EIU men's soccer head coach Ruy Vaz has announced five additional players to the Panthers roster for the 2025 season as the Panthers prepare to report to fall camp in the coming days.
 
EIU will play the first of three exhibition matches at Lakeside Field on Saturday, August 9 against Parkland College.  The regular season opener will be on the road on August 21 at Northwestern.
 
Vaz announced the addition of Gui Gragnano, Beni Kavumvula, Rafael Lara, Landon Martin and Kento Tani.
 
Gui Gragnano (Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a 5'7" transfer forward that played the 2024 season playing at UAB.  He appeared in 12 matches for the Blazers making two starts.  He scored two goals during the year knocking home goals against Georgia Southern and Gardner-Webb.  He spent the 2023 season at Barry University.   He appeared in 17 matches finishing the season with two goals and three assists on a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.  2024.  Attended high school in the United States playing soccer at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.  He was the MVP of the TSSAA Division II-AA team and named a high school All-American by United Soccer Coaches.  He led the team to the state semifinals with a 17-4-1 record scoring 31 goals with six assists as a senior.   During his junior season he led the team to the state championship with a 18-1-1 record as the team ranked fourth in the nation by MaxPreps.  He scored 79 goals in 61 high school matches. 
 
Beni Kavumvula (Champaign, Ill.) played soccer at Centennial High School and club for Illinois Football Club (IFC) under coaches Thair Al-Saqri and Paul Hackman.  The 5'7" forward helped lead Centennial to 14 wins during his senior season reaching the IHSA Class 2A sectional semifinals. 
 
Rafael Lara (Lucena, Spain) is a 5'9" transfer forward that played the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Otero College in La Junta, Colorado.  In 2024 he played 12 matches making nine starts.  He finished the year with five goals and one assist as the team lost in the NJCAA Region IX final.  Lara was named an honorable mention All-Conference selection as a sophomore.   As a freshman in 2023 he appeared in 14 matches finishing the year with two goals and two assists.  He attended Sierra de Aras for high school.
 
Landon Martin (Shiloh, Ill.) played soccer at O'Fallon Township High School for coach Steve Trittschuh and club for coach Mike Sorber at St. Louis Scott Gallagher MLS Next Academy.  The 5'11" midfielder was selected for the 2023 National Academic Championships All-Star Game.  He was part of the U19 St. Louis Scott Gallagher MLS Next Team that qualified for the 2023-24 MLS Next Playoffs. 
 
Kento Tani (Tokyo, Japan) is a 5'6" transfer defender that played the 2024 season at Cal State Los Angeles.  He appeared in 20 matches as the team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.  Logged 1,031 minutes on the pitch making 13 starts and posting one assist against Colorado School of Mines.   Played the 2023 season at Mississippi College starting 15 matches.  Finished the season with 1,251 minutes on the field scoring one goal with two assists.  Opened collegiate career playing the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Indian Hills CC.  He appeared in 42 games making 41 starts finishing career with 16 goals and nine assists.  Tani earned honorable mention All-Conference honors in 2022 helping lead team to the conference championship.  He attended Sano Nihon University with the team winning the Prefecture Championship in 2020.  He was selected to play in the Tochigi Prefecture High School Soccer Rookie Tournament.