CHICAGO, Ill. -- A deep, talented North Park Men's Soccer team has its sights set on returning to the pinnacle of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in 2025. The Vikings qualified for their fifth trip national tournament since 2017 last year after placing second in the CCIW race. Most of that squad, with more to prove, returns this year, motivated for another exciting run.
North Park, who secured the top spot in the CCIW Preseason Coaches' Poll for the seventh year in a row, concluded 2024 with a 13-3-5 overall record and climbed as high as eighth in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) national polling. Seven starters from that squad return to the North Side this year and a few key pieces from years past are also looking to make Coach Kris Grahn's seventh year at the helm a memorable one.
A pivotal piece to the North Park defense that was one of the top five defending teams in Division III is the return of All-American defender Hugo Neborg (Halmstad, Sweden / Sannarpsgymnasiet). Neborg was named a Third Team All-American by the USC in addition to First Team All-Region and All-CCIW honors in 2024. The play-making defender and captain for NPU led the Vikings with nine assists and logged a pair of goals as a defender. He put up an assist in four-straight league games to end the season and played 90 minuets in 13 different games. He was on the field for all 11 of North Park's shutouts and had an assisted against three separate CCIW teams.
Continuing the look at the defense is another important "get back" in fifth-year defender Christian Vaaland (Stavanger, Norway / WAN Toppidrett Stavanger). The 2021 and 2023 All-Region center back sat out most of 2024 with an injury and returns as a graduate student to help lead an imposing backline. Vaaland had a pair of goals and an assist in 2023, garnering second team all-conference honors while aiding in six shutout wins for the Vikings. He's credited with seven goals in his career and has started in 57 games since arriving on campus in 2021.
Sophomore midfielder Bastian Eikeland (Stavanger, Norway / St. Svithun vgs) enjoyed a fantastic first season of college soccer in 2024, becoming a first-team All-CCIW selection, the league's Newcomer of the Year, and a Third Team All-Region pick. He was one of three Vikings to appear in all 21 games and paced the offense with seven goals and six assists, leading NPU with 20 points. 16 of his 37 shots were on frame and he led CCIW action with four assists in league play. He opened CCIW play with three assists in a win over Augustana and had a pair of two-goal games: one against UW-Whitewater (Sept. 18) and another against Illinois Wesleyan (Nov. 6).
Senior midfielder Vidar Rydell (Varberg, Sweden / Peder Skrivares Skola) is North Park's second returning points leader and had a resume on par with many other all-conference players last season. He was second on the team with seven assists, including three in CCIW action, and scored four goals. He was second on the team with 22 shots on goal and led NPU with 52 total shots. Rydell tallied seven games with at least two shots on goal, including three in a win over Elmhurst.
Another standout freshman from 2024 is back with sophomore defender Dennis Rinne (Stord, Norway / Stord vs) becoming a regular starter for Coach Grahn last year. Rinne made 19 starts and tied for third on the team with four goals and a pair of assists. He was one of six players to reach double-digit points and added a goal against three different CCIW teams. He was the CCIW's Defensive Player of the Week on October 29 and was on the field for all 90 minutes of North Park's final eight games of the season.
Junior midfielder Mathias Soerum (Brumunddal, Norway / Storhammar) added three goals and as many assists in his sophomore year that saw him earn time as one of just seven Vikings to secure 20+ starts. His three goals were in a hat trick at Benedictine and he accumulated 90 minutes of field time in 10 different games.
Sophomore midfielder Alexander Gahm (Träslövsläge, Sweden / Peder Skrivare Skola Varbeg), junior forward Carson Belcher (Schaumburg, Ill. / Conant), senior forward Angel Arismendiz (Chicago, Ill. / George Washington), junior midfielder Thomas Roenning (Bergen, Norway / Metis), sophomore defender Hannes Malmén (Karlstad, Sweden / Karlstad), junior midfielder Anthony Chebat (Linköping, Sweden / Bildningscentrum Facetten), and junior midfielder Eduardo Cirilo (Island Lake, Ill. / Wauconda) are all players with 500+ minutes of field time that return in 2025.
Cirilo's body of work cannot be understood by glancing at a stat sheet. The speedy, multi-faceted midfielder is a threat for any opposing player. He put constant pressure on forwards, forcing turnovers in quick bursts. His defensive prowess and stamina led to Fourth-Team All-Region VIII honors and second-team all-conference recognition. He started 17 times last year, including starts in nine of North Park's shutouts.
Gahm and Belcher both added a pair of goals last year, combining for 20 shots on goal. Arismendiz added a goal and assist alongside six shots on target while Roenning had a goal against Augustana in a shutout win. Malmén tallied an assist as a defender last season while Chebat made 16 appearances, playing a role in eight shutouts.
The last returning all-conference player for North Park is junior goalkeeper Ludvig Almborg (Anderstorp, Sweden / Finnvedens Gym). Almborg tended goal for five shutouts in CCIW action. He totaled 17 saves and led the CCIW with a 0.39 goals against average, allowing only three goals against CCIW opposition. He was one of just two players to start in all 21 games for the Blue & Gold, allowing just 13 goals while saving 62. Almborg surrendered one-or-fewer goals in 18 different contests and boasted seven games with 5+ saves, including a career high of 9 against North Central. He was the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week on September 17 and concluded 2024 with a GAA under 1.00.
In addition to yet another healthy crop of newcomers, junior forwards Emil Svenander (Täby, Sweden / Tibble) and Vinny Sabbione (Northbrook, Ill. / Glenbrook North) alongside junior midfielder/defender Nico Chavez (Des Plaines, Ill. / Maine West) rejoin the Vikings this season.
Svenander is another imposing presence on the pitch (6'2" / 200lbs), marking a pair of goals and as many assists at NPU in 2023. His 10 shots on frame were the third-best mark for the Vikings that season. Sabbione appeared in 12 games that same 2023 season as five of his seven shots arrived on frame. He also played 73 minutes against then-No. 2 University of Chicago. Chavez can play multiple positions well and earned some time in his 2023 freshman season, including 90 minutes in a draw with North Central.
"I'm very excited to start the season, especially coming off a great preseason with limited injuries," said Coach Grahn. "We only graduated a handful of starters from 2024 and we have deep groups at multiple positions on the field. A lot of new players are going to fight for starting spots right away."
As mentioned previously, the Vikings were the unanimous choice to claim a league title, as the CCIW Preseason Coaches' Poll saw the Vikings earn 64 points and the max of 8 first-place votes last week.
"Every season we have the goal of winning the league, and we believe we'll challenge for that again this year," Coach Grahn concluded.
North Park opens its season at home, marking the first varsity contest at the Holmgren Athletic Complex for the 2025-26 season on Friday, August 29. The Vikings will take on the University of Dubuque with a kickoff time set for 5:00 PM CT.
