Men’s soccer announces the promotion of six members for 2028

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University men’s soccer will welcome six freshmen to the program for the start of the 2024 season as part of the Class of 2028, Josh ShapiroVirginia B. and James O. Welch, Jr. ’52 head coach of Harvard Men’s Soccer, announced Wednesday.

The class includes two student-athletes from Maryland State and one from Massachusetts, one from North Carolina, one from California and one from Germany. The group features a mix of defenders, midfielders and forwards who have competed at top clubs in their respective regions.

Harvard’s class of 2028 includes defender Alexander Castel (Chevy Chase, Maryland), defender Nayan Das (Lexington, Massachusetts), defender Tim Langenbahn (Andernach, Germany), midfielder Shane Lonergan (San Francisco, California), forward Xavier Tanyi (Kensington, Maryland) and midfielder Phoenix Wooten (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina).

The group joins a Crimson team that has climbed the Ivy League rankings in each of the last three years, going from fourth in 2021 to third in 2022 and second in 2023.

Gallery: (5-8-2024) Men’s Soccer Class of 2028

Alexandre Castel

Defender | 6ft 0 | 170 pounds. | Chevrolet Chase, Maryland | Sidwell Friends School (DC)

Competed at the club level for the Bethesda Soccer Club…Team captain at the U15, U16, U17 and U19 levels…Helped the U19 team advance to the round of 16 of the upcoming MLS playoffs while competing as a U16 player… Registered six goals and four assists from the center position back in 2022-23… Volunteers with EmBracelets, helping raise funds for partner non-profits… Enjoys traveling, playing football golf, cycling, learning languages ​​and listening to music… Son of Amanda and Guillaume Castel; Guillaume played football for the FC Rouen Academy (1987-90) and competed as a national level 100 meter sprinter in France (1994-98).

Nayan Das

Defender | 6ft 0 | 170 pounds. | Lexington, MA | Lexington High School

Earned All-Star honors at the National Academy Championships in 2023… Competed at the club level for the Boston Bolts… Also competed in track and field… Earned Middlesex All-Star and Middlesex All-Conference honors in athletics in 2024… Honor roll student… Enjoys running, reading, playing the piano, and playing basketball… Son of Christiana Iyasere and Saumya Das ’91.

Tim Langenbahn

Defender | 6ft 1 | 170 pounds. | Andernach, Germany | Kurfürst-Salentin-Gymnasium Andernach

Nominated for the Middle Rhine Federation football team from 2022 to 2024… Helped the team win the Middle Rhine U17 championship title in 2022… Won the Rhineland indoor championship and the Rhineland Cup in 2019… Captain of FC Hennef 05 in 2023-24 and Tus Coblenz (2018-19) … Played club for FC Cologne Academy (2019-23) and FC Hennef 05 (2023-24) during his years of high school… Earned the title of best student of the year in high school… Earned honors from the German Mathematics Association, German Physical Society and German Association of Classical Philologists for excellence in mathematics, physics and ancient Greek respectively… Earned the Salentin Scholarship for excellence in extracurricular volunteer activities… Plays the piano… Son of Anja and Michael Langenbahn.

Shane Lonergan

Midfield | 6ft 0 | 175 pounds. | San Francisco, California | Mission High School

Helped the team reach the final of the next MLS domestic tournament in 2022; made his club debut at the age of 16, playing in the U19 age group… Selected to train in Germany with Holstein Kiel, a partner club of the San Francisco Glens… Invited to the San Francisco Glens training camp United States U13 national team… Competed at club level for San Francisco Glens in MLS Next and Silicon Valley Soccer Academy… Acted as captain for both clubs… First Mission High School student to attend Harvard… Volunteer with of Glide Memorial – Food distribution in San Francisco… Son of Ann Marie and Mark Lonergan.

Xavier Tanyi

Next | 6 feet 3 inches | 175 pounds. | Kensington, Maryland | Washington International School

Captained Bethesda Soccer Club for six years from U13 to U19… Competed at club level for Bethesda Soccer Club from U10 to U19 in MLS Next… Son of Lanita and Gerald Tanyi… Began playing soccer in South Africa before moving to the United States.

Phoenix Wooten

Midfield | 6ft 0 | 165 pounds. | Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina | Ohio Connections Academy

Competed in MLS Next Pro with Columbus Crew 2 in 2023-24 after playing with the Columbus Crew Academy U17 team in 2022-23…Earned Rush Soccer International Team First Team and First Team honors Rush Soccer Select national team in 2021-22… Won All -State and All-Mid-Atlantic awards in 2021… Spent time with Virginia Beach United U23 team… Received Most Valuable Player award in 2021-22 the 2021 Alianza de Futbol in Dallas, Texas… Won the Virginia State Cup in 2021… Trained with R’ MA Soccer Club in Bangkok, Thailand as a dual Thai-American national… Played at club level for Columbus Crew 2 (2023-24), Columbus Crew Academy (2022-24) and Virginia Rush (2020-22) in high school… Attended First Flight High School (2020-22) before Olentangy Orange High School (2022-23 ) and Ohio Connections Academy (2023-24) … Enjoys surfing, golf, fishing and playing guitar… Son of Jantaporn and Sean Wooten.