On Monday, FC Cincinnati announced the addition of six players to its roster in preparation for the professional soccer team’s inaugural season. All six of the players were identified by FCC Head Coach John Harkes and his staff during the club-hosted Player Combine last month.
Leading this third signing class is forward Luke Spencer, a former standout at Xavier University and the 23rd overall draft pick by Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution in 2013. While at Xavier, the 25-year-old Spencer was First Team All A-10 and was selected A-10 Player of the Week three times. He was also named to the A-10 All-Tournament Team and the A-10 All-Rookie Team. But Spencer’s ties to the city run even deeper, as he is graduate of Winton Woods High School and also played his youth club soccer for Cincinnati United Premier.
Other players joining Spencer in this class include:
Midfielder Jamie Dell, 22, from Toronto, Ontario, featured for the Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League in 2015. Collegiately, Dell played at the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he was CAA Player of the Week and named First Team All-CAA.
Goalkeeper Dallas Jaye, 22, of Danville, California also has ties to the area, featuring for Xavier University after transferring from the University of South Florida. He brings international experience to the table, having earned four caps for Guam. A four year starter with the US Soccer Development Academy where he was named USSFDA Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010, Jaye tallied seven showings for Professional Development League side FC Tucson in 2015.
Defender Evan Lee, 22, of Toledo, Ohio, was a standout for NCAA Division III national power Ohio Wesleyan University. Lee was twice named to the All-North Coast, All-Ohio and All-Region teams before wrapping up his collegiate career in 2015. As such, this is his first professional contract.
Defender Derek Luke, 22, hails from Bridgewater, New Jersey, before moving on to feature for Monmouth University. In 2014, he was named to the MAAC All-Tournament team in 2014. Like Evan Lee, this is Luke’s first professional contract.
Goalkeeper Dan Williams, 27, is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. Williams is a familiar face to Cincinnati soccer fans, as he played in goal for the National Premier Soccer League’s Cincinnati Saints in 2015.
Watch the announcement below.
This group of six new signings joins 17 members of FC Cincinnati already under contract. Two additional players are expected to be signed later in the week.
“This latest group of players gives our roster depth as well as leadership” said Head Coach John Harkes, a veteran of Major League Soccer and the U.S. National Team. “Local fans will enjoy seeing familiar faces like Luke Spencer and Dan Williams on the pitch here again.”
For more FC Cincinnati team news and updates ahead of the 2016 season, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Facebook.
