LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — When the UNLV men's soccer team takes to the pitch for its 2024 season opener on Thursday vs. Tulsa, they will be doing so with nine new players on the roster.

The list of Rebel newcomers features four additions from the U.S., three of whom are local products, and five internationals. Additionally, the Scarlet & Gray returns 16 players from last season's squad that played for the WAC Championship.

"We are excited to welcome this incoming group of student-athletes to the Rebel family and credit goes to our staff for their hard work," said UNLV head coach BJ Craig. "This is a talented group of players who will give us depth and experience in every position. Any time we can have the elite local players join us or come back to represent UNLV and this great city, they become the heartbeat of our program within the community. To have top players domestically and across the globe joining the most diverse campus in the country is icing on the cake, and makes it a special place where one can build relationships from around the world that last a lifetime."\


James Anderson, Goalkeeper, Clifton, VA
Originally from Clifton, Virginia, Anderson comes to UNLV as a transfer from Fairfield University. He started in 33 of his 34 games played for the Stags and left the program ranked among the top 10 in school history in goals against average.



Lincoln Aquino, Midfielder, Henderson, NV
A local product out of Coronado High School, Aquino transfers to the Rebel program from California Baptist. A three-time All-WAC Academic Team honoree, he made 30 starts in his 69 games played, while helping CBU win two WAC Championships. Prior to his collegiate career, Aquino was teammates of fellow newcomer Jimi Villasenor at Las Vegas Soccer Academy.



Sawyer Crisostomo, Defender, Las Vegas, NV
Another player with local ties, Crisostomo spent time at the youth level for the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club (2018-2021) and with USL club Las Vegas Lights FC as an amateur for the 2024 season. During his time with LVSC, he won a state championship in 2021 and received a U.S. Youth National Team ID Camp invitation. Crisostomo's career also includes two years at the Seattle Sounders Academy (2021-23), where won a 2022 MLSNEXT Northwest Conference title and served as team captain of the U17 squad.



Thomas Lebeuf, Defender, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
Hailing from Canada, Lebeuf played for the CSMRO U16, U17 and semi-pro teams, as well as Union Lanaudière SUD U15. In his time with those squads, he won the Quebec Championship three consecutive years at the U15, U16 and U17 levels. On top of those, Lebeuf's teams captured the Quebec Cup, went to the Canadian Championship and won the provincial technical games.



Claudio López Alós, Forward, Valencia, Spain
Lopez Alós is a forward from Valencia, Spain who played for CF Faura, CD Soneja and Moncofa FC. His achievements with those clubs include Preferred League Champion (2022-23), Champion of "La nostra Copa II" (2022-23) and finishing as the top scorer of the youth preferred league twice (2020-21; 2021-22).



Yuto Oketani, Midfielder, Tokyo, Japan
Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Oketani makes the move to Las Vegas out of New Mexico where he attended Santa Fe Prep in 2021 and New Mexico United Soccer Academy in 2022. He won a district championship at Santa Fe Prep and added a pair of ECNL state championships with his youth club NM Rush. Following his prep soccer career, Oketani signed with the USL Championship club NM United as an amateur and went on to play for the first team and the U23 team this past spring.



Angello Ssempijja, Defender, Kampala, Uganda
Ssempijja, a Kampala, Uganda native, joins the Rebels after playing at Universal High School and NEC FC. He won a Regional League title with UHS.



Manolo Vazquez, Midfielder, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain
A midfielder from Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain, Vazquez most recently played for Sevilla FC. During his time at Sevilla, the club was back-to-back Division de Honor Champion (2019-20) and the 2018 Champion of Andalusia.



Jimi Villasenor, Forward/Midfielder, Las Vegas, NV
Villasenor, who graduated from Cimarron-Memorial High School, rounds out the list of local talent returning to play for the hometown Rebels after transferring from Utah Tech. His collegiate playing experience with the Trailblazers includes 52 games played with 30 starts. At the prep level, Villasenor won Class 4A Mountain League (2018) and Northwest League (2016) titles at CMHS and was an LVSA teammate of new Rebel additions Lincoln Aquino. He also recently played for the Las Vegas Legends.

SEASON TICKETS: Season tickets to UNLV soccer games — $25 for seniors, faculty, staff and alumni and $35 for the general public — can be purchased at UNLVTickets.com or by calling 702-739-3267. Single-game tickets are $6 per adult when purchased in advance of game day, $10 or $8 for seniors, faculty, staff and alumni at the door and free for kids in high school or younger.