Garrett Holman, Ivan Irinimbabazi and Buster Honeywood form SU’s new back 3
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The vibes during Syracuse men’s soccer’s Labor Day training at Hookway Athletic Field were jolly. Ian McIntyre’s 27-man squad had smiles etched across their faces in small-sided games. Freshman midfielder Badr Laghjibi even landed a backflip as the session closed.
After a gut-wrenching 1-0 loss to No. 17 Clemson Friday, SU may have needed a reset day like that. By no means were the Orange woeful that night at SU Soccer Stadium. But against one of college soccer’s “elite teams,” McIntyre said, they never looked like they had enough to beat Clemson.
But — as they have been all season — the Orange were organized, compact and defensively sound. That resoluteness is a product of McIntyre’s new-look back three, featuring returning center back Garrett Holman, center midfielder-turned-center back Ivan Irinimbabazi and NAIA transfer Buster Honeywood, who chose college soccer in 2021 over staying in his native England and becoming a carpenter or electrician.
Those three have started all five matches and logged the most minutes among Syracuse (3-2-0, 0-1-0 Atlantic Coast) players in 2026.
Ivan Irinimbabazi searches for an outlet in Syracuse’s loss to Clemson on Sept. 4. SU head coach Ian McIntyre has shifted Irinimbabazi to center back after the unit experienced injuries. Madison Cox | Staff Photographer
Holman was part of McIntyre’s 2024 recruiting class, alongside Kyle Jansen, Sachiel Ming, Kristjan Fortier and Kelvin Da Costa. Each has been a constant fixture in McIntyre’s starting XI this year, something the longtime head coach envisioned when recruiting Holman.
Before Holman’s senior year of high school, McIntyre told him that, if he played for SU, he’d be one of the best center backs in the ACC by his sophomore year. In 2025, Holman started 19 matches for the Orange as he became a “Syracuse center back,” with his high-level agility, passing and willingness to defend on the front foot.
His role has slightly changed in 2026. Playing the left side of the back three, Holman has showcased his defense more than his possession because he’s naturally right-footed but forced to play consistently with his weak foot.
Holman played outside back in a traditional back four Friday, where he was tasked with man-marking Ransford Gyan, one of college soccer’s best players. Holman largely kept the Ghanaian winger and Clemson’s attack, which scored at least two goals per match before playing SU, in check.
“They felt that I was most equipped in the backline,” Holman said.
The 6-foot-3 junior said he’s becoming increasingly more comfortable on the left side of a back three, but he said that’s because Syracuse’s possession mostly builds from Irinimbabazi on the right side.
Due to long-term injuries to fellow center backs Dominic Bell and Pablo Patrick-Galvez, McIntyre shifted Irinimbabazi to center back during the spring. The Ugandan played 13 games last season but started less than half.
His deep-lying midfielder experience helps him concentrate on the right side of McIntyre’s back three. He’s triggered forwards Jordan Grey and Landon Darko to make outside runs while being stern in one-on-one defending. He’s also one of the squad’s more vocal players, organizing each line of Syracuse’s tactical shape.
“Ivan’s been fantastic for us,” McIntyre said.
As soon as Honeywood finished his final year at NAIA Bellevue University (Nebraska), he emailed Syracuse’s coaching staff “straight away.”
Buster Honeywood clings to a Clemson forward in Syracuse loss on Sept. 4. After transferring from NAIA Bellevue University, Honeywood has become one of SU’s top defenders. Madison Cox | Staff Photographer
The 6-foot-3 graduate student from Kessingland, England, was part of the Lowestoft Town Football Club Academy, which is in English football’s seventh tier. He wasn’t offered a professional contract to stay in England, though, so Honeywood looked to continue playing in the United States.
Honeywood missed his first two years at Bellevue with an injury, but he started 59 of 60 matches in three seasons with the Bruins, earning Continental Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament recognition.
McIntyre and his staff liked Honeywood’s tape and arranged phone calls. Honeywood committed to Syracuse in early December — less than a month after his final Bellevue game — and has since asserted himself in the center of Syracuse’s back three.
He often serves as an outlet for the Orange in possession when they want to reset, and he’s been efficient in duels, especially in the air. He scored a header in Syracuse’s 4-0 win over Iona on Aug. 31 for his first SU goal.
“The main reason I came was just because I’ve seen the success in the past,” Honeywood said. “I wanted to play in the ACC and I think this is a great group of guys.”
Syracuse’s next four games — St. John’s, Boston College, Colgate and Le Moyne — are certainly winnable. They’ll likely matter even more when matches get tougher in the ACC gauntlet with two ranked foes looming.
The commanding back three of Holman, Irinimbabazi and Honeywood, which has grown through losses to Clemson and New Hampshire, could be pivotal in pushing the Orange further in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.
“There’s room to grow, but I think that’ll come with time, and I’m excited to see where the group goes,” Honeywood said.
