SEATTLE, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance today announced that it has signed midfielders Jesse Daley and Shandon Hopeau as well as defenders Antonee Burke-Gilroy and Nick Hinds to new contracts for the 2020 season. The club also exercised the contract options of forward Azriel Gonzalez and defender Sam Rogers. Midfielders Josh Atencio and Danny Robles as well as forwards Alec Diaz, Ray Serrano and Marlon Vargas and defender Abdoulaye Cissoko were already under contract for next season. The signings are pending league and federation approval.
Additionally, the club declined the contract options of defenders Aleks Berkolds, Matt Nance and Ever Rubio as well as midfielder Herbert Robinson. Tacoma also announced that defenders Modou Ndow and Denso Ulysse as well as midfielder Ben Numbi will not return to the team. The club’s current roster sits at 12 players ahead of the 2020 USL season.
“We’d like to thank Aleks, Ben, Denso, Ever, Herbert, Matt and Modou for their contributions to our club,” said Sounders FC Director of Player Development Marc Nicholls. “They each played an important role on our team and we wish them the best in the future.”
Tacoma’s current roster is listed below by positional breakdown. Nine of the 12 players are currently 20 years of age or younger, while the other three are 22 years old. Nine of the 12 players are former Sounders FC Academy players.
CURRENT TACOMA DEFIANCE ROSTER
Defenders (4): Antonee Burke-Gilroy, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Nick Hinds, Sam Rogers
Midfielders (3): Josh Atencio, Jesse Daley, Danny Robles
Forwards (5): Alec Diaz, Azriel Gonzalez, Shandon Hopeau, Ray Serrano, Marlon Vargas
