D.C. United has announced that 16 players from the D.C. United Academy have committed to play collegiate soccer at 13 different academic institutions, including some of the nation’s top Division I programs. Tyler Beaudoin, Antonio Bustamante, Jorge Calix, Alonzo Clarke, Jimmy Filerman, Brennan Ireland, Patrick Jean-Gilles, James Knoebel, Jean-Christophe Koffi, Owen Marshall, Timothy Oberg, Austin Pelto, Daniel Reeves, Scott Rissler, Ibrahim Seye and Eryk Williamson are graduating seniors that currently play for D.C. United’s U-18 Development Academy team.
“We are excited for this group of players and are proud of all of the work that they have put in on the field and in the classroom,” said D.C. United U-18 Head Coach and Head Youth Scout Tom Torres. “Many of these players have been training and competing in the academy for over three years. Today is the culmination of many years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice from the players, their parents and the entire academy staff. We are confident that all of these players will represent D.C. United well, both athletically and academically.”
Of the 19 graduating seniors, 16 signed National Letters of Intent to play at NCAA Division I programs. Each year, the D.C. United Academy consistently places an overwhelming majority of its graduating U-18 class into Division I programs. Seven D.C. United Academy players have also gone on to sign Homegrown contracts with the First Team: Bill Hamid, Andy Najar, Conor Shanosky, Ethan White, Michael Seaton, Collin Martin and Jalen Robinson. Najar, who is currently with R.S.C. Anderlecht in Belgium, was the first Homegrown player to be named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2010 and represented Honduras at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Hamid was the first Homegrown player to be named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2014.
Among the 16 players, eight of the commits played in the early stages of the club’s Academy program and worked their way up through the system. Williamson and Calix, who will be teammates at the University of Maryland, have also recently been guest players at the First Team’s initial preseason training camp of 2015 in Bradenton, Fla.
The following players (in alphabetical order) have announced their official university commitments:
Tyler Beaudoin — Loyola University (Md.)
DOB: 1/19/97
Hometown: Montgomery Village, Md.
Position: Goalkeeper
Tenure at D.C. United: 5 years
Previous Club: Bethesda Soccer Club
Antonio Bustamante — College of William & Mary
DOB: 6/20/97
Hometown: Springfield, Va.
Position: Midfielder
Tenure at D.C. United: 3 years
Previous Club: McLean
Jorge Calix — University of Maryland
DOB: 2/6/96
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.
Position: Midfielder
Tenure at D.C. United: 5 years
Previous Club: Team America
Alonzo Clarke — University of Akron
DOB: 10/26/97
Hometown: New Carrollton, Md.
Position: Defender
Tenure at D.C. United: 1 year
Previous Club: Bethesda-Olney Academy
Jimmy Filerman — Old Dominion University
DOB: 11/11/95
Hometown: Vienna, Va.
Position: Forward
Tenure at D.C. United: 5 years
Previous Club: Vienna Youth Soccer
Brennan Ireland — Penn State University
DOB: 4/11/97
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Position: Defender
Tenure at D.C. United: 2 years
Previous Club: Century V
Patrick Jean-Gilles — University of Maryland, Baltimore County
DOB: 9/28/97
Hometown: Lorton, Va.
Position: Midfielder
Tenure at D.C. United: 4 years
Previous Club: Arlington
James Knoebel — Old Dominion University
DOB: 9/5/96
Hometown: Warrenton, Va.
Position: Goalkeeper
Tenure at D.C. United: 2 years
Previous Club: McLean
Jean-Christophe Koffi — University of Virginia
DOB: 1/5/98
Hometown: Potomac, Md.
Position: Midfielder
Tenure at D.C. United: 4 years
Previous Club: Tap Barca
Owen Marshall — Columbia University
DOB: 5/13/97
Hometown: Bethesda, Md.
Position: Forward
Tenure at D.C. United: 4 years
Previous Club: DC Stoddert
Timothy Oberg — Colgate University
DOB: 12/6/96
Hometown: Bethesda, Md.
Position: Midfielder
Tenure at D.C. United: 3 years
Previous Club: Montgomery Soccer Club
Austin Pelto — James Madison University
DOB: 9/5/96
Hometown: Fairfax, Va.
Position: Defender
Tenure at D.C. United: 5 years
Previous Club: Vienna Youth Soccer
Daniel Reeves — University of Maryland
DOB: 10/14/97
Hometown: Ashton, Md.
Position: Forward
Tenure at D.C. United: 2 years
Previous Club: SAC
Scott Rissler — Duquesne University
DOB: 9/27/96
Hometown: York, Pa.
Position: Goalkeeper
Tenure at D.C. United: 2 years
Previous Club: FC York
Ibrahim Seye — West Point
DOB: 5/31/97
Hometown: Fairfax, Va.
Position: Defender
Tenure at D.C. United: 5 years
Previous Club: Vienna Youth Soccer
Eryk Williamson — University of Maryland
DOB: 6/11/97
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.
Position: Forward
Tenure at D.C. United: 1 year
Previous Club: Arlington
