CARY, N.C. (May 9, 2017) – North Carolina FC U23 has announced its roster for the 2017 season, as released by head coach Dewan Bader. The roster features 26 players between 18-23 years old. The team will begin playing this Wednesday, May 10 as they host crosstown rival Tobacco Road FC at 7 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.
North Carolina FC, the largest youth-to-professional soccer club in the United States, is continuing to provide a bridge for players, allowing the club to identify and develop young talent and providing the players with a glimpse of the club’s culture on and off the field.
The club has had a good amount of success in developing young talent through the Capital Area RailHawks Academy as well as NCFC U23. In the past, NCFC has signed academy products, Connor Donovan, Jeremy Kelly and George Marks, as well as young talents Nick Taitague and Jose Carranza to amateur contracts, allowing them to train and play with the first team, earning meaningful minutes and further developing their skills. Additionally, several U23 players went on to play professionally, including, Nazmi Albadawi, Donovan, Akira Fitzgerald, Tyler Lassiter and Zack Schilawski.
Nine players from the academy will play for NCFC U23 this year. The number is the most academy products ever chosen in one season to play for the U23 team.
“We have a lot of young talented players who have come up through the academy and we’re providing them with an opportunity to continue the pathway through the club,” said Bader. “We’re also bringing in more players from outside the area than we’ve had in quite some time, so hopefully that translates to a good mix of athletes and we’ll get a little bit of success this year.”
The team will have a distinct local flair, as 20 players have played college, club or high school soccer in the state of North Carolina.
North Carolina’s colleges are well represented, as four from UNC-Chapel Hill, four from NC State, two from Charlotte and two from UNC-Wilmington will play on the team, while Appalachian State, Duke and UNC-Greensboro will all have one member on the team.
In addition to the local talent, Bader and his staff have used their network to find several players from outside the local area to bolster the squad’s talent. The coaches have brought in three players from Valparaiso University, as well as non-local players from York University, University of Albany and University of Pennsylvania.
Key returnees include defenders Caleb Duvernay and Alex Comsia, midfielder Cody Brinkman and forward Dean Rutherford, who all enter their third year in the program. The team will also bring back five more players for their second-consecutive season to reinforce the team’s base.
The nine Capital Area RailHawks players include U23 veterans Brinkman and Duvernay, as well as, Josh Coan, Vinnie Durand, Matt Gianfortone, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Nick Retzlaff and Ryan Spaulding.
“Our ultimate goal is to send more and more players into professional ranks and quite frankly hope that they play for NCFC in the future,” Bader added. “This is a developmental program and our overall objective is to move them on to play in professional ranks. Every year we’ve had at least one player that ends up going pro, and having been able to sign several of them to NCFC in the past is a true testament to the talent available in the area.”
Admission to NCFC U23 matches is free for season ticket members with a North Carolina FC membership card and $7 for adults and $5 for youth.
CARY, N.C. (May 9, 2017) – North Carolina FC U23 has announced its roster for the 2017 season, as released by head coach Dewan Bader. The roster features 26 players between 18-23 years old. The team will begin playing this Wednesday, May 10 as they host crosstown rival Tobacco Road FC at 7 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.
North Carolina FC, the largest youth-to-professional soccer club in the United States, is continuing to provide a bridge for players, allowing the club to identify and develop young talent and providing the players with a glimpse of the club’s culture on and off the field.
The club has had a good amount of success in developing young talent through the Capital Area RailHawks Academy as well as NCFC U23. In the past, NCFC has signed academy products, Connor Donovan, Jeremy Kelly and George Marks, as well as young talents Nick Taitague and Jose Carranza to amateur contracts, allowing them to train and play with the first team, earning meaningful minutes and further developing their skills. Additionally, several U23 players went on to play professionally, including, Nazmi Albadawi, Donovan, Akira Fitzgerald, Tyler Lassiter and Zack Schilawski.
Nine players from the academy will play for NCFC U23 this year. The number is the most academy products ever chosen in one season to play for the U23 team.
“We have a lot of young talented players who have come up through the academy and we’re providing them with an opportunity to continue the pathway through the club,” said Bader. “We’re also bringing in more players from outside the area than we’ve had in quite some time, so hopefully that translates to a good mix of athletes and we’ll get a little bit of success this year.”
The team will have a distinct local flair, as 20 players have played college, club or high school soccer in the state of North Carolina.
North Carolina’s colleges are well represented, as four from UNC-Chapel Hill, four from NC State, two from Charlotte and two from UNC-Wilmington will play on the team, while Appalachian State, Duke and UNC-Greensboro will all have one member on the team.
In addition to the local talent, Bader and his staff have used their network to find several players from outside the local area to bolster the squad’s talent. The coaches have brought in three players from Valparaiso University, as well as non-local players from York University, University of Albany and University of Pennsylvania.
Key returnees include defenders Caleb Duvernay and Alex Comsia, midfielder Cody Brinkman and forward Dean Rutherford, who all enter their third year in the program. The team will also bring back five more players for their second-consecutive season to reinforce the team’s base.
The nine Capital Area RailHawks players include U23 veterans Brinkman and Duvernay, as well as, Josh Coan, Vinnie Durand, Matt Gianfortone, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Nick Retzlaff and Ryan Spaulding.
“Our ultimate goal is to send more and more players into professional ranks and quite frankly hope that they play for NCFC in the future,” Bader added. “This is a developmental program and our overall objective is to move them on to play in professional ranks. Every year we’ve had at least one player that ends up going pro, and having been able to sign several of them to NCFC in the past is a true testament to the talent available in the area.”
Admission to NCFC U23 matches is free for season ticket members with a North Carolina FC membership card and $7 for adults and $5 for youth.
2017 NCFC U23 PDL Roster
1 Ignacio Blanco GK Valparaiso
2 Matt Arnone D York University
3 Caleb Duvernay* D NCSU (CA. RailHawks Academy)
4 Alex Comsia* D UNC
5 Bernando Mattos D University of Albany
6 Akeem Bradford D Valparaiso
7 Ryan Spaulding MF Charlotte (CA RailHawks Academy)
8 Cameron Steele# MF Penn ST
9 Arty Kouzine F U Penn
11 Fernando Castellanos MF Creighton
12 Vinnie Durand# GK NCSU (CA RailHawks Academy)
13 Cooper Duplantis D American University
14 Jamil Gracia D UNCW (CA RailHawks Academy)
15 Dom Jensen MF UNC (CA RailHawks Academy)
16 Ian Bennett# MF App State
17 Nick Retzlaff# MF NCSU (CA RailHawks Academy)
18 Drew Murphy MF UNC
20 Matt Gianfortone# MF UNCW (CA RailHawks Academy)
21 Dean Rutherford* F Charlotte
22 Stefan Pulinix D Valparaiso
23 Bardia Asefnia# GK UMass Amherst
24 Christoph Schuneuwly D NCSU
25 Cody Brinkman* MF Duke (CA RailHawks Academy)
26 Damien Thomas MF/F UNCG
27 Josh Coan MF Pitt (CA RailHawks Academy)
28 Alex Moztarzadeh MF/F UNC
* Third season with U23 team
# Second season with U23 team
2017 NCFC U23 PDL Roster
1 Ignacio Blanco GK Valparaiso
2 Matt Arnone D York University
3 Caleb Duvernay* D NCSU (CA. RailHawks Academy)
4 Alex Comsia* D UNC
5 Bernando Mattos D University of Albany
6 Akeem Bradford D Valparaiso
7 Ryan Spaulding MF Charlotte (CA RailHawks Academy)
8 Cameron Steele# MF Penn ST
9 Arty Kouzine F U Penn
11 Fernando Castellanos MF Creighton
12 Vinnie Durand# GK NCSU (CA RailHawks Academy)
13 Cooper Duplantis D American University
14 Jamil Gracia D UNCW (CA RailHawks Academy)
15 Dom Jensen MF UNC (CA RailHawks Academy)
16 Ian Bennett# MF App State
17 Nick Retzlaff# MF NCSU (CA RailHawks Academy)
18 Drew Murphy MF UNC
20 Matt Gianfortone# MF UNCW (CA RailHawks Academy)
21 Dean Rutherford* F Charlotte
22 Stefan Pulinix D Valparaiso
23 Bardia Asefnia# GK UMass Amherst
24 Christoph Schuneuwly D NCSU
25 Cody Brinkman* MF Duke (CA RailHawks Academy)
26 Damien Thomas MF/F UNCG
27 Josh Coan MF Pitt (CA RailHawks Academy)
28 Alex Moztarzadeh MF/F UNC
* Third season with U23 team
# Second season with U23 team
