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MLS Minnesota United FC

MNUFC Youth Development Program Announce 2021-22 MLS Next Season Schedule and Roster

September 20, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- Minnesota United today announce the club's 2021-22 season schedule and roster for the Youth Development Program (YDP), presented by M Health Fairview. This is the first season Minnesota United will participate in MLS NEXT.

"I am so excited for the kids and the staff. It's been a long year dealing with COVID and a long year trying to navigate the situation," said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer Manny Lagos. To have the league officially up and running and us participating in it, it's incredibly exciting. I'm excited for the club and our program to participate in such a high level youth development competition."

As Major League Soccer announced in August, MLS NEXT features nearly 600 teams competing in over 9,000 matches over a ten-month calendar. Top players from the country's leading 134 clubs, including all 29 MLS Academies, will field teams in up to six age groups: U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, and U19.

The 2021-22 season will allow the top prospects in the U.S. and Canada to compete in a ten-month regular season and a chance to become MLS NEXT Champions by winning the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs in July 2022. New to the second edition of the competition, the 2021-22 MLS NEXT campaign will feature two national events, a winter event and a qualifying event for the annual MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.

"We are excited to get started in MLS NEXT after a productive rebuilding phase over the past year," said MNUFC Director of Youth Development Noel Quinn. "Our goal is to support players who can make the journey towards first team football. We have made strides in this, through integration and support with the first team and the level of competition in MLS NEXT will help us reach our goal."

M Health Fairview is a First Team Partner of Minnesota United and is the presenting partner of the MNUFC Youth Development Program. With the launch of the Youth Development Program, M Health Fairview will be the jersey partner starting in 2021. Additionally, MNUFC and M Health Fairview will be working to increase the understanding and importance of sun safety in youth sports. Through its Sun Safe Soccer initiative, M Health Fairview aims to educate players, coaches and families on the risks associated with sun exposure at a young age--and the simple steps players, coaches and families can take to stay safe and protected while playing the beautiful game of soccer.

"We're excited to be partnered with MNUFC on the launch of their new Youth Development Program,' said Dr. Ian Maher, Medical Director for Dermatology at M Health Fairview and Director of Dermatologic Surgery at University of Minnesota. "These individuals and their families proudly represent their clubs, their communities, the state and all of MNUFC supporters. We can't wait to share in the joy of watching these players and the soccer culture in Minnesota develop, while also learning and passing-on the importance of playing safe in the sun at every age."

MNUFC returns to the pitch for its fifth season in MLS. Follow Minnesota United's social channels and check our website at mnufc.com for regular updates on the club.

MNUFC YDP's first match is on Saturday, September 25 when the U-15 squad will face the Michigan Jaguars.

MNUFC YDP 2021/2022 MLS NEXT Schedule

DATE U15 U17 U19

9/25 vs. Michigan Jaguars Bye

9/26 vs. Midwest United

10/2

@ FC Dallas @ Shattuck-St. Mary's

10/3 Bye

10/9 vs. Chicago Fire FC Bye

10/10 Bye

10/16 @ Austin FC Bye

10/17 Bye

10/23 vs. Sockers FC Chicago

10/24 vs. Chicago FC United

10/30 vs. Chicago Fire FC Bye

10/31 vs. Indiana Fire Academy

11/6 @ Michigan Wolves

11/7 @ VARDAR Soccer Club

11/13 @ FC Cincinnati

11/14 @ Columbus Crew SC

11/20 @ Saint Louis FC

11/21 Bye @ Saint Louis City SC Bye

12/11 - 12/12

Make Up Weekend

3/5 - 3/6

3/12 Bye

3/13 Bye

3/19 vs. Shattuck-St. Mary's

3/20 Bye Bye Bye

3/26 @ Columbus Crew SC Bye

3/27 @ FC Cincinnati Bye

4/2 @ Sporting Kansas City Bye

4/3 Bye

4/9

GA Cup Bye

4/10 vs. Saint Louis Fc

4/16 @ Sockers FC Chicago

4/17 @ Indiana Fire Academy

4/23 @ Chicago Fire FC @ Chicago FC united

4/24 Bye @ Midwest United

4/30

vs. Houston Dynamo FC vs. VARDAR Soccer Club

5/1 Bye vs. Saint Louis City SC vs. Michigan Wolves

5/7 vs. FC Cincinnati

5/8 Bye

5/14 - 5/15

Inter-League Event

5/21 vs. Columbus Crew SC

5/22 Bye

5/28 - 5/29

Memorial Day

6/4 - 6/5

Make Up Weekend

6/25 - 6/26

MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs & Showcase

7/2 - 7/3

MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs (Semis & Finals)

MNUFC YDP 2021/2022 Roster: Name, Developmental Club

U15 U17 U19

John Albright, Tonka Fusion Elite Jacob Betting, Eden Prairie SC Ayuub Ahmed, St. Paul Blackhawks

Jaden Bernard, Minneapolis United Tyler Leonard, Minnesota Thunder Academy Andre Clifton, Keliix Intra

Danny Boakai, Coon Rapids United SC Elijah Proost, St. Paul Blackhawks Leo Conneh, Maplebrook Soccer Association

Gavin Carlson, Tonka Fusion Elite Jack Roach, Minnesota Thunder Academy Damon Humphrey, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Kevin Cruz, Maplebrook Soccer Association Christopher Sanchez, Minnesota Thunder Academy Bennett Kouame, Joy of the People

Ike Deuel, Tonka Fusion Elite Eli Sedlack, Salvo SC Pascal Leatherman, St. Paul Blackhawks

Christian Gunther, Coon Rapids United SC Samuel Soto Jr, Minnesota Thunder Academy Dylan Moua, St. Paul Blackhawks

Heanos Hanns, St. Croix SC Osher Zmira, St. Paul Blackhawks Morgan Olson, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Alex Keekley, Tonka Fusion Elite Justin Arias, St. Paul Blackhawks Aydarous Omar, St. Paul Blackhawks

Axil Linares, Minneapolis United Julian Banks, St. Paul Blackhawks Perry Blay, Real Salt Lake

Christopher Lopez Salvador, St. Paul Blackhawks Carlos Casillas-Lopez, Minnesota Thunder Academy Drew Brown, Vision Soccer Academy

Tommy Carr, St. Paul Blackhawks Jumel Cephas, Boreal FC Johapson Cetina

Levi Musokwa, Manitou FC Giovanni Cruz, St. Paul Blackhawks Drew Clark, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Saccu (Papa) Ngum, Coon Rapids United SC George Deibert, Minnesota Thunder Academy Eric Contreras

Anthony Porter, Sporting MN Blaine Estudillo, Minnesota Thunder Academy CJ Coppola, Vision Soccer Academy

Damir Secic, Blaine SC/Twin Cities Rush Jonah Gasho, Minnesota Thunder Academy Eyifehn Forfor, Vision Soccer Academy

Nico Amaya, Joy of the People Alexander Gutierrez, St. Paul Blackhawks Grayson Frum, Lakeville SC

Tim Dennis, Boreal FC Tamer Ibsais, Minnesota Thunder Academy David Garcia, Edina

Aiden Dualan, Salvo SC Cooper Lijewski, St. Croix SC Baraka Kania

Bryan Espadero, Manitou FC Liam Moreira, Minnesota Thunder Academy Thomas Kniser, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Liam Johnson, Minneapolis United Nathan Moua, St. Paul Blackhawks Jackson Lagos, Minneapolis United

Alie Lamah, Boreal FC Jonathan Pena Vasquez, St. Paul Blackhawks Daniel Lainsbury, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Emin Lilic, Blaine SC/Twin Cities Rush Kage (Keith) Romanshyn, St. Croix Carlos Leatherman, St. Paul Blackhawks

Prince Massaquoi, Boreal FC Jacob Sapp, Minneapolis United Devin Padelford, St. Croix SC

Grady Monette, Manitou FC Merrick Schaefer, Minnesota Thunder Academy Jacob Thao

Lennox Moua, Manitou FC Christopher Vang McKray Tuma, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Alisa Randall, Boreal FC Dominick Vargas, St. Paul Blackhawks Ethan Xiong, Maplebrook Soccer Association

Coby Shtulman, Tonka Fusion Elite Wilfredo Vargas Jr, Salvo SC David Adegborioye

Colin Ssennoga, Maplebrook Soccer Association Luca Guarin, Joy of the People

Ousman Touray, Coon Rapids United SC Brandon Lee, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Dominic Voeug, Sporting MN Luis Mancilla-Figueroa, Minnesota Thunder Academy

Rulan Vue, St. Paul Blackhawks Kellie Marah, Maplebrook Soccer Association

Jack Wade, Tonka Fusion Elite Eric Riera, Manitou FC

Jordan Bernard, Minneapolis United Antwane Ruiz, Richfield Soccer Association

Oliver Brown, Minneapolis United John Ryan, Joy of the People

Miles de Leon, Minnesota Thunder Academy Zachariah Sherian, Manitou FC

Elijah Fearing, Salvo SC Martin Gallegos

Elijah Jensen, Park Valley United

Teddy Kaster, Maplebrook Soccer Association

Kyle Lee, St. Paul Blackhawks

Christ Messi, St. Paul Blackhawks

Franklin Miller, Tonka Fusion Elite

Ethan Mueller, MN Rush

George Porter, Sporting MN

Lukas Varags, St. Paul Blackhawks

Kai Zeruhn

Minnesota United YDP Staff

Noel Quinn, Director of Youth Development

A Belfast, Ireland native, Quinn has extensive experience in youth development. Quinn has been heavily involved in Minnesota youth soccer for over 15 years, including as a director at Edina Soccer Club, EPSC and Blaine SC.

Peter McDonnell, Youth Development Coach

McDonnell joins MNUFC after spending the last five years as the assistant coach at the University of Maine in NCAA Division 1 and the Director of Coaching for Seacoast United North. Peter brings vast experience to this role having spent time working with the Football Association of Ireland and in NPSL at both FC Copa and Seacoast United. Peter has lived in the USA since 2015 and has a Masters degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Justin Ferguson, Youth Development Coach

Justin Ferguson joins MNUFC after spending the last 5 years working in NCAA division 1 athletics at the University of Cincinnati. During his time in Cincinnati he also worked with MLS Next club Cincinnati United Premier. Locally, he's worked with Salvo Soccer Club. He brings a wide variety of skills from video analysis, team coaching, scouting, and physical performance.

Justin Flack, Youth Development Program Administrator

Justin Flack joins MNUFC with experience working with the Blaine Soccer Club, Fusion Soccer Club, Tri-City Storm Soccer Club and St. Thomas Academy. A soccer player growing up, Flack was a two-year team captain for the Concordia College Men's Soccer team, a four-year started, two-year All-Conference recognition and was named Academic All-Conference team three times.

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