BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech men’s soccer team announced the addition of eight transfers ahead of the 2024 season, bringing the total additions to 14.

CJ Coppola*

Coppola, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, comes to Tech after two seasons at Saint Louis. In 2023, he led the Billikens in points with seven goals and one assist while starting 11 times. The forward was a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team in his freshman season and recorded six goals and one assist in 13 starts in 2022.

Trey Gardiner*

Gardiner, a product of Richmond, Virginia, comes to Blacksburg after a four-year stint with Davidson, where he started 58 times at center back. In his final season, Gardiner was a captain and played the team’s most minutes in 2023 with 1,433 minutes. With three goals in his career, the Commonwealth native was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie selection in the spring of 2021.

Yonis Kireh

Kireh, who hails from Marseille, France, can play defensive midfield and defender for Virginia Tech. The 6’3″ Frenchman played in Spain for the club Puente Genil.

Samy Kolby*

Kolby, a native of Charlotte, NC, spent two seasons in Charlotte before joining the Hokies in the offseason. The versatile midfielder has three goals and five assists in 34 career appearances. His one-goal, five-assist season in 2022 earned Kolby American Conference All-Freshman Team honors.

Evan Schroeder*

Schroeder, a 6’1″ defender from Atlanta, Georgia, joins the maroon and orange national team after two seasons at Georgia State. The Atlanta United Academy product scored four goals in 23 appearances, including 17 starts.

Malick Thiaw

Thiaw, a native of Marseille, France, will take over a top position for the Hokies this fall. The 6-foot-4 forward attended the Cours Sainte Marie de Hann.

Cooper Wenzel

Wenzel, a 6’2″ goalie from Fresno, California, joined the Hokies for a fifth year after a stint at CSUN. The goalie was named to the All-Big West second team in 2022 and posted a personal-best 0.74% save percentage in 19 games. Over the course of his career, Wenzel started 37 times in 39 appearances.

Mathias Yohannes

Yohannes, a midfielder from South Riding, Virginia, is transferring to Virginia Tech after two years at Kentucky. After sitting out his freshman season due to injury, Yohannes made 13 appearances and five starts for the Wildcats in 2023.

*Participating in the program since January 2024