High school national champion signs with Lopes

Grand Canyon bolstered its back line of defense with a high school national champion, signing Baden Wandling to the squad for the upcoming 2025 season.

Wandling is completing his final high school semester at St. Benedict's Prep School in Newark, New Jersey, and will enter GCU this fall as a freshman.

"We are really excited to have Baden join our team," Lopes head coach George Kiefer said. "Baden is at one of the best high school programs in the country in St Benedict's Prep. In my early years of coaching at UConn, we were able to attract players from St. Benedict's and it brought us to two Final Fours and a national championship. When you walk through the halls and experience the tradition built there, it just smells like success."

The right-footed fullback played three varsity seasons for St. Benedict's, totaling 20 goals and 19 assists. He earned a starting role as a sophomore and was named team captain for his junior and senior years.

Wandling is a two-time high school national champion with St. Benedict's, as well as a three-time New Jersey state champion in his freshman, sophomore, and senior seasons.

This past fall, Wandling earned spots on the all-state first team and all-region teams. He also is a four-time high honor student.

"We are extremely excited to have someone from St. Benedict's in our locker room," Kiefer said. "Not only was Baden a key member of the team, but he was the captain of this year's national championship team."

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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