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USL North Carolina FC

North Carolina FC to Celebrate Career of Captain Austin da Luz on October 19 against Saint Louis FC

October 3, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. - North Carolina FC will celebrate the career and contributions of captain Austin da Luz following the regular-season finale against Saint Louis FC on Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Da Luz previously announced in August his intentions to retire following the 2019 USL Championship season. The longtime fan favorite is in his 10th professional season, eight of which have been with NCFC. A constant fixture in the NCFC lineup throughout his tenure, da Luz ranks among the club's top 5 in all-time games played (184), minutes (13,178), goals (23) and assists (18) across all competitions, consistently making a difference in the midfield.

The Wake Forest University product played in Major League Soccer from 2010-11 with New York Red Bulls and D.C. United before joining NCFC in 2012. Upon arriving, da Luz made an immediate impact, helping NCFC reach the semifinals of the 2012 NASL postseason. In both 2012 and 2013, da Luz played a key role in NCFC's runs to the fourth round and quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, respectively. In 2013, da Luz scored in NCFC's 2-0 defeat of the LA Galaxy.

The longest-tenured player on NCFC, da Luz in April 2018 became the sixth player in club history to reach the 10,000-minute milestone. Additionally, da Luz set or tied single-season personal highs in games played (34), minutes (2,880) and goals (six) in 2018. After serving as co-captain in 2018, da Luz was made club captain ahead of the 2019 season.

In 2017, da Luz created Playing for Pride, a global fundraiser to benefit the Human Rights Campaign and draw attention to LGBTQ issues. For his efforts, da Luz was named as the 2017 NASL Humanitarian of the Year. Using his platform as a professional soccer player to make a difference, da Luz has helped Playing for Pride raise over $60,000 since 2017.

NCFC is back at home this Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET as it hosts New York Red Bulls II. Fans are encouraged to participate in NCFC's food drive, held in conjunction with Aetna and the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The first 300 fans to donate five canned food items will receive a free ticket to the match. At halftime, NCFC will honor club legends Tiyi Shipalane and Kupono Low. For tickets and information please visit www.NorthCarolinaFC.com or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144.

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