Charlotte, NC – Head Coach Kevin Langan, who was named NSCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year this past season, and the nationally-ranked Charlotte 49ers men's soccer program welcome five newcomers to a 2015 team that returns nine starters and 16 letterwinners off last season's Conference USA regular-season Champion and NCAA Tournament National Seed squad. The Niners welcome Curtis Hansford from Weymouth, England, Maclean Holbrook from Cary, North Carolina, Tommy Madden from Burtonville, Maryland, Callum Montgomery from Victoria, British Columbia and Elliot Panicco from Huntersville, North Carolina.

“We are very excited to announce the 2015 class,” Langan said. “The five players have all had excellent youth careers and we are looking forward to watching them develop and make the transition into college soccer. We are confident that they will have fulfilling and successful careers at Charlotte. A special thanks to assistant coach Kyle Gookins and assistant coach Jason Osborne for doing a fantastic job identifying the players and building relationships with them and their families.”

Hansford, a defender from Weymouth, England, is captain of his Yeovil FC youth team. He also played for AFC Bournemouth's youth team. Last season he played for the Nike Academy, where he gained valuable experience playing the youth teams of Barcelona and Inter Milan as well as several English Premier League Academy teams. He captained the Budmouth Technology College team which won the County Championship.

“Curtis comes to us with great experience having played at the highest youth levels in Europe,” Langan said. “He reads the game very well and is a tenacious 1v1 defender. He is a loud communicator who is very composed in possession.”

Holbrook, a forward from Cary, North Carolina's Green Hope High School, is the leading goal scorer for his U-18 Capital Area Railhawks USSF Academy team which is ranked third in the nation and captured the Southeast Division Championship. He played an integral role in helping Green Hope capture the 2012 State Championship and a runner-up State Championship finish in 2013. At Green Hope, he earned first-team All-Conference honors in 2013 and second-team All-Conference honors in 2012. Holbrook was named a Top 150 2015 recruit by TopDrawerSoccer IMG.

“Mac is an excellent target forward who can link the play and score goals,” Langan said. “He is equally good with his back to play or at making runs down the sides of his opponents. He is a very humble player who we know will flourish in the Charlotte culture.”

Madden, a midfielder from Burtonsville, Maryland, and DeMatha High School, was invited to the USSF Academy Select team in December 2013. He captained his U-18 Bethesda-Olney USSF Academy team. In 2014, he played an integral role on a U-16 Bethesda-Olney club team that qualified for the USSF Academy playoffs.

“Tommy is an all action midfielder who is very mobile and technical in possession,” Langan said. “He has a great mindset to always want the ball and is capable of driving the game forward from midfield.”

Montgomery, a midfielder/defender from St. Michael's University High School in Victoria, British Columbia, was a part of a team that won the Division II men's league and PCSL cup titles. He captained the St. Michael's team that won every tournament they entered including a state and provincial champions and the Colonist Cup. He was named the “AA” soccer provincials most valuable player. Montgomery is an honor roll student that also played high school basketball.

“Callum is a very dominant player who can play either in midfield or in defense,” Langan said. “He is technically very clean in possession and has a great range of passing. He displays a great mindset to compete and improve.”

Panicco, a goalkeeper from Huntersville, North Carolina's Hough High School, plays club soccer for the Carolina Rapids USSF Academy team. In 2014, he played an integral role in helping his club team qualify for the U-18 USSF Academy playoffs. Not only does he excel on the field but in the classroom as well as he graduated in the Top 20 of his high school class.

“Elliot graduated early and joined us for the spring semester,” Langan said. “In his first few months we have seen his impressive potential. At six-foot-five, he is excellent at gathering crosses and uses his big frame to be a great shot stopper. He displays a calm, confident demeanor between the posts.”

These five newcomers join a 49ers roster that begins the season with an exhibition game at home against Elon, Sunday, August 16.