RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Mines Soccer team has announced the signing of 14 incoming freshmen with head coach Bill Schaefer announcing the addition of Abhel Cortez-Soto, Joel Eckhardt, Ethan French, Cooper Hunt, Emory Johnson, Mason Kasel, Conner Larrew, Nickolas North, Stone Rubeck, Sawyer Rueckert, Auggie Scherting, Charles Thompson, Alex Warrick, and Hosea Wohler, who are set to become Hardrockers next fall.
 
Abhel Cortez-Soto hails from Knob Noster, Missouri and the High School of the same name. He played midfielder as well as defense during his high school career, finishing as a defender. Starting in 53 matches and playing in 66, Cortez-Soto scored 21 goals and added 26 assists throughout high school. In addition to soccer, Cortez-Soto played football, basketball and participated on the track and field team.
 
Joel Eckhardt is a defender who played three years of varsity soccer at Iowa City High School. Eckhard was a state champion and took third place in the national cup. Eckhardt is from Iowa City, Iowa.
 
Ethan French played in 15 games in each of his final two high school years at Horizon High School, while seeing five games of action in the first two years. Overall, French recorded 9 goals along with 10 assists throughout his career. The Thornton, Colorado native was an all-conference selection.
 
Hailing from Uniontown, Pennsylvania is Cooper Hunt. Hunt played varsity for three years at Laurel Highlands Senior High, where he played in 57 games, starting in a total of 39, but all of the possible games in his junior and senior seasons. Hunt earned All-County Fayette County following his senior season. In addition, Hunt played Club soccer for a variety of teams starting in 2015 throughout his career, earning team captain twice and taking home team championship honors at Baltimore Mania (2023), GLA Conference (2023) and Pennsylvania West (2022).
 
Emory Johnson is from within the state of South Dakota as he graduated from Harrisburg High School and is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Playing in four years of varsity soccer, Johnson earned Eastern South Dakota Conference All-Conference honors twice while also achieving the honor from the Metro Athletic Conference. In addition to soccer, Johnson was a standout wrestler, qualifying for the state tournament twice, placing once and was named to the Metro Athletic Conference All-Conference team in 2024.
 
Mason Kasel joins the program from Cedar Park, Texas and attended Cedar Park High School. Also played club for the Town and Country Optimist Club and was a team captain.
 
Originally from Berthoud, Colorado and Loveland Classical School is Conner Larrew. In addition to soccer, Larrew played basketball for three years and ran for the cross country team for one year. A two-time member of the academic all-state team, Larrew played Club for Arsenal and St. Vrain.
 
Another from our backyard is Nickolas North as he is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota and attended Bishop O'Gorman. Starting his career as a mid, he primarily played forward in his junior and senior seasons. Throughout his career at O'Gorman, he recorded 31 goals and 15 assists. He earned numerous awards and accolades, including United Soccer Coaches South Dakota Boys Soccer Player of the Year, USC Midwest All-Region, all-state (twice) and all-conference (three times). In each of his four years of high school, O'Gorman reached the state semifinal, advancing to the final three times and winning it once. North played club for Dakota Alliance and participated in track and field, lettering once.
 
Stone Rubeck comes to South Dakota Mines from Green River, Wyoming and Green River High School. Rubeck contributed to his varsity team for all four years of his high school career, playing in a total of 59 games, along with 55 starts. Over his final two seasons, he contributed six goals and three assists. Rubeck helped improve the team from just 1 win in his freshman year to 10+ in each of his junior and senior seasons. Rubeck lettered twice in diving and was honorable mention all-conference twice in addition to earning all-conference and all-state honors in soccer.
 
Minnesota native, Sawyer Rueckert will join the roster from Elk River. Rueckert played one year of varsity soccer for Elk River High School, starting 16 games, scoring six goals and pitching in two assists, earning All-Northwest Suburban Conference honors. Club was a big part of his career, starting with Three Rivers (2014-2020) and finishing with United FC Rush (2020-2024). In addition, Rueckert lettered in football twice and track and field four times, while earning an All-Conference selection and qualifying for state in track and field.
 
Auggie Schertling joins the program, coming from Edmonds, Washington. He played one full season at Meadowdale High School but was on the roster for two seasons. Playing club was more prominent for Schertling as he played for Northwest Nationals (2015-16), Greater Seattle Surf (2016-18) and Sound FC (2019-24).
 
Charles Thompson is a goalkeeper from Alberta, Canada. Playing at Edge School, he was named to the All-Conference team. He played club for Calgary Cavalry, Calgary Foothills FC and Calgary Rangers.
 
Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Alex Warrick joins the program after playing for three seasons at Lincoln High School. Playing forward throughout his career, he played in 61 games throughout his four seasons, starting in 44. He scored 22 goals and assisted on 10 more. Was named a three-time Heartland All-Conference selection and a three-time all-state selection. Earned all-city twice. Also played football, lettering twice.
 
Joining the Hardrockers from Minneapolis is Hosea Wohler. Wohler was a defender, playing and starting in 58 games for Trinity at River Ridge. He earned all-conference honors three times. Wohler also participated in track and field for four years, basketball for one year and wrestling for one year, earning letters each time. He won a conference championship in track and field as part of the 4 x 800 relay team also participating in the state championships in the 800m run.
 
The South Dakota Mines soccer team opens up play on Sept. 6 and their first home match is scheduled for Sept. 27 at Dakota Fields. All home games are free to attend. You can find the latest on South Dakota Mines volleyball all year long on X (@hardrockermsoc) and Instagram (@hardrockersoccer), while also following on Facebook at Hardrocker Soccer. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers, hardrockerathletics on Instagram and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
 
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.