Strykers Acquire Club Icon Andy Reyes, Trade Forward
November 21, 2024 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Empire Strykers News Release
Ontario, Calif. - The Empire Strykers of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) today announced they have acquired club icon and former Texas Outlaws ace Andy Reyes in a transaction involving three teams. The move, which sees Empire transfer forward Stefan Mijatovic to the Tacoma Stars in return for defender Reyes and financial considerations, was made possible by a recent change in Outlaws ownership. Reyes, who began the day as a Texas player, briefly became a member of the Stars, his rights then being immediately transferred to the Strykers.
This latest in a slew of offseason acquisitions by Empire marks the third time in three days the club has re-signed a former fan favorite who most recently served as a key contributor with the Outlaws. The return of defender Emmanuel Aguirre and midfielder Jorge DeLeon to Southern California was announced on Monday.
Andy Reyes, who has been called up to both the U.S. futsal and arena soccer national teams, previously spent five seasons with the Ontario Fury (today's Strykers), having made his debut in 2015. His new contract is through 2026-27.
With Tacoma Stars owner Lane Smith as part of the brand-new Texas Outlaws ownership group, earlier on Thursday Smith and company transferred 32-year-old Reyes's rights to Tacoma as part of an internal player-personnel restructuring.
"This feels like getting back yet another member of our family," offered the Strykers' executive vice president, Jimmy Nordberg, who served as head coach during Reyes's first stint in the Inland Empire. "Andy is not only a very experienced defender who has more than proven his worth in this league. He is also intimately familiar with our organization and feels instantly comfortable on and off the turf, which means we can expect him to make an impact right away. We hope our fans are as excited about this move as we are."
Nordberg continued, "We'd like to thank Stefan Mijatovic for his contributions to our club and wish him all the best with the Tacoma Stars."
After joining the Strykers from Utica City FC prior to 2023-24, forward Mijatovic appeared in 15 games, collecting ten goals and 11 assists. He closed out the campaign with a successful loan stint at Tacoma, where he recorded nine goals and six assists in six regular season appearances and three playoff matches.
A native of San Diego, Andy Reyes grew up playing locally for Patrick Henry High School and elite youth club Nomads SC. He subsequently remained in California, suiting up for Taft College and later for Cal State San Bernardino, located roughly 20 miles from the Ontario Fury's home venue. Having joined the MASL outfit prior to the 2015-16 campaign, the then 23-year-old would develop into a mainstay in the lineup, his progression reaching its peak as he appeared in all 24 regular season matches in 2018-19.
Over the course of the next three years, Reyes dealt with nagging injuries - such as two pulled hamstrings - as he missed all of 2020-21, much of the Fury's run to the 2021 final and much of 2021-22 following a transfer to the San Diego Sockers. The California native revived his career after joining the Mesquite Outlaws (today's Texas Outlaws) midway through 2022-23, quickly establishing himself as a leader in the back. In 2023-24, Reyes played in 25 of Texas's 27 matches, including three times in the playoffs, setting regular season career highs in goals (9), assists (7), points (16) and points-per-game average (0.7).
Andy Reyes has previously made 126 MASL appearances - 77 of them with the Strykers. His second go-around with Empire sees the defender reunite not only with Emmanuel Aguirre and Jorge DeLeon but also with Justin Stinson, Abdul Mansaray, captain Israel Sesay, and fellow offseason returnees Claysson De Lima, Robert Palmer and Jose Gonzalez.
"I couldn't be happier to be where I belong," said the newest member of the organization. "It's not just about being in the state where I grew up and where I've spent most of my life. I can honestly say that this club is my home and that I've wanted to come back here for a while. To be sharing the field with so many of my teammates from the past feels absolutely amazing. I'm grateful to the front office for making it happen, and I can't wait to give it my all to try and get us back into the postseason. Hopefully, we can make a real push in the playoffs and compete for a title."
Season ticket packages for the Empire Strykers' 2024-25 MASL campaign are available now and may be purchased here. Single-game tickets will go on sale soon.
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Major Arena Soccer League Stories from November 21, 2024
- Ed Puskarich Named Head Coach of the Texas Outlaws - Texas Outlaws
- Strykers Acquire Club Icon Andy Reyes, Trade Forward - Empire Strykers
- Stars Complete Trade to Acquire Stefan Mijatovic - Tacoma Stars
- Heat Sign Defender Anthony Wright - Harrisburg Heat
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