CARY, N.C. (May 10, 2018)– North Carolina FC U-23 has released its 2018 roster for the Premier Development League (PDL) season. The group features 21 players with either hometown or college ties to North Carolina, five NCFC Youth Academy products and five players who played for CASL or Triangle Futbol Club Alliance (now NCFC Youth).
Once again, head coach Dewan Bader will lead the group, marking his 11th season at the helm of NCFC U-23. Bader will be joined by assistants Rick King (10th year), Luis Satorra (8th year), Zack Schilawski (4th year) and Andre Fortune (1st year).
North Carolina Football Club, the largest youth-to-professional soccer club in the United States, provides a bridge for players to earn professional opportunities and will continue to do so with its five Academy products moving up the ladder to play for NCFC U-23, including Caleb Duvernay, Jamil Gracia, George Marks, Jose Morales and Nick Retzlaff.
The club has had a host of success in developing young talent through the likes of the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U-23. Over the years, NCFC has signed Academy prospects, such as Dre Fortune, Jeremy Kelly, D.J. Taylor, and George Marks. Additionally, the NCFC U-23 program has helped produce current NCFC first-team players Futty Danso and Cameron Steele as well as many other professional stars including Nazmi Albadawi, Akira Fitzgerald, Ike Opara, Zack Schilawski and Brian Shriver.
This year’s NCFC U-23 team brings in a large contingent of players who have featured for North Carolina colleges with representation from NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Charlotte, High Point, NC Wesleyan, UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State.
The squad features several returnees from the 2017 season, including Ignacio Blanco, Ian Bennet, Duvernay, Gracia, Alex Moztarzadeh, Baboucarr Njie, Chase Rhode, Retzlaff, Dean Rutherford and Sheriff Secca.
NCFC U-23 will begin its season on Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m. against Lionsbridge FC at WakeMed Soccer Park. Admission to NCFC U-23 matches is free for North Carolina Football Club season ticket members and $7 for all other spectators.
2018 NCFC U-23 Roster
| Player | Position | Hometown | University |
| Tanner Roberts | F | Huntersville, N.C. | NCSU |
| Danny Elliot | F | Nottingham, England | Hofstra |
| Keegan Kelly | M | Baltimore, Md. | U of MD |
| Miles Stray | D | Point Reyes, Calif. | U of MD |
| Jesus Ibarra | F | Clayton, N.C. | |
| Clayton Sparks | F | Jacksonville, N.C. | NCSU |
| Caleb Duvernay | D | Cary, N.C. | NCSU |
| Nick Retzlaff | M | Wake Forest, N.C. | NCSU |
| Chase Rhode | D | Apex, N.C. | UC Davis |
| Dean Rutherford | F | Fuquay-Varina, N.C. | Charlotte |
| Jelani Pieters | F | Oswego, Ill. | UNC-CH |
| David Mejia | M | Weston, Fla. | UNC-CH |
| Jose Morales | M | Sanford, N.C. | NCSU |
| Ryeong Choi | M | High Point, N.C. | High Point |
| Ian Bennet | D | Wilmington, N.C. | App. State |
| Treso Mbuyu | F | Charlotte, N.C. | Liberty |
| Sheriff Secca | M | Olney, Md. | NC Weslyan |
| Baboucarr Njie | M | Washington, D.C. | NC Weslyan |
| Jamil Gracia | D | Wilson, N.C. | UNCW |
| George Marks | GK | Raleigh, N.C. | Clemson |
| Ignacio Blanco | GK | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | Valparasio |
| Alex Moztarzadeh | M | Miami, Fla. | UNC-CH |
| Colton Dutches | GK | Sanford, N.C. | Averett |
| David Cuperman | M | Bogota, Colombia | Averett |
| Nacho Lerech | F | Tucuman, Argentina | NC Weslyan |
| Pa-Alieu Ann | M | Raleigh, N.C. | VMI |
CARY, N.C. (May 10, 2018)– North Carolina FC U-23 has released its 2018 roster for the Premier Development League (PDL) season. The group features 21 players with either hometown or college ties to North Carolina, five NCFC Youth Academy products and five players who played for CASL or Triangle Futbol Club Alliance (now NCFC Youth).
Once again, head coach Dewan Bader will lead the group, marking his 11th season at the helm of NCFC U-23. Bader will be joined by assistants Rick King (10th year), Luis Satorra (8th year), Zack Schilawski (4th year) and Andre Fortune (1st year).
North Carolina Football Club, the largest youth-to-professional soccer club in the United States, provides a bridge for players to earn professional opportunities and will continue to do so with its five Academy products moving up the ladder to play for NCFC U-23, including Caleb Duvernay, Jamil Gracia, George Marks, Jose Morales and Nick Retzlaff.
The club has had a host of success in developing young talent through the likes of the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U-23. Over the years, NCFC has signed Academy prospects, such as Dre Fortune, Jeremy Kelly, D.J. Taylor, and George Marks. Additionally, the NCFC U-23 program has helped produce current NCFC first-team players Futty Danso and Cameron Steele as well as many other professional stars including Nazmi Albadawi, Akira Fitzgerald, Ike Opara, Zack Schilawski and Brian Shriver.
This year’s NCFC U-23 team brings in a large contingent of players who have featured for North Carolina colleges with representation from NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Charlotte, High Point, NC Wesleyan, UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State.
The squad features several returnees from the 2017 season, including Ignacio Blanco, Ian Bennet, Duvernay, Gracia, Alex Moztarzadeh, Baboucarr Njie, Chase Rhode, Retzlaff, Dean Rutherford and Sheriff Secca.
NCFC U-23 will begin its season on Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m. against Lionsbridge FC at WakeMed Soccer Park. Admission to NCFC U-23 matches is free for North Carolina Football Club season ticket members and $7 for all other spectators.
2018 NCFC U-23 Roster
| Player | Position | Hometown | University |
| Tanner Roberts | F | Huntersville, N.C. | NCSU |
| Danny Elliot | F | Nottingham, England | Hofstra |
| Keegan Kelly | M | Baltimore, Md. | U of MD |
| Miles Stray | D | Point Reyes, Calif. | U of MD |
| Jesus Ibarra | F | Clayton, N.C. | |
| Clayton Sparks | F | Jacksonville, N.C. | NCSU |
| Caleb Duvernay | D | Cary, N.C. | NCSU |
| Nick Retzlaff | M | Wake Forest, N.C. | NCSU |
| Chase Rhode | D | Apex, N.C. | UC Davis |
| Dean Rutherford | F | Fuquay-Varina, N.C. | Charlotte |
| Jelani Pieters | F | Oswego, Ill. | UNC-CH |
| David Mejia | M | Weston, Fla. | UNC-CH |
| Jose Morales | M | Sanford, N.C. | NCSU |
| Ryeong Choi | M | High Point, N.C. | High Point |
| Ian Bennet | D | Wilmington, N.C. | App. State |
| Treso Mbuyu | F | Charlotte, N.C. | Liberty |
| Sheriff Secca | M | Olney, Md. | NC Weslyan |
| Baboucarr Njie | M | Washington, D.C. | NC Weslyan |
| Jamil Gracia | D | Wilson, N.C. | UNCW |
| George Marks | GK | Raleigh, N.C. | Clemson |
| Ignacio Blanco | GK | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | Valparasio |
| Alex Moztarzadeh | M | Miami, Fla. | UNC-CH |
| Colton Dutches | GK | Sanford, N.C. | Averett |
| David Cuperman | M | Bogota, Colombia | Averett |
| Nacho Lerech | F | Tucuman, Argentina | NC Weslyan |
| Pa-Alieu Ann | M | Raleigh, N.C. | VMI |
