Midfielder Jack Thomas Joins Fort Wayne Football Club in Wake of Remarkable College Season
USL1 Fort Wayne FC

Midfielder Jack Thomas Joins Fort Wayne Football Club in Wake of Remarkable College Season

Published on February 26, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Fort Wayne FC News Release


Jack Thomas, a midfielder, has joined the Fort Wayne Football Club roster. He's on the heels of an outstanding season at Louisiana State University-Shreveport that saw him selected as the United Soccer Coaches' NAIA Player of the Year.

The addition of Thomas, who hails from Whittington, England, is pending league and federation approval.

"We have had a relatively large number of talented trialists come through Fort Wayne during our preseason, and Jack Thomas quickly emerged as one of the very best of that group," Fort Wayne FC head coach Mike Avery said. "We had heard a lot of positive things about Jack from our contacts in the college game, and when we finally got our eyes on him in our environment, moving him into our official roster was one of the easiest decisions we've had this preseason."

As a senior at LSU Shreveport, Thomas set single-season program records in goals (20), assists (12), shots (86) and shots on goal (46) in 22 matches during 2025. He was named a First Team All-American and the Red River Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Year.

"I'm buzzing to sign my first professional contract with Fort Wayne FC," Thomas said. "I can't wait to put on the shirt and represent this great club. I'm excited to give it my all and I know we're in for a great season."

Over 66 matches in his three-year career at LSU Shreveport, Thomas had 47 goals and a program-record 22 assists. He helped the Pilots to the Round of 16 at the NAIA National Tournament in 2024 and 2025.

"Jack is an attacker who can play anywhere in the front six," Avery said. "Jack is a very creative player who reads the game incredibly well, and he has the technical capacity to pull off what he sees. At 21, Jack is another young player with a bright future and we are excited that he's kicking off his professional career with Fort Wayne."

Thomas began his college soccer career with Northeast Texas Community College in 2022.

He also has on his résumé time with the Lubbock Matadors SC of USL League Two, the pre-professional level in which Fort Wayne FC played the past five seasons.

Fort Wayne FC's first match in the fully professional level of USL League One is March 7 against FC Naples in Naples, Florida. That begins a string of five straight road matches in advance of the first ever match at Fort Wayne FC Park on May 2 against the Charlotte Independence.

Season tickets are currently on sale. The club is also offering, for a limited time, Six-Match Mini Plans.

The roster now has 18 players.

Fort Wayne Football Club roster

Javier Armas, midfielder, 26 years old

Clarence Awoudor, midfielder, 22 years old

Ryan Becher, midfielder, 24 years old

Aurie Briscoe, goalkeeper, 24 years old

Tiago Dias, defender, 24 years old

Jeremy Garay, midfielder, 22 years old

Taig Healy, midfielder, 22 years old

Anthony Hernandez, defender, 22 years old

JP Jordan, midfielder, 23 years old

James Musa, midfielder, 33 years old

Daniel Oyetunde, forward, 19 years old

Michael Rempel, defender, 24 years old

Lilian Ricol, attacker, 23 years old

Bernd Schipmann, goalkeeper, 31 years old

Jayden Smith, defender, 19 years old

Juan Solís, defender, 21 years old

Reid Sproat, defender, 24 years old

Jack Thomas, midfielder, 21 years old

Check out the Fort Wayne FC Statistics

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United Soccer League One Stories from February 26, 2026


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