Submitted by Vancouver Whitecaps
Three more of Nelson’s soccer stars are off to compete at the next level.
This years ‘Caps to College graduating class includes Semegn and Addis Atkinson, and Kieran Dehnel.
Addis and Semegn, twin sisters, will head to Vancouver where they will play for the Langara Falcons in the PACWEST and pursue degrees in design formation (Semegn) and massage therapy (Addis).
The PACWEST is the collegiate league made up of teams from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. The twin sisters, born in Ethopia and adopted to Nelson at age six, have been standouts for the Vancouver Whitecaps academy in Nelson since its inception in 2012. Both girls help out the next generation and give back to the community by working as coaches for the Nelson Soccer Association.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the girls. It really is a tremendous achievement for them and a testament to the work they’ve put in throughout the years,” said Marinos Papageorgopoulos, BMO Academy Centres director for Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Dehnel, a 2021 L.V. Rogers grad, will attend the University of Lethbridge and compete for the men’s soccer team in the Canada West USPORT division, made up of the best universities in Western Canada.
There he will join the school’s Bachelor of Science program with a focus on kinesiology.
“Dehnel has been a very exciting prospect for us and has been on the radar of university coaches for a few years. The dedication Kieran has put in is second to none and we are thrilled to see him make a move to the next level,” says Papageorgopoulos.
In Lethbridge, Dehnel will join two of last year ‘Caps to College graduates, Nathaniel Riemer and Cadel Goertzen.