Wednesday, April 5, 2017
4/5/2017
Sounders U23 bring in Bagrou, Antley, and
Blackstock for the 2017 season
(Pending league approval)
The Sounders U23 team will bring in
three players from Mercer University who are looking to use the Sounders U23
program to launch careers in the game as they prepare for their final season
for the Bears.
Will Bagrou comes to the Rave Green
with a plethora of accolades and nose for scoring goals. The former Real Salt Lake U17 Academy
product was a MAC Herman Trophy finalist in 2016.
Bagrou Awards
2016 MAC
Hermann Trophy Semifinalist
2016 NSCAA All-America
Second Team
2016 NSCAA All-South
Region First Team
2016 All-Southern
Conference First Team
2016 Preseason
All-Southern Conference Team
2015 All-Southern
Conference First Team
2014 NSCAA All-Region
Second Team
2014 College Soccer News
All-Freshman Second Team
2014 Mercer Newcomer of
the Year Award
2014 Mercer Offensive
Player of the Year Award
2014 Southern Conference
All-Tournament Team
2014 All-Southern
Conference First Team
2014 Southern Conference
Freshman of the Year
2014 Southern Conference
All-Freshman Team
2014 Southern Conference
Player of the Month (October)
Conner Antley brings a tough, hardnosed
style of play to the back line for the Sounders U23. The 6’1” 170lb Central Defender will look to
lead from the back this summer. Antley
started all 21 games for the Bears in 2016.
Antley
Awards
2016
All-Southern Conference First Team
2015 All-Southern
Conference Second Team
Airrion Blackstock rounds out the
Mercer teammates having started every game the past three seasons at
Mercer. The durable defender can play
any spot across the back line. Blackstock was ranked as a
four-star recruit and the 20th-best prospect in the South Atlantic region
according to Top Drawer Soccer coming out of high school.
Blackstock Awards
2016 Southern Conference
All-Tournament Team
2015 All-Southern
Conference Second Team
2014 Southern Conference
All-Freshman Team
“With each season we look to
find players looking to make the jump to the professional game,” explained
Darren Sawatzky, Sounders U23 Head Coach and General Manager, “These three
young men come to us with a desire to make that jump. We will give each of them the opportunity to
battle here as they hone their skill sets for the fall college season and
beyond.”
The
Sounders U23 kick off the 2017 campaign in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on May 10th
with the draw coming on April 12th. The PDL campaign starts May 19th
versus the Portland Timbers U23 at Bonney Lake high school. The full schedule and tickets can be found at
www.soundersu23.com. Come see the future of professional soccer!
Sounders U23/Sounders Women
The Sounders U23 and Sounders Women teams are owned
and operated by owners Lane Smith, Cliff McElroy, and Mike Jennings.
The Sounders U23 play in the Northwest
Division of the Premier Development League (PDL) and the Sounders Women play in
the WPSL. Featuring current college age
amateur players with former international and professional stars, both the PDL
and the WPSL provide elite amateurs the
opportunity to compete while maintaining their eligibility as college
student-athletes. Both the PDL and the WPSL are recognized throughout the world
for providing superior competition for players, while offering affordable
family entertainment for fans throughout North America. The Sounders U23 team
is the direct PDL affiliate to the Sounders FC first team and USL S2 team.
Sounders U23/Sounders Women VP/GM: Darren Sawatzky (Darrens@SoundersU23.com)