USL OKC Energy FC

OKC Energy FC Finalizes 2014 Roster

Published on March 27, 2014 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
OKC Energy FC News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY - OKC Energy FC has finalized its roster for the 2014 season, General Manager Jason Hawkins announced today. A total of 20 players make up the roster for Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen, including six midfielders, six forwards, five defenseman and three goalkeepers.

"We are very happy with the squad we have constructed," said Nielsen. "We have a good balance of international and domestic players, who have come together and created an outstanding team environment. The common goal is being successful in our inaugural year as a franchise. Each player has worked tirelessly, both individually and collectively, since we opened camp, and we can't wait to get started."

The roster has six players from overseas, including two each from Denmark and England and one from Wales and Cameroon. The 14 American-born players hail from all over the United States - five from Kansas, two each from Oklahoma, Maryland and Virginia and one each from California, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Season tickets for OKC Energy FC are available by calling the Energy FC office at 405-235-KICK (5425).

Energy FC is led by former Sporting Kansas City goaltender and 2013 MLS Cup champion, Jimmy Nielsen. Nielsen was a two-time MLS All Star, the 2012 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, and goalkeeper for the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open championship club.

USL PRO is the strongest, best operated and most experienced North American men's professional soccer league outside of Major League Soccer (MLS). Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features 15 teams for the 2014 season, including expansion teams in Oklahoma City and Sacramento. Presently 10 USL PRO teams have direct affiliations with Major League Soccer clubs.

The league not only serves as a springboard to the MLS for players, but also for franchises. Five of the last six clubs to enter MLS have moved up from the USL's top professional division. Among the most successful clubs, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact and Orlando City SC all operated franchises in the USL's top professional division before making the transition to MLS.

2014 Energy FC Roster

No. Name Position Ht. Wt. Previous Club Hometown

1 Jon Kempin Goalkeeper 6-1 170 Sporting KC (MLS) Leawood, Kan.

2 Kyle Miller Midfielder 5-9 160 Sporting KC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

3 Peabo Doue Midfielder 5-10 175 Phoenix Wolves (USL PRO) Takoma Park, Md.

4 Cyprian Hedrick Defense 6-0 185 Phoenix Wolves (USL PRO) Douala, Cameroon

5 Gareth Evans Defense 6-1 200 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Wrexham, Wales

6 Tarek Morad Defense 6-2 161 UC Irvine (NCAA) Chino Hills, Calif.

7 David Leichty Midfielder 5-11 158 Sporting KC Academy Overland Park, Kan.

8 Michael Thomas Forward 5-10 170 Toronto FC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

9 Christian Duke Midfielder 5-9 157 Sporting KC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

10 Philip Lund Midfielder 6-0 165 Seattle Sounders (MLS) Vejle, Denmark

11 Adda Djeziri Forward 6-5 200 Scunthorpe United (League Two) Copenhagen, Denmark

12 Max Gunderson Defense 5-9 155 Austin Aztex (USL PDL) Henderson, Nev.

14 Pete Caringi III Forward 6-1 175 UMBC (NCAA) Perry Hall, Md.

16 Samir Badr Goalkeeper 6-3 182 El Hodood (Egyptian PL) Fairfax, Va.

17 Paul Wyatt Forward 6-0 181 Reading United (USL PDL) Modbury, England

18 Nate Shiffman Midfielder 5-8 165 VCU (NCAA) Richmond, Va.

21 Steven Perry Forward 6-0 175 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Edmond, Okla.

22 Kyle Greig Forward 6-2 185 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Stevens Point, Wis.

23 Mark Howard Defense 6-1 186 AGF (Danish Superliga) Salford, England

24 Jennings Clark Goalkeeper 6-0 160 USAO (NAIA) Norman, Okla.

Check out the OKC Energy FC Statistics

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