ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF men's soccer senior Louis Perez has signed a professional contract and will be playing at the USL Championship level as a member of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
The Riverhounds have singed an incredible player and person in Louis Perez," said head coach Scott Calabrese. "We are so happy for him and the opportunity that he has before him! We will miss Louis personally, he has a great way about him, and we will be his biggest fans as he takes the next step in his career. Once a Knight, always a Knight!"
The All-American midfielder was a huge contributor to the Knights' offensive efforts throughout his career. Perez collected 16 career assists during his time in the Black and Gold, two shy of a tie for eighth all-time on UCF's career assists list.
"I want to thank Knight Nation for truly making me feel like a Knight during my time at UCF," said Perez. "I want to thank my teammates that have become my brothers. We have been together for years and it's time to thank you for all those special moments. I want to thank the coaching staff for bringing a kid from France and turning me into the man I am today. I will always be grateful for the opportunity that UCF gave me."
Perez goes out on a high note, having his best collegiate season as a junior in 2019. He tallied 19 points last season, scoring four goals and nearly breaking the single season assists record. Perez was an All-American in 2018 and was consistently a part of the All-Conference and All-Region Teams throughout his time as a Knight.
The USL Championship will begin their season anywhere between Apr. 24 and May 15. Teams will be divided into four divisions and play a 32-match schedule. The league will host their playoffs in the month of November. Pittsburgh was a first-round exit from last season's playoffs.
Perez brings UCF's number of USL Championship players to four. Cal Jennings will be suiting up for Indy Eleven this season, Jonathan Dean will return to Birmingham and Kevan George remains with Charlotte. USL Championship departures from last season include Romario Williams heading to the Egyptian Premiere League and Hadji Barry, who plays for North Carolina FC, will be playing in League One this season.
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