LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - A total of eight players have all committed to play for the UNLV men's soccer team starting in the fall of 2016, head coach Rich Ryerson announced on Tuesday. The recruiting class includes five high school seniors, James Drye, Connor Ryan, Maliq Cooper, Ivan Lopez, and Tyler Allen and three from the junior college ranks, Memo Diaz, Marquis Pitt and Takumi Jeannin.

Four of the players hail from the Las Vegas area, starting with Drye, a 6-0 defender for Arbor View High. He was named both Sunset Conference Player of the Year and Northwest Player of the Year in 2014, while also earning All Southern Nevada honors. Drye plays his club ball for the Las Vegas Neon club team, and was part of the Nevada State ODP since the 2012-13. During his senior year he was on the football team for the Division 1 Northwest champions. He was named first-team all-conference at kicker, and holds the school's two-top longest kicks in school history, at 45 and 48 yards.

"James will have a huge impact on the program," said Ryerson. "He has a very strong, physical presence and we see his role with us as a significant one on our backline."

The next local player is Ryan, a holding midfielder who's experience includes three years with the LA Galaxy Youth Academy team from 2012-14, as well as a national championship as a member of the LVSA U-18 club team in 2015. Ryan played one year of high school soccer, leading Palo Verde to the 2014 state title.

"Connor is a very hard-working box-to-box player," said Ryerson. "He will be involved in a lot of the defending and the transition from defense to offense. Connor possesses a great work ethic, he's solid technically and is an accurate distributor of the ball."

Cooper is a 5-9 forward for Green Valley High. As a junior he was an all-state honoree as well as the school's assist leader after finishing the season with 12 goals and 20 assists for 44 points. He played his club ball for both the LVSA, helping them to the state cup title and to the finals of the Dallas Cup. For this past season, he represented the MLS Seattle Sounders Developmental Academy while finishing out his high school education.

"Maliq had the privilege to live and train with the Seattle Sounders Youth Academy," said Ryerson. "We feel that experience was invaluable in his development and we are extremely excited about the skill set he will bring to our team, as a forward or a wide player."

The final local recruit is Lopez, a 6-0 forward from Clark High. He comes to the Scarlet and Gray after winning state Offensive Player of the Year honors while also earned a spot on the first team all-state squad. Lopez led the Chargers to the Division 1-A state title after scoring the game-winner late in the contest, part of his seven goals and six assists in the 2015 postseason tournament. Lopez is a member of Academy FC.

"An Incredible late bloomer for us," said Ryerson. "Ivan also has very dynamic movement and agility for a player of his height. We identified him in local club play, and he attended the UNLV College ID Camp and had an impressive showing." From the Aloha State is Allen, a native of Honolulu. He finished up his high school career at Mid Pacific High by earning ILH Most Valuable Player (Offensive) honors, and helped the Owls to the Division I state tournament after two straight years as Division II state championships. Allen is also a member of the Honolulu Bulls club team, which had two of its alumni on last year's UNLV squad, Jason Khamvongsa and Aaron Goo.

"Tyler in my opinion is the best player to come out of Hawaii this year." said Ryerson. "We've had great success with three Hawaiians already, so we're just adding to the quality of players that we get from that state. He's a great attacking player, he can play both wide and up front, and he's going to score some goals for us next season."

Diaz is a 5-7 forward from Anthony, N.M. He comes to the Scarlet and Gray from Yavapai College, where he was a two-time NSCAA and NJCAA All-Region selection while helping the Roughriders to two top-five national finishes and a 39-4-3 record in his two years. In 2015, he finished the season with 26 points off 10 goals and six assists. Prior to joining the Yavapai squad, Diaz was a standout athlete at Gadsden High School, where he lettered in soccer, football, baseball and track. He led the Panthers to three district titles and to the semifinals in the state tournament as a senior. He was named the 2013-14 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Soccer Player of the Year after scoring 73 points off 27 goals and 19 assists, and finished his career with 68 goals and 73 assists. Diaz picked up district Player of the Year honors, while also was selected to the first team all-district and all-state team. He would make an appearance in the 2013 High School All-American game as well. Diaz played his club ball for Strikers FC out of Las Cruces, three-time New Mexico state champions.

"Guillermo is a dynamic and exciting scorer who is going to bring collegiate experience and creativity to our team," noted Ryerson about Diaz.

The first international recruit is Pitt, a 5-10 forward from Toronto. He becomes the first Canadian to join the Rebel squad since Mason Trafford (2006-07). Pitt will be a junior for the Rebels after playing one season at Cloud County Community College (2014) and this past season at Monroe Community College. While at Cloud CC, he posted eight total goals including five game-winners while helping the T-Birds to the regional semifinals. For Monroe, he scored 18 points off seven goals and four assists for the Tribunes, who finished with a regional championship title. He is a product of the Sigma FC Academy, which is a Canadian youth soccer academy based in the Greater Toronto area.

"I saw Marquis play a few years ago at Cloud County and he was one of the most explosive and athletic players I had seen," said Ryerson. "He will have a major impact on our team this year."

From Paris, France is 6-2 defender Takumi Jeannin, a 2015 NJCAA All-American for Darton State College. He also earned Region XVII Player of the Year honors as well as picking up all-region and all tournament recognition while helping the Cavaliers to the Regional title and a spot in the district semifinals. As a freshman at the University of Mobile in 2014, Jeannin was named to the league all-freshman team following a season in which he helped the Rams to a conference title and the NAIA Elite Eight. Prior to coming to the U.S., Jeannin spent two years in France and played for AC Boulogne Billancourt (2012-13), and also for FC Oita Trinita professional academy in 2010-11 in Japan.

"Takumi will bring a wealth of experience to our back line," said Ryerson. "He has both international and collegiate experience from his upbringing in France and his time on the JC level, and we look forward to the impact he will make to our defender group."

The Rebels, 12-7-1 last season, will return six starters including 2015 All-American forward Danny Musovski, and a total of 72% of their goal scoring.