside the state. Nichols and his staff also adding one newcomer each from Kentucky and West Virginia.
LINK: BGSU Men's Soccer 2018 Newcomers Photo Gallery
""This is an impressive class," said Nichols. "Each one of these young men have accomplished a great deal, and each has a huge desire to be successful at the next level. This combination of ambition, skill and mentality is exceptional and is a formula that will lead to big things for Bowling Green Men's Soccer."
Hughes, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was a First-Team all-city selection at Whetstone H.S. under coach Larry Howell. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier and coach Alan Yost. In the classroom, he made the honor roll in all four years, and finished high school with a GPA above 4.0. As mentioned, Hughes is already at BGSU, having enrolled in time for the Spring 2018 semester. He is the son of James and Kelly Hughes.
"I've watched Mitchell for a number of years and knew early on his ability on the ball and his defensive tenacity would  make him a very  successful player in college," said Nichols. "In his short time here he has adapted very well to our way of doing  things, and he is going to have an immediate impact on our program."
Lukacsko, a native of Gahanna, Ohio, is in his senior season at Gahanna Lincoln H.S. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his high-school career to date. Lukacsko has played club ball for the Columbus Crew Academy under coach Ben Cross. He was the Crew Academy Player of the Year in 2018, and was captain of his academy team in all six of his seasons. Lukacsko, the son of Don and Taya Lukacsko, was voted one of the top-15 midfielders in the nation at the U-18 level.
"Jensen may be the most complete player in the nation," said Nichols. "He plays the deep lying midfield position like a veteran pro, with the ability to control tempo and dictate the game. Jensen's future is extremely bright and the effect he will have in our midfield will be substantial."
McCort, a native of Powell, Ohio, is in his senior year at Olentangy Liberty H.S., where he was an All American under coach Marc D'auteil. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier under coach Travis Wall. McCort was named to the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Boys All-America Team, and also earned all-conference and all-state first-team honors. His high-school team was ranked number one in the state through the regular season, and was ranked first in the nation at one point. The son of Mark and Michelle McCort, he helped his club team to six state titles, two national championships appearances and the 2017 National League Championship.
"Colin's history is littered with championships and accolades," said Nichols. "He is strong on both sides of the ball, which enables him to have a big impact in games. Colin has a track record of delivering key performances in the biggest matches, and we are confident he will do the same at BGSU."
Nichols, a native of Bowling Green, Ohio, is a senior at St. John's Jesuit H.S., under coach Tom Shook. He has played club ball for the Crew Academy (coached by James Field and Joaquin Gonzales), where he captured a division title at the Generation adidas Cup, and the BG Crew Juniors (under coaches Zach Mason and Eric Reed). He earned first-team all-district and all-league (Three Rivers Athletic Conference) honors, helping the Titans to a 7-0-0 league record and a TRAC title. He is the son of Eric and Marianne Nichols, and joins fellow SJJ product Zach Buescher on the Falcons' roster.
"Kale grew up in the shadows of Bowling Green soccer and has a full understanding of what this program stands for," said his father and future coach. "He is motivated and well equipped to push this program to the next level."
Srodawa, a native of Copley, Ohio, is in his senior year at Copley H.S., where he played for coach Dave Antal. The goalkeeper has played club ball for the Crew Academy, and recently joined Team Challenger FC, where he plays for coach Ante Pilekic. With the former team, he captured a division title at the Generation adidas Cup. The son of Michael and Karen Srodawa, he will join fellow Copley products Chris Brennan and Vinny Worner on the BGSU roster.
"Alec has great feet, a good voice and continues to grow as a shot stopper," said Nichols. "Alec's game is on a good trajectory, and he will thrive working alongside Anto (current Falcon Anthony Mwembia) and (fellow signee) Ryan (Troutman) in one of the top goalkeeper corps in the nation."
Swiger, a native of Fairmont, W.Va., is in his final year at Fairmont Senior H.S., under coach Jimmy DeNardi. A four-time All-State selection, he earned All-State First-Team honors on three occasions. Swiger scored 39 goals as a senior and was named the 2017 West Virginia Coaches Association State Player of the Year. He had a school-record 127 career goals, and helped his team to a pair of conference titles and the 2015 state championship. Swiger has played club ball for Steel Town Magic, coached by Adam Hunter. He is the son of Scott and Denise Swiger.
"Ike is one of the most exciting players coming out of high school in 2018," said Nichols. "He has displayed high-end quality in attacking areas to create goals for himself and his teammates. He can affect the game from a number of roles and will have a big impact on the MAC."
Troutman, a native of Louisville, Ky., is a senior at Trinity H.S., where he played for coach Dale Helfrich. A First-Team All-State goalkeeper, he was nominated for the USC All-America Team. Troutman has played club ball for Javanon FC under coach Jose Zabaneh, and  helped his team to three state finals appearances. He is the son of David and Shannon Troutman.
"For a young 'keeper, Ryan is remarkably complete and driven," said Nichols. "With his motivation and skill set, he is a perfect addition to our goalkeeper corps and will help push that bar even higher."
Walters, who hails from Marysville, Ohio, is a senior at Marysville H.S. He has played club ball for Ohio Premier under coach Travis Wall, where he was a teammate of fellow Falcon signee Colin McCort. Walters was a three-time all-conference first-team and all-district selection for MHS, and earned team MVP honors twice. He was also a four-year Scholar Athlete. He helped his club team to five-straight Ohio South State titles and the 2017 National League championship.
"Matty is as well rounded as an outside back can be," said Nichols. "He is a tough lock-down defender who can add a real spark to the attack.  We anticipate Matty quickly growing into one of the top outside backs in the  MAC."
BGSU finished the 2017 season with an overall record of 7-9-1. Five of the team's losses came by one goal on the road to nationally-ranked opponents. Nichols and his staff had seven seniors – Aaron Davis, Theo Jamilloux, Prayag Jina, Billy Larsen, Brad Macomber, Keaton Reynolds and Alexis Souahy – on the '17 roster.
BGSU MEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES
Name – Pos. – Hometown (Previous School)
Mitchell Hughes – M – Columbus, Ohio (Whetstone)
Jensen Lukacsko – M – Gahanna, Ohio (Lincoln)
Colin McCort – M – Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty)
Kale Nichols – M – Bowling Green, Ohio (Toledo St. John's Jesuit)
Alec Srodawa – GK – Copley, Ohio (Copley)
Isaac Swiger – M – Fairmont, W.Va. (Fairmont Senior)
Ryan Troutman – GK – Louisville, Ky. (Trinity)
Matt Walters – D – Marysville, Ohio (Marysville)
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