RICHMOND, VA. – VCU Men's Soccer welcomes 10 newcomers ahead of the 2026 season. The group includes a pair of undergraduate transfers and eight incoming freshmen, including three Virginia natives.
Seven nations are represented in the Rams' incoming class with newcomers hailing from the United States (4), The Bahamas, South Africa, Ireland, Norway, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
#0 – Nathan Pratt
Freshman | Goalkeeper
Blacksburg, Va. | Blacksburg
A multi-year starting goalkeeper at Blacksburg High School, Pratt joins the Rams as a decorated in-state addition from western Virginia. Between the posts at Blacksburg, he helped lead the Bruins to a State Championship as a senior, getting named to the All-State First Team, All-Region First Team, All-District First Team and earning United Soccer Coaches Academic All-America honors. As a junior, Pratt was tabbed second-team All-Region and first-team All-District recognition.
#6 – Jordan Cheetham
Sophomore | Defender
Nassau, Bahamas | Montverde Academy (South Carolina)
Cheetham is a sophomore transfer from South Carolina, joining the Rams' back line. A native of the Bahamas, the defender has earned eight caps with the senior Bahamas National Team. A year ago with the Bahamas National Team, he recorded the full 90 minutes in four matches in the CONCACAF Nations League. He also spent time with the Bahamas U-17 National Team, competing in the U-17 World Cup Qualifiers. Prior to South Carolina, Cheetham played at Montverde Academy.
#8 – Bya Ndimubandi
Freshman | Midfielder
Cape Town, South Africa | Montverde Academy
Ndimubandi is a midfielder joining the Rams' ranks from Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. The Cape Town, South Africa, native spent four seasons with the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA) and comes in as another VCU arrival in a long line of former Montverde players, including multiple former SIMA teammates in his signing class.
#16 – David Leavey
Sophomore | Midfielder
Waterford, Ireland | Montverde Academy (Penn State)
Leavey arrives at VCU after playing his freshman year at Penn State. In a season with the Nittany Lions, the midfielder logged 783 minutes over his 17 games, including 10 starts. Prior to competing at the collegiate level, Leavey played at Montverde Academy after spending time with his hometown club, Waterford FC, and De La Salle College Waterford.
#18 – Nathan Forst
Freshman | Forward
Manassas, Va. | Colgan
Forst is a local addition to the Rams roster, hailing from Manassas, Virginia, and spending a well-decorated career with the ECNL's Virginia Development Academy (VDA) and Colgan High School. The attacker is a former ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, two-time ECNL All-Conference selection and two-time All-District honoree. The freshman comes from an athletic family with his father, mother and sister all playing Division I sports.
#19 – Jonas Hassel Pettersen
Freshman | Defender
Sarpsborg, Norway | St. Olav
An international newcomer to VCU, Hassel Pettersen hails from Sarpsborg, Norway. The defender competed with the Norsk Tipping-Ligaen's Sarpsborg second team, while training and playing exhibition matches with the Sarpsborg first team. He compiled 2,800 minutes over his 40 matches with Sarpsborg 08 FF II. A welcome addition to the squad, Hassel Pettersen will join the Rams' back line.
#20 – Esteban Vasquez Venegas
Freshman | Midfielder
San Jose, Costa Rica
Vasquez was a spring addition to VCU's roster, arriving from San Jose, Costa Rica. He developed in the Fútbol Consultants academy as a youth and moved to the second division team as a senior in high school, prior to advancing to their top division team. Vasquez was a member of the Costa Rica U-15 National Team.
# 22 – Kimarly Scott
Freshman | Forward
Kingston, Jamaica
Scott is a Kingston, Jamaica, native that arrives at VCU with championship pedigree, competing in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) as an amateur player in 2026 and leading Excelsior High School to Manning Cup and Olivier Shield titles in 2025. The attacker led back-to-back defending JPL Champion Cavalier FC to the JPL finals, scoring a brace in a 2-0 semifinal victory. He tallied eight goals in his 20 matches, including five down the playoff stretch. He was named MP Sports Viewers Player of the Season by fan vote. With Excelsior, Scott earned Manning Cup MVP and was the Manning Cup's leading goalscorer in 2024 (29) and 2025 (20). He earned a call-up to the Jamaica U-20 National Team, which is participating in the current CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Puebla, Mexico in July 24-August 9, and will join VCU upon completion of the competition.
#23 – Caleb Pak
Freshman | Midfielder
Prosper, Texas | Walnut Grove
Pak is a freshman midfielder from Prosper, Texas, and is the lone U.S.-born Ram to arrive from outside the state of Virginia. Pak did a development postgraduate year in Valencia, Spain, with ETure, and competed with the Dallas Hornets of the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division before arriving at VCU.
#30 – Ricky Oliva
Freshman | Defender
Woodbridge, Va. | Woodbridge
Oliva, a native of Woodbridge, Virginia, comes to VCU for his first collegiate season after spending time with the El Salvador U-17 National Team and playing club with the Virginia Development Academy (VDA). He was an ECNL Conference Cup selection, four-time ECNL Mid-Atlantic All-Conference First Team honoree and earned first-team All-District recognition at Woodbridge High School three times.
