Two New Players Signed by Independence for 2016
December 23, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charlotte Independence News Release
Goalkeeper Cody Mizell and Midfielder Lewis Hilton
(Charlotte Independence)
CHARLOTTE, NC - The Charlotte Independence today officially announced the signing of two new players for the 2016 season, as goalkeeper Cody Mizell and midfielder Lewis Hilton have agreed to terms with the club.
Mizell already has familiarity with the Independence coaching staff and several players, as he spent time training in Charlotte early last season before the opportunity to play abroad in Iceland presented itself. The 24-year-old keeper made 20 appearances as a starter for Icelandic club Knattspyrnufélagið Fram.
"In Cody, we have a goalkeeper who possesses the quality and character we need for our goalkeeping situation," said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. "He has professional experience as a No. 1 last year in Iceland, he has a great mentality and daily attitude, and he is a top talent. Cody is very quick off his line and an excellent shot stopper, as well as very good with his feet. Cody will challenge the keeper we get from Colorado day-in and day-out and will help us win games when called upon."
A native of Woodstock, GA, Mizell attended Clemson University for three seasons, winning numerous All-American and All-ACC awards before turning pro following his junior year. He signed his first contract with NASL side Atlanta Silverbacks in May 2013 and made his debut on Nov. 2 of that same year. In 2014, Mizell agreed to a two-year deal with the NASL's Tampa Bay Rowdies. After making six appearances for the club, Mizell and Tampa Bay exercised an option in his contract, which allowed the goalkeeper to explore other opportunities.
Hilton is an English midfielder who recently graduated from Young Harris College and also spent time in the PDL with the Ocala Stampede.
"Lewis stood out at our recent combine as a highly competitive two-way midfielder," said Jeffries. "He fits well with how we play and the characteristics with which we look for in the midfield - he is clean technically and his passes are incisive and deceptive. Equally important, he looks to create advantages with them. Lewis' competitive nature is second to none and shows each time he takes the field, a quality we value highly."
In four seasons at Young Harris, Hilton appeared in 80 matches and recorded 25 goals and 30 assists, ranking him fourth and third, respectively, in those categories all-time at the school. He is a four-time All-Peach Belt Conference performer, only the 10th player in the league's 25-year men's soccer history to accomplish that feat. In addition, Hilton is a two-time NSCAA All-American and in 2015 also earned Division II Conference Commissioners Association Men's Soccer All-American honors after leading the Mountain Lions with 10 goals and 11 assists.
During the 2015 PDL season, Hilton appeared in 14 matches for the Stampede, contributing four goals and three assists as Ocala claimed its fourth-straight division title. He also was named to the All-Southern Conference team for a second consecutive season.
Hilton and Mizell join USL veteran Yann Ekra as new additions to the Independence roster. Returning players for 2016 so far include Alex Martinez, Enzo Martinez, Bilal Duckett, Jorge Herrera, Tomasz Zahorski and Jack Metcalf.
Additional player signings will be announced in the coming weeks as the Independence receives registration approval from US Soccer. Training Camp will begin in February, following an Open Tryout on Feb. 18. The USL season will kick off in late March.
Images from this story
 Goalkeeper Cody Mizell and Midfielder Lewis Hilton |
United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 23, 2015
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