Accomplished Austrian defender Wutzl gives Griffins three solid centre-backs in 2024 recruiting class
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – With a growing list of strong international players who've worn Griffins men's soccer silks, it's easy to get excited about the potential of the latest addition to head coach Adam Loga's 2024 recruiting class.
Centre-back Philip Wutzl, who has been playing in Austria's second tier with Ertl Glas Amstetten, will join MacEwan for the 2024-25 Canada West season, Loga announced Monday.
"I'm really excited to bring him in," said Loga. "We've had decent luck with our internationals that have come with Alvin (Mazaheri) and Jakob (Sievert). Hopefully, he can come in and be impactful off the bounce right away.
"It's just great to have potentially three solid choices from our 2024 recruiting class at centre-back for the next three to five years that we could go to and rely on moving forward."
Wutzl joins previously-announced centre-back recruits Liam Van Laar and Djordje Drljevic at a position greatly bolstered in the short and long-term.
"I think we've just had an issue with having our centre-back positions locked in," said Loga. "Whether it's due to ineligibility – to lose our two starting centre-backs in August last year was just gut-wrenching for the group. So, to know that we've locked in three first-year centre-backs that we're happy with is huge.
"Not only to have him as a person and as a footballer with his talent join the team, but just where he plays on the field is such an added bonus."
Wutzl had interest from NCAA Div. 1 schools and was closing in on a spot with Howard University in Washington, D.C. that fell through before he chose to join the Griffins, who had already shown interest in him.
"It just worked out timing-wise that we could circle back," said Loga. "The division he played in in Austria is pretty high, so it's really promising. Division 1 schools were knocking."
Wutzl helped Amstetten finish fifth in the Austrian second division in 2022-23. The season prior, he was in the fourth division with his hometown St. Florian.
Even further back, Wutzl helped his U18 team (Oedt) finish first in the highest-level youth league and also was part of a first-place team at U17. And in 2018-19, he helped LASK – one of the top teams in Austria – finish third at the U16 level.
"We're really excited to have him join our program," said Loga. "I think from what we know of him as a player and what we've seen via Zoom calls so far, he's been so great to work with. It's been delightful – a pleasure on our end, for sure."
