Presented by St. David’s Healthcare, Training Camp Starts on March 8
21 rostered players as well as two unsigned draft picks and three invited training camp attendees set to report for preseason at Fairmont Austin and St. Edward’s University on Monday, March 8; Team scheduled to permanently relocate to St. David’s Performance Center in Spring 2021; Austin FC and St. Edward’s University also confirm The Austin FC Endowed Scholarship, benefiting St. Edward’s students
The 27th Club in Major League Soccer (MLS), Austin FC, will start it’s official 2021 preseason on March 8 at Fairmont Austin and St. Edward’s University in Austin. All 21 rostered players, plus two unsigned draft picks and three invited training camp attendees will report to camp. Optional training sessions will be available players from March 1 to March 7, while adhering to MLS quarantine protocols.
“We are very excited to start our first preseason as an MLS club,” commented Josh Wolff, Austin FC Head Coach. “The organization has worked tirelessly for over two years for this moment, and we look forward to officially starting this project and getting our players and staff on the field.”
Training camp will consist of six weeks of training and preseason competitions, playing a series of closed-door scrimmages and matches before the Club embarks upon its inaugural MLS season. The series of preseason scrimmages and matches will begin with two (2) closed-door scrimmages at St. Edward’s University against USL teams OKC Energy (March 19) and Louisville City FC (March 25). Fans and media are unable to attend closed-door scrimmages and preseason matches due to preseason COVID-19 protocols.
Austin FC has officially partnered with St. Edward’s as the Club’s temporary training facility while development concludes on St. David’s Performance Center. As part of the agreement, current St. Edward’s students will also benefit from this partnership through the Austin FC Endowed Scholarship. In perpetuity, this fund will provide generous support for NCAA Division II student-athletes, providing talented students with critical financial support to achieve their dreams.
“Austin FC will be a major asset for the city, and we are honored to partner with them,” said Joe DeMedeiros, Vice President for University Advancement. “In addition, their thoughtful philanthropy to St. Edward’s University will change the lives of Austin FC Scholars through access to our values-based education. We are very grateful to count their scholarship as one of 131 new endowments established at St. Edward’s since 1999, all for the benefit of young learners.”
Austin FC rostered players reporting for preseason include goalkeepers Brady Scott, Brad Stuver and Andrew Tarbell; defenders Matt Besler, Julio Cascante, Hector Jimenez, Freddy Kleemann, Nick Lima, Jhohan Romaña and Ben Sweat; midfielders Diego Fagundez, Daniel Pereira, Alex Ring, Ulises Segura and Jared Stroud; and forwards Cecilio Domínguez, Jon Gallagher, Danny Hoesen, Kekuta Manneh, Rodney Redes and Aaron Schoenfeld. Tomás Pochettino will join the roster upon completion of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.
Austin FC 2021 MLS SuperDraft picks, defender Aedan Stanley (Sporting Kansas City II) and midfielder Daniel Steedman (Atlanta United 2), will be invited to participate in the Club’s inaugural preseason camp.
In addition to the rostered players and SuperDraft selections, three (3) training camp attendees have also been invited to participate in preseason, including goalkeeper William Pulisic (Duke University), defender Samuel Rogers (Tacoma Defiance) and midfielder Luis Argudo (Inter Miami CF).
Source: Release
