Special Mentions

Here are some other special mentions from the last 3 months!

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND HONORS

Congratulations to all CUSC players and their siblings who graduated from High School this spring.

In case you missed it, we also list out any High School Honors every January. A link will be provided at the end of the newsletter if you wish to revisit this.

NEW ALUMNI

This is the time of year when players and families can move onto new challenges- whether they have aged out, relocated or are just looking for a different challenge.

To all of our new Alumni, we wish you good luck and hope you stay in touch with the club. We hope you don't become strangers!

COLLEGE COMMITS

Our goal is to celebrate every time one of older players announces their intention regarding college. See a full list in our "Where are they know" section later in this edition. See

You can also keep up with this on Social Media and both CUP Boys and CUP Girls list this information in public spreadsheets which are continuously updated. Please continue to share your news with us.

[We will provide inks at the end of this edition].

CLUB NIGHT WITH FCC

On April 18th we enjoyed another "Club Night" at TQL as FC Cincinnati hosted Chicago Fire.

Over 300 tickets were sold to our families who witnessed a 3-3 thriller. CUSC players also joined the team walk outs, center field display and had special field level access to team warm ups!

Good luck to FCC's Miles Robinson and the whole of the US squad this summer!

Gotham FC Center of Excellence ID EVENT

Congratulations to the Premier Girls who were selected to participate in the ID Event hosted by Beadling SC. Representatives of the NJ/NY Gotham FC Player Pathway were in attendance and this was an exciting opportunity for the following players to compete in a high level environment, putting them on display in front of NWSL scouts:

• Amelia Finn, Ansley Rossel, Arianna Taylor, Demetria Woolverton, Isabel Cullum, Ivy Wilkes & Jerzie McKay.

FIRST FLIGHT SOCCER PROGRAM

We successfully launched our first season of First Flight Soccer and look forward to more this fall! Congratulations to all involved!

The program is designed to partner with local facilities and is aimed at 2-5 years olds. It supplements our Juniors program and our other successful specialty programming.

You can learn more about all of these options on our "Specialty" drop-down on our nav bar.

New staff appointments

Good luck to the following staff members who have been appointed to new roles:

• Declan Pierce - Elite Player Development Training Lead
• Mariola Dworniczak - Premier Girls 9v9 Director
• Olly Owen - Premier Girls GA Aspire Director*
• Shane Page - Head of Player Development Training

*Learn more about Olly later in our "Staff Spotlight" feature!

US SOCCER REGIONAL AND NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

• Congratulations to Isabel Cullum from Premier Girls on her selection to the @usynt US Soccer North Region mini camp! The camp took place in Fayetteville, Georgia in April 15 - 19.
• Another edition and another mention for Angelica Alzugaray who continues to do us all proud, after being called up to the U15 international camp in England in April, and playing 2 games against the English U15 team.

QUALIFIED

It’s June, which means post-season play has arrived! Congrats to the teams below that punched their ticket. Keep an eye on our Social Media channels for updates on their results!

MLS NEXT Cup (Salt Lake City, UT, May 23-31)

• CUP 13B Gold
• CUP 14B Gold
• CUP 10B Black

Presidents Cup Regionals (Westfield, IN, June 11-14)

• CU North 10B Elite 1
  
• 
  

Girls Academy League Playoffs (Norco, CA, June 18-30)

• CUP 13G Gold* 
  
• CUP 13G Black* 
• *both teams finished the season as Mid-America Conference Champions and went undefeated 
• CUP 12G Gold
• CUP 12G Black
  
• CUP 11G Gold 

Girls Academy League Showcase (Norco, CA, June 18-23)

• CUP 10G Gold
• CUP 09G Gold
  

USYS Nationals (Salt Lake, UT, July 16-23)

• CUP 13B Silver
  

We will continue to list out tournament performances for all winners, finalists and semi-finalists if this information is shared with us via the Tell Your Story page.

Where are they now?

The Amazing Journey of Ilias Boujlil

From CUSC to the Global Game

For many former Cincinnati United SC players, soccer remains an important part of life long after their final club game. For Ilias Boujlil, however, the game has become much more than a pastime. It has shaped his education, career, travels, entrepreneurial ventures, and even his connection to cultures and communities around the world.

Today, Ilias lives in New York City, where he works in technology and artificial intelligence at Morgan Stanley while also pursuing a variety of entrepreneurial and soccer-related projects. He serves as Director of Technology for the International Street Football Association (ISFA), has developed platforms designed to connect soccer communities, and has traveled extensively through the global street football scene.

Yet despite the impressive résumé, many of the foundations for his journey were established years earlier at Cincinnati United SC and Lakota East High School.

Cincinnati United SC Foundations

When Ilias reflects on his playing days, his first memories are not necessarily the games themselves, but the friendships that surrounded them.

"The memories I always come back to are the road trips with my teammates before tournaments," he recalls. "The jokes, the banter, and everyone waiting for the first person to fall asleep so we could prank them."

Those moments helped build lasting bonds and created experiences that still stand out years later.

Several coaches also played a significant role in shaping his future. Ilias credits Jon Caldwell with introducing him to street football, futsal, and Brazilian football culture, opening his eyes to a more creative and expressive way of playing the game. At the same time, Scott Bower [current CUSC Director of Soccer but then in his role as CUP Boys Director of Coaching] challenged him with a different approach.

"Scott brought a level of organization, professionalism, and tough love that pushed me to improve and become the best version of myself as a player," he says.

His experiences with the U.S. Youth Futsal National Team further broadened his perspective, exposing him to talented players from across the country and helping elevate his game.

Looking back, there were already signs that soccer would remain a lifelong passion. As a young player, Ilias admits he spent an unusual amount of time checking weather forecasts, hoping rain would not cancel a practice or match.

"I was always looking for any possible way to make sure the game could still happen," he says.

A New Chapter in New York

After graduating from Lakota East, Ilias chose to attend New York University, drawn by the city's energy and opportunities.

"I wanted to study in a place where there was always something happening," he explains. "New York offered access to technology, finance, entrepreneurship, and people from all over the world."

The move proved transformative.

Leaving Cincinnati pushed him outside his comfort zone and introduced him to people with vastly different backgrounds, perspectives, and ambitions. It also exposed him to one of the most vibrant soccer cultures in the United States.

Whether playing pickup games at Pier 40, competing on rooftop courts, or finding matches in unexpected corners of the city, Ilias discovered a version of soccer that felt limitless.

"The location almost didn't matter," he says. "If there was a ball and enough room to play, we found a way."

Those experiences helped deepen his appreciation for street football and the unique communities that form around the game.

Building Through Technology

While soccer remained a constant presence, Ilias also developed another passion: building things.

That curiosity led him to study computer science and eventually build a career at the intersection of technology, AI, and financial services.

"I've always had a builder's mindset," he says. "I love taking an idea and turning it into something tangible."

Today, he works in AI and technology at Morgan Stanley and was recently promoted into a leadership role. Many of the lessons he learned through sports continue to influence how he approaches his professional career.

"The most successful team is not always the one with the most talented individuals," he explains. "It's often the team where everyone understands their role, communicates well, trusts one another, and is willing to do the less visible work that helps the group succeed."

His entrepreneurial mindset has also led to projects such as Play Anywhere, a platform designed to help players discover pickup games, tournaments, leagues, and soccer events in their local communities.

For Boujlil, technology is not about replacing human interaction. It is about creating more opportunities for it.

"The goal is not for people to spend more time looking at football on their phones," he says. "The goal is to use technology to help them find the game, put their phones away, and go experience it."

The Global Language of Street Football

Perhaps no part of Ilias' journey has been more unique than his involvement in the global street football movement.

As Director of Technology for ISFA, he helps build systems that connect street football communities around the world, providing players and organizers with greater visibility, opportunities, and pathways for competition.

His travels have taken him far beyond traditional soccer environments.

One of his most memorable experiences came in Alexandria, Egypt, where he participated in a Ramadan street football tournament that transformed an entire neighborhood into a stadium.

"People gathered along the street, watched from their windows, and even stood on top of cars," he recalls. "The energy was unbelievable."

Another unforgettable experience came in Medellín, Colombia, where he played on a sloped mountain street known as Jhon's Barrio, home to one of the city's most respected street footballers.

For Ilias, those moments highlight what makes street football so special.

"The location, the people, and the culture surrounding the game become just as important as the match itself," he says.

It is a version of soccer that celebrates creativity, expression, and community while remaining accessible to anyone with a ball and a place to play.

Culture, Identity, and the World Cup

Recently, Ilias had another unique opportunity when he participated in PUMA's Morocco World Cup jersey launch campaign.

As a Moroccan-American, the experience carried deep personal meaning.

"Growing up in the United States with Moroccan roots, the national team has always represented much more than football," he says. "It represents family, culture, and a connection to home."

The campaign was filmed in Astoria, New York, within the local Moroccan community, making the experience even more meaningful.

"It wasn't just about wearing the jersey," he explains. "It was about celebrating Morocco in a place where the culture is visible, familiar, and alive every day."

The project served as another example of how soccer continues to connect the different parts of his identity and life experiences.

Looking Ahead

When asked what advice he would offer current Cincinnati United SC players, Ilias encourages them to think beyond traditional pathways.

"My biggest piece of advice would be to remain curious and avoid placing limits on where soccer can take you," he says.

While he encourages young players to pursue excellence on the field, he also believes some of the greatest opportunities come from the relationships, experiences, and interests developed along the way.

For Boujlil, soccer has been far more than a game.

It has introduced him to lifelong friends, taken him around the world, connected him to different cultures, and inspired many of the projects he works on today.

"What started as simply loving to play has grown into a way for me to explore the world, express myself, and create opportunities for others," he says.

From Cincinnati United SC to New York City, from youth futsal to global street football, and from technology leadership to World Cup campaigns, Boujlil's story serves as a powerful reminder that the impact of soccer often extends far beyond the field.

- Thanks to Ilias for taking the time to speak with us! If you want to learn more about any of this projects or ventures, we will include links at the end of the newsletter!

Where are they now?

College Commits

This is a bonus section for this edition, in which we will list out all of our college commits over the last 12 months. The list includes some players who are 2027 graduates too, so technically not yet alumni and will play one  more year with us.

The players listed below come from the following teams, which shows the overall strength and depth of the club's player pathway:

• Girls - U19 Gold, U19 Black, U19 North Elite, U17 Gold, U17 Black, U17 Red, U16 Gold
• Boys - U19 Gold, U19 Black, U19 Silver, U17 Gold

2026 Graduates

Finley Baker - Central College

Marley Ball - DePauw University

Trey Blum - Earlham College

Isabella Braun - Thomas More University

Reese Brown - Ohio State University

Brayden Bryant - Ohio Northern University

Charley Burke - Spaulding University

Jillian Chavez - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brice Denigan - Oral Roberts University

Braelyn Even - University of Cincinnati

Nick Feldhaus - Northern Kentucky University

Grace Forte - Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Nick Gallo - Ohio Wesleyan University

Brady Girdwood - Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Ethan Girdwood - Malone University

Lea Held - Tiffin University

Marcel Huguet - College of Wooster

Zoe Jackson - Seattle University

Aubrey Keuffer - Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Blake Koch - Hanover College

Issac Kolaczkowski - Bates College

Sydney Konow - College of Wooster

Colt Long - Marietta College

Avery McFarland - Tiffin University

Natalie Miller - Michigan Tech

Devin Mitchell - Kenyon College

Esther Moore - Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Rylie Morse - University of Missouri

Colin Nelson - Malone University

Marcos Neto - Indiana University Indianapolis

Zach Oborne - Ohio Northern University

Thomas Oliver - Colby College

Addison Ramby - Northern Kentucky University

Anna Kate Robillard - Ball State University

Mathew Samways - Ohio State University

Mia Scuglik - DePauw University

Cooper Searles - Ohio Northern University

Madison Sheppard - Northern Illinois University

Ellie Ulrich - Purdue University Fort Wayne

Chloe Wellington - Ohio Wesleyan University

Tad Woolfe - Case Western University

Emma Yeager- Austin Peay State University

Ella Zech - Duquesne University

2027 Graduates

Grace Bishop - Taylor University

Anderson Broshears - University of Findlay

Baylee Cumbow - Ashland University

Khloe Cunningham - Auburn University

Braden Fleming - Loyola University Chicago

Austin Fry - Loyola University Chicago

Addison Gick - Northern Kentucky University

Brooke Goodhart - Thomas More University

Austin Harding - Bowling Green State University

Shanell Humes - University of West Georgia

Megan Johns - Youngstown State University

Nora Kirkham - Baldwin Wallace University

Cameron Lorentz - Georgetown University

Reagan Nieman - Northern Kentucky University

Brayden Strong - Northern Kentucky University

Brooklyn Vann - Michigan State University