We are pleased to announce that Christos Charalambous will be continuing his graduate studies at the University of Connecticut (UConn). A creative midfielder who began his career at APOEL Nicosia and later moved to Omonoia Nicosia with whom he made his top division debut at 19 years, Charalambous represented Cyprus from U15 to U19 level. He began his collegiate career in 2018 at the University of Charleston. He completed his undergraduate studies in 2021. In his second season at Charleston, Christos was a key player for a team that won the national championship and was named on the D2CAA All-America team. In total, Charalambous had 15 goals and 17 assists in 45 matches with Charleston.
Most famous for its men’s and women’s basketball programs, the UConn Huskies are also considered one of college soccer’s traditional powerhouses. UConn competes in the Big East conference, considered one of the top 5 conferences in college soccer. In 2021 the Huskies once again led the nation in average attendance, with an average of over 4,000 fans per game. Ex-Huskies in the pros include Cyle Larin of Besiktas, Jake Nerwinski of the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Andre Blake of Philadelphia Union.
The UConn Men’s Soccer Performance Center finished construction in 2021 and is one of the best in the nation
Following the retirement of Ray Reid who led the program from 1997 to 2021, Chris Gbandi was appointed as the new head coach in Spring 2022. Gbandi, a former professional footballer from Liberia, won a national championship as a player with UConn in 2000. In his first press conference as UConn head coach, Gbandi didn’t shy away from expectations, stating that the team’s goal is to win a national championship.
Academically the University of Connecticut is considered one of the best public universities in the US. The university was ranked 23rd among public universities in the U.S. and 63rd among national universities in 2021 by U.S. News & World Report.