Atlanta United Academy announces 13 NCAA Division I signings

(Via Atlanta United) – Thirteen more Atlanta United Academy graduates are headed to Division I NCAA Soccer programs. The players announced their college decisions in a special ceremony at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Atlanta Sunday.

“For us it’s a really special ceremony,” Academy coach Rodrigo Rios told the players’ families. “It’s something that gives us a lot of pride to see players, kids that have become young men, moving on to their next chapter. They’re taking something from us and going off to college or something different and we hope it will only help things goes well for them wherever they go.”

It’s the Academy’s largest group of D-I signees yet, bringing the total number from the Atlanta United system up to 31 in just three years. It’s part of the bigger picture measures for success for the Academy: giving young athletes a chance to use their skills to succeed in life on and off the pitch.

“It’s nearly impossible to produce twelve professional players every cycle,” says Academy Director Tony Annan. “So we have to really be focused on education and getting guys into that pathway. Hopefully some of those come through that pathway out as professionals on the other end. For those that don’t, it sets them up for a good career and a good start in life at a great college.”

The full list of 2019 signees:

Liam Butts – Penn State University
George Campbell – University of Maryland
Kendall Edwards – NC State University
Dylan Gaither – Mercer University
Ousman Jabang – Mercer University
Jeremiah Luoma – Georgia Southern University
Natnael McDonald – University of Akron
Luke Mitchell – Creighton University
Matthew Rios – Georgia State University
Takuma Suzuki – Wake Forest University
Thomas Toney – Yale University
Collin Travasos – University of California- Berkeley
Brant Zulauf – Mercer University