Charleston keeps expanding recruiting footprint with latest commitments

Photo by Jay Sowers

Not even three months into his tenure as the Charleston head coach and Mike Iandolo is already unveiling his first recruiting class.

Charleston announced on Wednesday that six players, including three international recruits, have committed to join the Golden Eagles for the 2019 season.

Lachlan Bray, an outside attacker Melbourne, Australia, and won a national championship with his high school team in 2017. In addition, Bray was a member of the Australian Boys’ Youth Development Team and joins sophomore outside attacker Max Senica the second Australian on the Charleston roster for the upcoming season.

Roan Sharkey, a middle attacker from San Diego, will be the fifth Californian to play for the Golden Eagles in their program history. The middle attack concluded his high school career earning first-team all-league honors and helping his team advance to regionals.

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Quinn Foglia, a middle attacker from Long Island New York, was a member of the USA Volleyball A1 National Training Program from 2016-17. He also was a three-sport high school athlete competing in lacrosse, sailing and beach volleyball.

Diego Villafane, a setter from Lake Mary, Florida, earned back-to-back county player of the year honors and helped his high school team make three state championship appearances. In addition, Villafane was a member of Team Florida High Performance along with leading his club team to a top-five finish at the 2017 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championship.

Maarten Bartels, an outside attacker from the Netherlands, was a member of the Dutch Men’s Junior National Team in 2016 and transfers to Charleston from HAN University of Applied Sciences. He also won the Dutch Cup five times throughout his career.

Torkil Aarflot, a libero from Volda, Norway, is transferring from Mount Olive. Aarflot appeared in eight matches last season and had a career-high 10 digs in Mount Olive’s four-game victory against Emmanuel on March 16.

Charleston playing last season under Bren Stevens, the athletics director and interim head coach, won a program record five EIVA matches. The team also received votes throughout the season in the Division II National Coaches Poll.

Iandolo was named the new head coach in April after spending last season as an assistant coach with Grand Canyon.