ORLANDO – A record nine Knights are currently active in the highest levels of soccer in the United States and thriving at each level. Alumni scattered across the country are pushing for the playoffs as there are roughly a dozen games left in both the MLS and USL Championship regular season.
Sean Johnson – NYCFC – MLS
The program's longest tenured professional continues to add to an impressive resume. After winning the MLS Cup last season and earning the MLS Cup MVP, Johnson has earned the first all-star nod of his 14-year career. Johnson has posted a career-high 12 clean sheets thus far, turning aside 61 saves and recording a .744 save percentage, a mark topping last year's and is his second highest in the last 12 seasons. He and NYCFC are in great position for a deep playoff run, currently sitting in second place with 42 points, just three points behind the Eastern Conference leaders in Philadelphia with a match in hand. Johnson has started each match for NYCFC this season as the club has posted a 12-2-9 record. Some key dates ahead for the NYCFC keeper include his first all-star game appearance on August 10, followed by his return to the area as he'll face Orlando City SC on August 28 at Exploria Stadium.
Cal Jennings – LAFC/Las Vegas Lights – MLS/USL Championship
The most recent Knight to reach the MLS level has spent time up and down between the top level of American soccer and the Las Vegas Lights, a USL Championship squad linked to LAFC. His biggest moment of the year came in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, as he tallied his first goal in an LAFC jersey in a 5-1 victory over Orange County. The goal came in his first top tier action of 2022, scoring back on April 20. Jennings has played in three regular season matches this year, tallying 17 total minutes. At the USL Championship level, Jennings has played in 14 matches, starting in 13 with seven goals and five assists, playing in over 1,200 minutes.
Hadji Barry – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – USL Championship
Barry continues to be a scoring threat at all times after securing the USL Championship MVP and Golden Boot in 2021. He is once again in the hunt for the league's most prestigious scoring honors, currently tied in third with 12 goals, four behind a tie of the leader. His eight assists are good enough for the league lead, with Jennings following close behind with five assists on the campaign. Barry has started in all 22 of Colorado Springs' matches this season and has them in prime position for a playoff push, currently sitting in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 13-8-1. Barry recently earned a spot on the USL Championship's Team of the Week, listed as one of three forwards on the Week 19 squad.
Jonathan Dean – Birmingham Legion FC – USL Championship
Dean has carved himself into an incredible player for Birmingham, playing in every minute of the club's 22 matches thus far. He has them in good position for the stretch run of the regular season, currently sitting in fifth place with 38 points and a record of 11-6-5. Legion FC has earned four victories over their last five matches. Dean has recorded a goal and two assists on the campaign.
Yannik Oettl – Hartford Athletic (on loan from NE Revolution II) – USL Championship
After not playing for the New England Revolution II, Oettl was loaded to Hartford on May 12 of this year. Since then, he has played a big role for the Athletic, starting in the club's last nine matches. He has allowed just 12 goals during that time, turning aside 39 shots. The club is 2-5-2 over those nine matches and is currently 10th in the Eastern Conference with 17 points and a mark of 4-13-5, meaning Oettl has contributed in half of the team's victories this season. Oettl's loan is set to expire on Nov. 30, 2022. Oettl earned 15 saves and a clean sheet this week, earning him a spot on the USL Championship's Honor Roll for Week 21.
Romario Williams – New Mexico United – USL Championship
Williams is fresh back into the United States after playing overseas with Qadsia SC of the Kuwait Premier League. He was added to New Mexico on July 13 and has checked into one match with his new squad, playing in 24 minutes. Williams joins a club in great position for a playoff run, as they trail Barry's Switchbacks FC by two points, sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 10-3-8. Williams is back in the USL Championship for the first time since 2020 where he played with Miami FC. Prior to that, he spent 2015-2019 in the MLS with three different clubs, earning a title with Atlanta United in 2018. Williams was the highest draft pick in program history, going third overall to the Montreal Impact in 2015.
Deshorn Brown – Sacramento Republic FC – USL Championship
Brown is another former Knight who has recently made his return to the U.S. He has been all over the globe in his 10-year career, most recently playing in the Indian Super League with Bengaluru FC and NorthEast United FC. He joined Sacramento on July 23 and has already seen time in two matches, coming off the bench for 22 minutes of action. He last scored a goal on Feb. 18 while playing for NorthEast United FC, scoring against his former club of Bengaluru FC. Brown and Sacramento sit behind New Mexico United in fifth place in the Western Conference with 33 points. Sacramento reached the U.S. Open Cup final with a 0-0 (5-4) result over Sporting KC.
Louis Perez – FC Tucson – USL League One
Perez is in his first season with FC Tucson after making his professional debut with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC during the spring of 2021. He has started in 14 games and has seen time in 15 this season, posting a pair of goals and five assists in just over 1,200 minutes. He is tied for fourth in the league in assists and is two away from a tie of the top spot.
Nick Taylor – Orlando City B – MLS Next Pro
UCF's most recent draft pick is playing in the Orlando City system. Taylor has played in 16 contests thus far, starting in nine of them and playing in 916 minutes. He has tallied a goal and two assists so far. The MLS Next Pro is the third tier of American soccer, sharing the third level with USL League One and National Independent Soccer Association.
Matias Pyysalo – Grankulla IFK – Kakkonen (International)
Pyysalo is embarking on his fifth season of professional soccer, all of which have been played in other countries around the world. He's played in eight matches in Finland's third tier of professional soccer, tallying a goal in his contest against Vantaan on July 3.
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