According to the NCAA, just .8% of men’s soccer players move into the professional ranks in America, highlighting the minuscule chance of a college player achieving their dreams.
For Marist men’s soccer, that dream is alive and well with a strong line of evidence demonstrating how players who come to Poughkeepsie have a chance to reach the next level.
“It shows the current members that it’s a possibility, that there is a pipeline. It highlights our ability to recruit and develop,” said Marist head coach Matt Viggiano.
In recent years, Marist has been represented at the professional level by Allen Gavilanes in the US leagues, Demarre Mountoute in MLS Next and German Fuentes in Ireland.
Gavilanes, who ranks third in Marist history in assists and ninth in points, took the next step in his soccer career this offseason by signing with USL Championship club Miami FC after three seasons with Greenville Triumph FC in USL League One.
“He’s a quality player, he’s worked hard, he’s improved and I could not be more proud of him. He comes from a great family and it’s fun turning on the TV and seeing him,” said Viggiano.
Gavilanes dominated the MAAC as a Red Fox from 2017-2019, racking up the fifth most assists in a single season with nine and winning MAAC Player of the Year as a freshman in 2017. Gavilanes also earned All-MAAC first team in 2018 and 2019, finishing top 10 in the conference in points in both seasons. He is an extremely creative player with flare from his left foot while using hyper-quick movement to spark offensive play.
“He’s top three [among players I have coached at Marist], no doubt about it,” said Viggiano.
Gavilanes started 94 games for the Triumph across three seasons, accumulating 8 goals and 16 assists. The Triumph won their league in 2020 and reached the final in 2019 and 2021, with Gavilanes starting in 2021.
He led the USL League One in assists in 2023, leading the Triumph with a goal and assist in their playoff defeat. Now with Miami FC, Gavilanes leads the team with four goals in 10 games.
Red Fox alum Demarre Mountoute signed a contract with MLS Next club Sporting KC II and has appeared in three games to begin their season. Mountoute anchored the Marist defense for three seasons at center-back, playing in 43 games. A captain this past season, Mountoute is an ultra-athletic player with strong aerial skills and technical ability.
“Athletically. I always felt like he was a pro. It was just about him putting it all together and improving technically. He is a step away from playing in the MLS,” said Viggiano.
Montoute was a part of the 2021 MAAC championship team and earned All-MAAC honors in 2022 and 2023.
Another former Marist center-back, German Fuentes, plays professionally in Ireland’s First Division for Athlone Town. Fuentes transferred to Marist for a graduate year in 2022 from UMass Lowell, starting in all 16 games for the Red Foxes.
He appeared in all 36 matches for Athlone Town in 2023, helping them achieve a top-five finish with a chance to earn promotion to Ireland’s Premier Division.
“Our style of play is conducive to showcasing their ability. We were tracking German and he did a sprint on the field and he ran a faster 40 than Tyreek Hill. I don’t think people realize how good of athletes we have,” said Viggiano.
Fuentes also earned a call-up to El Salvador’s national team for a series of friendlies in March of 2023. He made one appearance, against World Cup champion Argentina, and faced some of the top players in the world.
“As a coach, it’s cool watching your guys. He’s playing against Lautaro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez, the World Cup Champs,” said Viggiano.
Each of these players learned and adopted the mentality it takes to be a professional soccer player, where everyone is talented and the only way to set yourself apart is work ethic.
“It’s a credit to them because they understand the difference between being with your buddies, to playing against people trying to take your job every day. There’s a certain mental toughness to be able to do that,” said Viggiano.
With several former Red Foxes making waves in the professional world, Viggiano and his staff can use that as a recruiting tool to build the program and be competitive year after year.
Viggiano cited a key issue within the American professional system: the lack of spots for international players on rosters, which makes it harder for international players to make it professionally.
One example of a player negatively impacted by this is former Marist center-back Huib Achterkamp, a Dutch International who earned numerous accolades while in Poughkeepsie. He was the second Marist player ever to earn MAAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and an All-ECAC first-team spot, yet did not receive the same opportunities as his American counterparts.
“Our conference tends to be international which hinders some of their opportunity to play in this country. You have to be a really high-level player to take an international slot,” said Viggiano.
Both Gavilanes and Moutoute avoided this issue for the time being, as Gavilanines is American and while Montoute is Canadian, he does not occupy an international slot as a North American. Fuentes is from El Salvador and could face this issue if he wants to play in the United States.
This past season, Viggiano relied on a talented freshman class to play major minutes. Some of these younger players include freshman midfielder Kyle Evans, freshman midfielder Joseph Daher, freshman defender Ethan Ortiz and freshman goalkeeper Dreni Idrizi, not to mention well-establish seniors Jared Juleau and Ronald Ray Jr. Any of them could develop and possibly one day follow in the footsteps of Montoute, Fuentes and Gavilanes.
“Our roster is littered with guys who grew up in those [MLS] youth academies. Maybe they did not get a contract right away but realized that it’s a better path to get an education because that opportunity will be there when they are done,” said Viggiano.
Edited by Luke Sassa
Photo credit: Jaylen Rizzo
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