Memphis 901 FC fills 3 more roster spots
One week after Memphis 901 FC announced its first three player signings, the expansion soccer team made its next three official.
Midfielder Dan Metzger, defender Louis Bennett and forward Luca Uccello have been added to the roster for the 901 FC's inaugural season. The trio joins midfielder Raul Gonzalez and defenders Wes Charpie and Josh Morton, who signed last week.
Bennett's father, Louis Bennett Sr., who currently serves as the men's soccer coach at Marquette, played for the Memphis Rogues of the North American Soccer League in 1989. Metzger won a USL Cup Championship with New York Red Bulls II in 2016.
“Coach Mulqueen has been working hard on identifying the right players for us as we continue to build the Memphis squad,” 901 FC sporting director Andrew Bell said. “We’re very happy to add Dan, Luca, and Louis and are excited to see them contribute to our project.”
“All three of these guys bring something valuable to the table,” 901 FC coach Tim Mulqueen said.
“Metzger is a proven leader and winner, Uccello is a player with great playmaking ability who, at a young age, has great experience, and Bennett is very sound technically who can play multiple positions. As a son of a coach, he has a natural high soccer IQ.”
In January, Memphis was awarded the league's third expansion franchise for the 2019 season. Tim Mulqueen was introduced as Memphis 901 FC's first coach in August.
The club also announced Wednesday a USL Cup watch party for season ticket holders. Set for Nov. 8 at AutoZone Park, season ticket holders can meet and greet the new players as well as club advisor and U.S. Men's National Team goalkeeper Tim Howard, owner Peter Freund, president Craig Unger, sporting director Andrew Bell and Mulqueen. The event runs from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Metzger played three seasons with Red Bulls II before spending the 2018 campaign with Penn FC. He has played over 80 USL matches since entering the league in 2015 after being drafted 42nd overall in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft by D.C. United, and he made his MLS debut in 2017 for the New York Red Bulls.
Since signing his first professional contract with Cypriot team Anorthosis Famagusta FC in August 2016 out of Marquette, Bennett has played with MFK Vyškov in the 3rd Division of Czech Football and also the USL’s Swope Park Rangers.
Uccello has spent the past four seasons with the USL’s Toronto FC II, scoring 10 goals in 77 appearances. The Markham, Ontario, Canada native has also made multiple international appearances for Canada and was nominated for the Canadian Men’s U-20 Player of the Year Award by the Canadian Soccer Association in 2016 and 2017. In February 2017, Uccello was named to Canada’s U-20 World Cup qualifying roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.