CARY, N.C. (Dec. 19, 2023) — North Carolina FC has signed defender Shaft Brewer Jr. to a two-year contract through the 2025 USL Championship season, the club announced Tuesday. The signing is pending league and federation approval.
Brewer spent the last two seasons with Union Omaha of USL League One with 2,521 minutes over 37 appearances. He helped the Owls reach the playoffs in both seasons and take home the Players’ Shield in 2023. Brewer won 50% of his duels and 60% of his tackles in 2023 while making 19 interceptions and 39 clearances to lead the team to a first-place finish in the regular season.
“We are excited to welcome Shaft to the club. He is a dynamic player that was a tough match-up for us the last two seasons when we faced him in USL League One. We know he can make an impact at this level and we are looking forward to having him here,” said NCFC Head Coach and Sporting Director John Bradford.
“I’m very happy to be joining this ambitious club and I hope to bring a lot of energy and quality to this side. I’m looking forward to winning here,” said Brewer.
Brewer spent time as a youth player with Sacramento Republic, FC Dallas and RB Leipzig before making his professional debut with Los Angeles FC’s inaugural season in MLS in 2018. Brewer made five appearances for LA across two seasons before being loaned to Phoenix Rising in the USL Championship, where he made nine appearances over two seasons.
Brewer then spent two seasons with third tier Norwegian club IF Fram Larvik, where he scored three goals and added one assist in 34 PostNord-ligaenand NM Cup appearances. He returned stateside to join with Omaha for the 2022 season.
Brewer is the ninth new signing announced by North Carolina FC ahead of the club’s return to the USL Championship in 2024. The club now has 18 players under contract for the upcoming campaign, which begins on Saturday, March 9, against the Charleston Battery at WakeMed Soccer Park.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA FC
North Carolina FC returns to play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship (USSF Division II) in 2024. North Carolina FC enters its 18th season of competition in 2024, having played in several professional leagues as both North Carolina FC and the Carolina RailHawks. The team won the NASL (USSF Division II) regular season championship in 2011 and 2013 and won the USL League One (USSF Division III) Championship in 2023. Follow North Carolina FC on the web at www.northcarolinafc.com and on social media @NorthCarolinaFC.
