D.C. United Academy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
D.C. United Academy

Full name	D.C. United Academy
Founded	2005
Stadium	Segra Field
League	MLS Next UPSL
Home colors Away colors

The D.C. United Academy is the youth and development program for the Major League Soccer club D.C. United. The program consists of teams at four age levels: the under-23 and under-20 teams, as well as the Academy (U-17, U-16, and U-15).

The D.C. United Academy has been one of the most successful MLS academies. Many players have been signed directly from the Academy to the professional team, or have later played professionally. Notable players to have graduated from the D.C United Academy include Bill Hamid, who has been called up by the U.S. national team and who was the MLS 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year, and Andy Najar, who has been capped for Honduras and who was the MLS 2010 Rookie of the Year.

History

The D.C. United Academy was created in 2005 in an effort to provide local talent an opportunity to have professional training. D.C. United was one of the first MLS clubs to develop its own academy. The D.C. United Academy gained some press in 2013 when D.C. United Academy graduate Michael Seaton made his league debut with D.C. United; Seaton was the first player to play an MLS game who was born after MLS began play in 1996. D.C. United decided in 2015, however, to reduce its outlays on its academy in part to help defray the expenses associated with the team's new soccer-specific stadium.

Structure

Like most Major League Soccer teams, United's academy features youth pre-academy teams that ascend to the ranks of the senior team on the professional level. Starting in 2016, United will field their reserve team in the second-division USL Championship. Beneath their reserve and senior squads is the under-23 side, whom play exhibition matches.

The U-16 team playing Triangle F.C. in the 2006 Super Y League semifinals.

The teenage brackets represent the main academy as well as the pre-academy structure. Players from the under-15 to the under-18 age level play in MLS Next, playing against other academy teams around the nation. Formerly, the academy played in the USSDA.

Consisting of players aged from under-12 to under-14, the Pre-Academy is a stepping stone for younger players to adapt to an academy setting. This age group of players participates in Northeast Pre-Academy League.

For players at the U-10 level and below, United offers specialty training camps.

D.C. United Academy is fully funded and does not charge any fees for its players.

Notable alumni

Andy Najar, who transferred from D.C. United to Belgium's Anderlecht for a reported $2 million, was the first player from the D.C. United Academy — and first from any MLS academy — to move to Europe on a permanent contract. The youngest D.C. United Academy signing is Chris Durkin, who signed for D.C. United in 2016 at 16 years old. Furthermore, several D.C. United Academy players have played with U.S. national youth teams.

MLS players

The following list includes players who, after leaving the D.C. United Academy, have played at least one match in Major League Soccer.

D.C. Academy prospects who played in MLS

Name	Turned Pro	DCU apps	Left DCU	Departure	National team (caps)
Bill Hamid	2009	240	—	—	United States (7)
Andy Najar	2010	100	2013	$3 million transfer to Anderlecht (Belgium).	Honduras (36)
Conor Shanosky	2010	5	2014	Released. Signed with Louisville City FC.	United States U20
Ethan White	2010	38	2013	Traded to Philadelphia for Jeff Parke.	United States U20
Michael Seaton	2013	5	2015	Traded to Portland.	Jamaica (14)
Collin Martin	2013	15	2016	Traded to Minnesota for 4th round draft pick.	United States U20
Jalen Robinson	2014	26	2019	Contract ended.	United States U18
Romain Gall	2014	0	2010	Moved to Real Salt Lake academy.	United States U20
Tyler Rudy	2015	0	2011	Played college soccer for Georgetown.
Chris Durkin	2016	36	2020	$1.1 million transfer to Sint-Truiden (Belgium).	United States U20
Ian Harkes	2017	33	2018	Released. Signed with Dundee (Scotland).	United States U20
Eryk Williamson	2017	0	2018	Traded to Portland Timbers.	United States U23
Antonio Bustamante	2019	2	2019	Released. Signed with Blooming (Bolivia).	Bolivia (2)
Donovan Pines	2019	64	—	—	United States (2)
Griffin Yow	2019	36	2022	$100,000 Transfer to K.V.C. Westerlo (Belgium)	United States U18
Moses Nyeman	2019	32	2022	$350,000 transfer to S.K. Beveren (Belgium)	United States U16
Kevin Paredes	2020	41	2022	$7.35 million transfer to VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)	United States U20
Jacob Greene	2021	16			United States U20
Jeremy Garay	2021	1			El Salvador (1)
Ted Ku-DiPietro	2022	39			United States U17
Jackson Hopkins	2022	34			United States U20
Matai Akinmboni	2022	7			United States U17

Notes:

• D.C. United appearances updated as of November 29, 2020.
• Where a player has played with multiple levels of a national team (e.g., men's team, under-20 team, under-18 team), only the highest level is listed.

Source: D.C. United

The Academy

U16/U17 Team

No. Position Player GK Jason Guevara GK Luke Peacock GK Ethan Talapatra DF Alexander Aguilar DF Gleb Bogdanov DF Gustavo Borges DF Alexis Gonzales DF Greg Jones DF Dash Papez DF Diego Vasquez

No. Position Player MF Jonathan Aguirre MF Christopher Argueta MF David Ayala MF Isaiah Chisolm MF Diego Diaz MF Luciano Lanzas MF Nelson Hernandez MF Alessandro Maldonado MF Justin Melly MF Ethan Pendleton MF Gavin Turner MF Gary Zhang

No. Position Player FW Ignacio Alem FW Sydney Aggrey FW James Ashby FW Noel Calix Ortiz FW Gabriel Cossio FW Wilson Holman FW Gage Lyons FW Teymour Mohammed FW Hugo Portillo

U15 Team

No. Position Player GK Jason Guevara GK Owen Pschigoda GK Cameron Marbray DF Michael Bosley DF Myles Mercer DF Kemari Kerr MF Ayaan Ali MF Emidio Castro-Valdez MF John Chisholm MF Ejani Christian MF Neil Das MF Kevin Diaz-Blanco

No. Position Player MF Braxton Hayes MF Brice Hall MF Jimmy Juarez MF Jerry Lopez Felix MF Ada Karatepe MF Jason Molina MF Damilola Olupona MF Diego Torres MF Makai Wells MF Aiden Zarate FW Raul Avalos FW Langston Fabiyi FW Haadi Khalid

No. Position Player German Argueta Jerry Boasmanboon Julian Dix Alan Flores Gabriel Fuentes Brown Huffard Jakub Porada

U14 Team

No. Position Player Anthony Applewhaite Mayson Barillas Braydon Bloom Jeffrey Bonilla Austin Brown Kamil Castillo Pascal Crosley Juani Cuneo MJ Day Nate Free

No. Position Player Chase Gould Luca Nicolacci Marco Nicolacci Edwin Ortiz Dominick Pell Mateo Pinto Valentino Quaranta Edwin "SJ" Rios Jr. Austin Roberts Siji Sowemimo Brayden Stevens

Coaching staff

Position	Staff
U-19 Head Coach	Mattar M'Boge
U-17 Head Coach	Phil Gordon
U-15 Head Coach	Marco Etcheverry
U-14 Head Coach	Phil Nana

Reserves

From 2005 until 2012, D.C. United fielded a reserve team that played in the MLS Reserve Division. The reserve team disbanded when Major League Soccer and USL Pro announced a player development partnership, and United announced Richmond Kickers as their USL Pro affiliate.

Honors

• MLS Reserve Division: 1
  • 2005

Seasons

See also

• D.C. United
• D.C. United U-23
• D.C. United U-20
• U.S. Soccer Development Academy