The Wilmington Hammerheads FC are assembling talent as the soccer team prepares its roster for the 2016 United Soccer League season.
One new addition will be familiar to local soccer fans, as the Hammerheads announced that University of North Carolina Wilmington defender Michael Mecham will join the team. In 2015, Mecham was selected to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association All-State men’s soccer team and the All-Colonial Athletic Association second team.
“As a child I always wanted to be a professional soccer player so this is a dream come true,” Mecham stated in a December 2015 press release.
The announcement comes after the Hammerheads exercised options to return players from last season’s team, including midfielders Stefan Defregger, Justin Moose and Will Heaney, forward Qudus Lawal and defender Tom Parratt, with all but Heaney returning for their second year with the team. Heaney will be playing his fourth season with the Hammerheads.
Moose, Defregger and Lawal each scored two goals last season, with Lawal adding two assists to his stat sheet. Heaney scored one goal last season.
“They will bring a wealth of experience and will be very important to the roster,” head coach Mark Briggs stated in a December 2015 press release announcing the team’s returning players. “They understand our club and our community and the expectations of being a Hammerhead.”
The Hammerheads also brought in experienced USL talent to help the defense, as the team added defender Peabo Doue from the Oklahoma City Energy.
“He was part of a successful team last year with the OKC Energy and we want him to bring that hunger and drive for success to Wilmington,” Briggs said. “He is a no-nonsense defender and a great pro in every way.”
The Hammerheads will have more opportunities to add talent when they host three combines for player tryouts, giving college seniors, free agents and amateur players a chance to make the team. Last year, the Hammerheads signed Defregger after his performance at the combines.
“Each of the past three seasons we’ve seen players offered professional contracts directly from our combines and we look forward to seeing the prospects this year,” said general manager Jason Arnold.
The combines are scheduled for Jan. 30-31 and Feb. 20-21 at Cape Fear Regional Soccer Park in Wilmington and Feb. 6-7 at the Capelli Sport Center in Carlstadt, New Jersey.
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