Men's Soccer Signs Three During Early Signing

JACKSONVILLE - North Florida men's soccer announces the signing of Joaquin Acuna, Adrian Maldonado and Chance Shamlou during the early period.

These three early signees fit with the high standard of student-athletes we have been recruiting to North Florida," said head coach Derek Marinatos. "They also make us more athletic and all three hail from Florida. We look forward to working with these three young men next season and assimilating them into our strong culture here at North Florida."

Joaquin Acuna
Hometown: Naples, Fla. | Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
High School: Golden Gate
Club Team: Azzuri Storm coached by Jose Sandoval
Acuna is a prolific goal scorer for Top 10 team in the state of Florida, Azzuri Storm. In three years of high school soccer, he has totaled 74 goals, two first team All-Conference honors and a conference Player of the Year nomination. Acuna has led the district in goals for two straight years and broken multiple conference and school goal scoring records.

Marinatos says: Joaquin is a player our staff identified at the Disney showcase and has natural physical abilities as a forward that you can't coach. He is powerful, strong and very agile and athletic for his imposing size. He also has an ability to score in a number of different ways.

Adrian Maldonado
Hometown: Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Club Team: Tampa Bay United Rowdies coached by Brian Johnson
Maldonado joins North Florida from the Tampa Bay Rowdies MLS Next team. During his three years with the Rowdies, he amassed 20 goals and 15 assists to go along with an ECNL Southeast All-Conference team selection. Maldonado was selected multiple times to train with the USL Tampa Bay Rowdies professional side and selected to participate in National Training Center events. His team was also the inaugural USL Academy Cup champions. During one year of high school play, Maldonado earned All-Conference first team honors en route to a Conference and District Championship.

Marinatos says: Adrian was one of the top scorers in the south division of the US Development Academy last year while playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He is a very technical player that can play a number of different attacking positions and is also a two way player with a talent for finishing.

Chance Shamlou
Hometown: Ormond Beach, Fla.
Club Team: Jacksonville FC coached by Joey Barret
Shamlou joins UNF after a career with Jacksonville FC MLS Next and UPSL teams.? As a high school player at Seabreeze, Shamlou is two time All-Area selection and Player of the Year nominee to go alongside three District Championships for the Sand Crabs. Shamlou scored two goals in the regional quarterfinals as a sophomore and posted a hat trick as a junior. In that season he recorded 12 goals, six assists and was named Player of the Game six times.

Marinatos says: Chance is a local player from JFC here in Jacksonville that we have been tracking for some time. He is a very dynamic wide player with a unique combination of size, pace, and technical ability that makes him very dangerous attacking on the dribble.

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