RICHMOND, Va. – (Wednesday, February 27, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the signing of midfielder Jannik Eckenrode for the 2019 season, pending USSF and USL League One approval.
“Jannik was easily the stand out player of our second open tryout, he clearly looked like a pro prospect,” commented David Bulow, Kickers Head Coach. “We have always had great success finding talent from our open tryouts and I have great faith that Jannik will be a big player for us this season.”
With stints in Iceland, Sweden and Denmark, Eckenrode most recently played in three matches for South Georgia Tormenta FC in USL League Two. The Springfield, Va. native started his collegiate career at Radford University, scoring one goal and adding five assists in 19 matches as a freshman before transferring to George Mason University. Completing his final three years, Eckenrode went on to make 57 appearances for the Patriots, scoring nine goals and notching six assists.
“I’m very excited to be in Richmond at this historic club, and everyone here has given me a warm welcome,” said Eckenrode. “The first years of my pro career after graduating from George Mason were spent in Iceland, Sweden, and Denmark, so It’s a breath of fresh air to be back in my home country and home state – speaking English! I’m really excited for the vision Coach Bulow has for this talented group of players, and I’m looking forward to starting the season and making a run at a championship!”
The Kickers roster is now at 13 players with the addition of Eckenrode, including Amass Amankona, Matt Bolduc, Dennis Chin, Akira Fitzgerald, Josh Hughes, Daniel Jackson, Eli Lockaby, Mutaya Mwape, Maxi Rodriguez, Conor Shanosky, Scott Thomsen, and Braeden Troyer.
“In seeing Jannick play previously as a college player then again at our January Combine, we believe he’s great addition,” added Matt Spear, Kickers President. “And he went abroad to cut his teeth in Europe. George Mason Coach Greg Andrulis – a former MLS coach – has a good sense of which college players translate well to the pro level so his support helps too.”
Don’t miss a moment of the inaugural 2019 USL League One season at City Stadium! Order your 2019 Richmond Kickers Season Tickets and receive perks throughout the season including VIP Express Lane at the Craft Beer trucks and merchandise discounts. More details on 2019 Season Tickets can be found at www.richmondkickers.com.
