Indy Eleven Academy, Fort Wayne FC Schedule Friendly
April 7, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Indy Eleven News Release
FORT WAYNE/INDIANAPOLIS - In conjunction with Fort Wayne FC, Indy Eleven today announced its title-winning USL Academy side will travel north to square off with FWFC - the Summit City's USL League Two side - in a friendly contest on Wednesday, May 25.
The exhibition match - which marks the first game for any Indy Eleven side in Fort Wayne in the club's now nine-year history - will take place at Shields Field Stadium on the campus of Bishop Dwenger High School, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for the friendly are now on sale and available for purchase at fortwaynefc.com.
"Indy Eleven would like to thank Fort Wayne FC for hosting this exhibition that will showcase the incredible talent being cultivated here in the Hoosier State," said Indy Eleven President & CEO Greg Stremlaw. "We have enjoyed building our relationship with FWFC since their founding a few years ago and are excited to see it carry over to the field of play while featuring our championship-caliber USL Academy in May."
After establishing a presence in the USL Academy development system last year, Indy Eleven has quickly established its Academy as one of the premier youth development set-ups in the entire United Soccer League. The results speak for themselves, as evidenced by the Indy Eleven Boys U19s capturing titles at both last December's USL Academy League Playoffs and last weekend's USL Academy Cup, where its three additional teams in the competition - Boys U13, Boys U15 and Girls U19 - also placed second or third in their respective Elite level age groups in the national showcase tournament, with three of the four teams making the Championship finals.
"We are very excited for the opportunity for the chance to play a friendly match with the Indy Eleven Academy side," stated FWFC Head Coach and Sporting Director, Mike Avery. "Indy Eleven have been a tremendous resource for us and have been very generous with their time and knowledge as we go through our own process of building a professional club. Indy Eleven's success on and off the field is an aspirational model for Fort Wayne FC, and their willingness to not only help us find our path but to help as we all seek to promote the sport of soccer across the state of Indiana is something we greatly appreciate."
Indy Eleven's first team participating in the USL Championship currently features seven USL Academy Contract players on its roster, including five native Hoosiers, allowing some of the state's premier young talent to learn and play alongside professionals on a daily basis while still maintaining their collegiate eligibility.
The Indy Eleven Academy is helmed by a familiar face to the Fort Wayne soccer scene in former Canterbury High School and Indiana University standout Phil Presser, who was named the club's first Sporting Director, Academy Operations & W League this past January. The move by Presser - who played youth soccer in Fort Wayne alongside FWFC Co-owner/Director of Sports Operations and U.S. Men's National Team legend DaMarcus Beasley - from the first team coaching staff to a formal role on the Academy side, in conjunction with the hiring of Kiki Wallace as the club's first USL Academy Director, signified Indy Eleven's increasing investment in its pathway to the pros for young talent.
"Knowing first hand Fort Wayne's appreciation for soccer, I am thrilled to represent Indy Eleven in bringing our top-class Academy team to my hometown to play against Fort Wayne FC," said Presser. "I appreciate the work FWFC have done to bring the USL to Fort Wayne in recent years and look forward to seeing them continue to build the club to the benefit of the city's thriving soccer community."
Indy Eleven's USL Championship side continues its regular season slate this Saturday, April 9, via an inter-conference meeting at Rio Grande Valley FC, kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET (streaming video live on ESPN+). The Boys in Blue return home next Saturday, April 16, when they welcomes Atlanta United 2 to IUPUI Carroll Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. ET kick that can be followed on MyINDY-TV 23, Exitos Radio 94.3 FM/943exitos.com, and ESPN+. Tickets for all Indy Eleven home contests are available starting at just $15 and can be purchased online at indyeleven.com/tickets.
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