SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Head coach Brad Campion and the Skidmore College men's soccer staff are excited to officially announce the program's incoming class of 2026. This year's recruiting class features 12 talented student-athletes. This group brings high-level playing experiences, a shared understanding of what Skidmore and Saratoga Springs is all about, and a competitive edge that will push the men's soccer program forward.
 
The incoming Thoroughbreds join a strong core of returners and the full squad will report to campus on August 18th for the start of preseason training. Details on the recruiting class with Coach Campion's comments are below:

Dante Fierro, Farmington, CT
Dante has been on our radar as one of the top goalkeepers in the Northeast for the past two years, and we're excited to have him join the T-Breds this fall.

Dante stood out to our staff because of his experience competing in high-level environments and meaningful games throughout his high school career. In 2024, he helped Farmington capture a State Championship, playing in front of more than 3,000 fans. Over the past year, Dante has also trained with Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship and worked with Dan Gaspar, Hartford's Goalkeeper Coach and a member of the Ghana National Team coaching staff.

Dante is an excellent communicator with superb shot-stopping ability and the physical tools to develop into one of the top goalkeepers in the Liberty League. We're excited about the presence, competitiveness, and experience he'll bring to our goalkeeper group.

Jacob Towvim, Needham, MA
Jacob was one of the first commits in our 2026 class, and from our earliest interactions, he stood out as an exceptional leader and someone we believe can make an immediate impact in our backline. Throughout the recruiting process, everyone in our network had nothing but positive things to say about Jacob, both as a player and as a person. It quickly became an easy decision for our staff to make Jacob a priority in this recruiting class.

Jacob spent his youth development with Valeo SC MLS NEXT, where he captained his team throughout his time with the club. Jacob, opted to play high school soccer his senior year and represent Needham, MA. He is a tenacious defender who brings a strong competitive mentality to every game. In possession, Jacob has an excellent ability to pick out mid- to long-range passes from the back and help initiate the attack.

Jacob is a great communicator, a natural leader, and an intense competitor. We're excited about the toughness, composure, and leadership he'll bring to our backline.

Nathan Gritzmacher, Simsbury, CT
Nathan was first identified by our staff last year at ECNL Florida, where he was an immediate standout in the middle of the park for his FSA team. Nathan attended Loomis Chaffee, a program where we have a strong relationship with the coaching staff, and throughout the recruiting process we continued to hear great things about him as both a player and person.

Nathan's ability to cover ground, win tackles, and quickly transition his team into the attack has made him one of the top midfielders in both the NEPSAC and ECNL landscapes. His work rate, competitiveness, and ability to impact both sides of the ball immediately stood out to our staff.

We're excited to add Nathan's athleticism, toughness, and presence to our midfield and believe his style of play will translate extremely well to the college game.

Matias Sampedro, New York City, NY
Matias is an attacking player we are thrilled to bring into the program this fall. We first identified Matias early in his junior year while playing for Met Oval MLS NEXT and then had the opportunity to work with him at one of our ID Clinics. It was during that clinic that our staff knew Matias was someone we wanted to bring into our program. He is a dynamic attacking player who brings creativity and flair to the game, with the ability to take on defenders 1v1 and create attacking opportunities from multiple areas across the front line.

Matias' quality has been on full display this year, with his Met Oval team reaching the quarterfinals of the MLS NEXT Cup. After advancing out of the group stage, Met Oval defeated Orlando City SC in the Round of 16 as part of an impressive run against some of the top youth teams in the country.

Along with a terrific MLS NEXT campaign, Matias was selected to compete in the Nike Toma event connected to the World Cup, which brought together some of the best youth soccer players in North America for a unique street soccer competition. Matias represented the Harlem team and helped his group earn a spot in the finals event held at Bryant Park in New York City.

Matias' creativity, confidence on the ball, and willingness to take defenders on will bring a different dimension to our attack. We are excited to see him continue his development at Skidmore and bring his personality and flair to our group this fall.

Keegan Maxwell, Arlington, MA
Keegan is an attacking player based out of Arlington, MA, who played club soccer for the Boston Bolts. We had the opportunity to see Keegan numerous times throughout the recruiting cycle, including at Jeff Cup, the NAL Crossover, and during league play. Every time we watched Keegan, he found a way to make an impact in the attacking end.

Keegan is a clinical striker who has the size and athletic tools to thrive at our level. What separated him from many of the other strikers we recruited was his ability to create goal-scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates. He is an intelligent passer, makes selfless runs, and consistently puts himself in dangerous positions in and around the box.

We had Keegan on campus last fall for an official visit and had a great day getting to know him and his family. From that point on, we knew he would be a great addition to our group and a strong fit for our program.

The exciting conclusion to Keegan's recruitment story came when he traveled to Worcester, MA, to watch us play WPI. After an exciting 2–1 win in which we scored late to secure the result, Keegan connected with our staff and shortly after verbally committed. It was a fitting end to his recruitment process, and we're thrilled to have Keegan joining our program.

Landon van Buren, Hopkinton, MA
Landon is a center midfielder from Hopkinton, MA, who comes to us from one of the top club environments in New England. He spent the majority of his club career with IFA MLS NEXT, where he established himself as a pivotal player in the center of their midfield.

Landon is a physically dominant midfielder who combines his athleticism with the technical ability to control the middle of the field and dictate the tempo of a game. What also stood out to us throughout the recruiting process was his leadership and ability to connect with those around him. Landon is a natural connector—he is always looking to build relationships with teammates and coaches and is an excellent communicator both on and off the field.

Throughout the recruiting process, we had the opportunity to spend a lot of time getting to know Landon and his family. We also learned that his family has a strong connection to the Saratoga and Capital Region, with his grandparents living in Burnt Hills. That connection made Skidmore and the surrounding community feel like a natural fit for Landon, and we're excited to have him joining our group this fall.

Karim Valdés-Habib, Brooklyn, NY
My coaching career began in Manhattan, NY, where I started coaching youth soccer with Manhattan SC. The club has always held a special connection for me, and I've stayed close with Director of Coaching Ray Selvadurai throughout my coaching career. Because of that relationship, I've always wanted to bring a player from Manhattan SC into our program, and we're excited that Karim will be the first.
We had the opportunity to watch Karim's team numerous times throughout the recruiting process, including at the Manhattan Kickoff, ECNL Florida, and during league play. Karim was a player who immediately stood out to us, and it didn't take long to recognize that he would be a great fit for our program.

Karim is a smooth central midfielder who reads the game exceptionally well on the defensive side of the ball and is press-resistant in possession. His large frame allows him to cover ground effectively, while his engine and work rate give him the ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball. He brings a combination of composure, physicality, and intelligence in the midfield that we believe will translate extremely well to the college level.

Bringing a player from Manhattan SC to Skidmore is personally meaningful to me, but more importantly, we believe Karim has all the qualities to be an excellent addition to our group.

Aidan Chin, Rye, NH
I've known Aidan since my time coaching ODP in New Hampshire and have been able to track his development over the past four years. Aidan continues our strong connection with Seacoast United and the Upper New England region in this recruiting class. He has competed at the highest levels of club soccer in New Hampshire with Seacoast United MLS NEXT, where he has developed into a versatile player capable of playing both outside back and in the midfield.

Aidan is a technical player who is comfortable in possession and has the ability to impact the game in multiple areas of the field. What stands out just as much is the grit and determination he brings to the defensive side of the game. His combination of technical quality, versatility, and willingness to compete makes him an exciting addition to our group.

We had Aidan on campus very early in the recruiting process and quickly knew as a staff that his personality and desire to compete would be a great fit for our program. Away from soccer, Aidan is an avid surfer and served as President of the Rye High School Surf Club. His ability to bring people together around something he is passionate about stood out to us and speaks to the type of teammate and person he is.

We believe Aidan's competitiveness, personality, and ability to connect with those around him will have a positive impact both on the field and in our locker room.

Luke Dougherty, Natick, MA
Luke has been on our radar since we first took over the program at Skidmore College. Luke's brother, Jed, is a rising junior on the team, and we quickly learned through Jed that his younger brother was quite the soccer player as well. Playing on the opposite side of the field from his brother, Luke is an explosive and dynamic left back with the ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball.

Luke hails from Natick, Massachusetts, where he plays his club soccer for NEFC. A three-sport varsity athlete, Luke's athleticism and competitive mentality have been on display throughout his high school career. This past season, Luke captained Natick Boys Varsity Soccer to a State Championship and went viral for scoring one of the best goals of the season in Massachusetts.

What separates Luke from other defenders in the class is his ability to influence the game going forward. He is confident carrying the ball into advanced areas, has the athleticism to consistently get up and down the flank, and brings a genuine attacking threat from the left-back position.

Luke's familiarity with our program through Jed and his father, Dan (Class of '87, Baseball), made the recruiting process especially meaningful. We know the type of competitor, teammate, and person Luke is, and we are incredibly excited to officially welcome another Dougherty to the Skidmore Men's Soccer family.

James Black, Baltimore, MD
James "Jimmy" first came to our attention last year at the Best of East Cup. Coach Natola and I were down at the event in freezing temperatures and strong winds, and regardless of the difficult conditions, Jimmy was a dominant presence every time we watched him play.

Jimmy is an athletically imposing outside back who has the ability to get up and down the field effortlessly. His athleticism, combined with his technical comfort on the ball, gives him the versatility to play on either side of the field. He brings a strong physical presence defensively while also having the ability to impact the game going forward.

Jimmy comes to us from Pipeline ECNL, a club with a strong reputation for developing players who go on to have success at the college level. Over the past few recruiting cycles, we've made a concerted effort to expand our recruiting footprint into the DMV region and identify players who fit what we're building at Skidmore. We're excited to land Jimmy and believe his athleticism, versatility, and competitive mentality will be a great addition to our group.

Chris Ledger Hollis, NH
Chris continues Skidmore Soccer's strong connection to the New Hampshire region. A versatile central midfielder, Chris is fearless in the tackle and has the technical ability to rival anyone in our group. He spent his club career with Seacoast United MLS NEXT, where he was teammates with fellow incoming player Aidan Chin.

Chris came to our attention early in the recruiting process for the 2027 class, and as we continued to evaluate him, it became clear that he had the qualities we look for in a Skidmore midfielder. He brings a great combination of competitiveness, technical quality, and versatility that allows him to impact the game in a number of different ways.

When we had Chris on campus, what stood out most was his commitment to the game and his understanding of the "process" required to continually improve. His approach extends well beyond the field, with a strong commitment to the weight room, recovery, nutrition, and all the details that go into maximizing his development.

We quickly knew Chris would be someone who constantly raises the level on the field while also having a positive impact on the culture and professionalism of our locker room. We're excited to add someone who is so invested in his own growth and will push those around him to do the same.

Keane Murphy, Farmington, CT
Keane joins us after a strong club career with FSA and Hartford Athletic. He first came onto our radar during the recruitment of our incoming goalkeeper, Dante, as the two are teammates at Farmington High School. That connection initially introduced us to Keane, but it was his performance at a Skidmore ID Clinic that really put him on the map for our staff.

At the clinic, Keane showcased the full range of his abilities. He is a dynamic striker who has a genuine desire to press and defend from the front. He's explosive running onto balls in behind, brings great energy to the attacking end, and has an excellent ball-striking ability that makes him a threat around goal.

Throughout the recruiting process, every interaction we had with Keane was extremely positive. What impressed me most, however, was the number of people within our recruiting network who knew Keane and spoke so highly of him. Whether it was coaches, players, or others familiar with him, the message was always consistent: Keane is a high-character person, a great teammate, and someone who brings energy to the people around him.

We believe Keane's combination of athleticism, attacking mentality, and character will make him a great addition to our program and locker room.