Spirits Roster Taking Shape as Inaugural Campaign Nears

Mike Da Silva, Max Ferdinand, Wil Nyamsi, Kristian Quintana, Ben Suddeth, Pat Thompson, and Chad Vandegriffe

Championship talent, veteran leadership, and versatility highlight a formidable defensive group featuring some of the MASL’s most accomplished and experienced players.

Headlining the unit is two-time MASL Defender of the Year Chad Vandegriffe, one of the league’s most decorated defensive veterans. A 2019 Ron Newman Cup champion and 2025 All-Star, Vandegriffe brings 12 seasons of professional indoor experience to Lehigh Valley, having established himself among the league’s premier defensive players.

Joining him is two-time league champion Max Ferdinand, whose impressive résumé includes 346 career regular-season points and 220 assists across 209 MASL appearances. A longtime standout with the Baltimore Blast and Milwaukee Wave, Ferdinand returns to the region where he grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, while also serving as a player-assistant coach.

Pat Thompson and Wil Nyamsi provide additional veteran stability, combining for 294 career MASL appearances. Thompson enters his 13th professional indoor season after spending the previous four campaigns with Baltimore, while Nyamsi joins Lehigh Valley following two seasons with Utica City FC.

Another significant addition is Kristian Quintana, a 2025 MASL All-Star and former Ron Newman Cup champion who helped the Chihuahua Savage capture the 2024 league title. The veteran defender brings a decade of professional indoor experience following previous stops with the Dallas Sidekicks, Chihuahua Savage, and San Diego Sockers.

Mike Da Silva adds another experienced option, bringing seven seasons of MASL experience to the expansion club.

Rounding out the group, Ben Suddeth provides youthful athleticism and defensive depth after making his professional indoor debut with the Empire Strykers last season.

David Ortiz, Willie Spurr, and Sebastián Velásquez

A combination of creativity, technical ability, and two-way versatility will be central to Lehigh Valley’s midfield as the Spirits look to establish a strong connection between defense and attack.

David Ortiz, a 2025 MASL All-Star and former captain of the Texas Outlaws, brings an established offensive résumé with 73 career points on 38 goals and 35 assists across 78 MASL appearances. The 26-year-old also represented the United States at the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup, adding international experience to the Spirits’ midfield.

Willie Spurr joins Lehigh Valley following a career-best 2025-26 campaign with Utica City FC, recording nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 24 appearances. Entering his sixth MASL season, the veteran midfielder brings proven playmaking ability and a consistent offensive presence.

Meanwhile, Sebastián Velásquez makes the transition to professional indoor soccer following more than 14 years of experience across Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL), and international competition. The Colombian-born midfielder brings an accomplished outdoor résumé and technical skill set to Lehigh Valley’s inaugural roster.

Together, the trio provides the Spirits with an experienced midfield presence capable of creating scoring opportunities while contributing on both ends of the field.

Juan Camilo Salazar, Jathan Juarez, and Nico Williams

The Spirits have assembled a promising group of forwards thus far, combining proven offensive production with emerging talent and versatility in the attacking third.

Juan Camilo Salazar arrives in Lehigh Valley via trade following a productive 2025-26 campaign in which he registered nine goals and 11 points across 11 appearances with Utica City FC and the San Diego Sockers. The 27-year-old has recorded 14 goals and six assists for 20 points in 36 career MASL contests.

Jathan Juarez brings additional versatility to the attack as he transitions to the indoor game following four seasons of professional outdoor experience in MLS NEXT Pro. Across 98 career appearances with Houston Dynamo 2 and Carolina Core FC, Juarez registered three goals and seven assists while establishing himself as a capable two-way player.

Meanwhile, Nico Williams joins the Spirits following a breakout campaign with the Baltimore Blast, establishing career highs with six goals and three assists in 17 appearances last season.

Williams also reunites with former Baltimore teammate Jairo Guevara, another member of Lehigh Valley’s inaugural roster, as the pair looks to carry their familiarity into the Spirits’ attacking group.

Vini Dantas, Jairo Guevara, Francesco Pagano, and David Stankovic

A blend of established scoring talent, championship experience, and emerging young playmakers highlights a talented group of targets capable of providing significant offensive production.

Among the most accomplished players on Lehigh Valley’s inaugural roster, three-time Ron Newman Cup champion Vini Dantas brings an impressive scoring touch with 348 career regular-season points on 229 goals and 119 assists across 184 MASL appearances.

The two-time All-Star ranks among the league’s all-time leaders in goals and points while also recording 50 postseason points in 36 playoff contests. His championship experience includes three consecutive titles with the Baltimore Blast from 2016-18, highlighted by MASL Championship MVP honors in 2017.

David Stankovic, selected by the Spirits in the 2026 MASL Expansion Draft, enters his third professional season after establishing himself as an emerging offensive threat. The 25-year-old made an immediate impact during his 2024-25 rookie campaign, scoring 15 goals in 23 appearances, including a two-goal performance in his professional debut and his first career hat trick later that season.

Jairo Guevara, the first selection in Spirits franchise history, adds speed and creativity to the attack after spending his first three professional seasons with the Baltimore Blast. The 23-year-old continued his development during the 2025-26 campaign, scoring 10 goals while emerging as one of Baltimore’s young offensive contributors.

Rounding out the group, Francesco Pagano provides another promising offensive option after recording four goals and three assists in 11 appearances during his rookie season with Utica City FC. A former NCAA national champion at Syracuse University, Pagano brings additional scoring potential as he enters his second MASL campaign.

William Banahene

An established veteran and respected leader both on and off the field, William Banahene provides the Spirits with an experienced presence between the pipes as the club prepares for its inaugural campaign.

Entering his ninth MASL season, Banahene joins Lehigh Valley following previous stints with the Harrisburg Heat and Milwaukee Wave, where he developed a reputation as a reliable goalkeeper and influential locker-room presence.

A 2025 MASL All-Star, Banahene also received the league’s 2025-26 Joseph Cairel Award, recognizing his leadership, dedication to teammates, and outstanding contributions to the community.

Beyond his playing responsibilities, Banahene will also serve as the club’s Assistant General Manager, overseeing community outreach initiatives and playing an integral role in the organization’s development both on and off the field.