Matt Ralph
Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy grad
Justin McMaster was the first with ties to the region to go when Minnesota United made the Wake Forest forward their 17th pick. The Jamaica native joined the Philadelphia Union Academy when he was 16 and spent the last four years at Wake Forest.
Demon Deacon
Reading United defender
Brandon Hackenberg was the second player with local ties to go in the draft when he was selected 22nd by Orlando City. The Penn State defender is the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg.
Sean O’Hearn, a PA Classics Academy and Hempfield High School grad from Lancaster, Pa. was drafted 38th overall by Minnesota United. O’Hearn, who won a national championship with Georgetown in 2019, was previously signed to a professional contract by New England Revolution II.
Five Union Academy grads, several others with local ties eligible for MLS SuperDraft
MLS SuperDraft is next Thursday
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Matt Ralph
Five Philadelphia Union Academy alums and several others with local ties are on a list of 176 players eligible for next week’s MLS SuperDraft.
Justin McMaster, Lamine Conte, Josue Monge, Dawson McCartney and Jahmali Waite, who all spent time with Bethlehem Steel FC prior to college and graduated high school from YSC Academy, are all listed.
McMaster, a winger/forward for Wake Forest is considered the best prospect of the group (No. 15 in SBI’s Big Board) and McCartney recently transferred to Notre Dame so he’d likely put a pro career on hold if he is drafted.
Posted on 275
Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI) announced today that President and CEO Dennis R. Maple has been elected to the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) board of directors. Maple is one of five new IFA board members, assuming their positions effective immediately.
Dennis Maple, President and CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc. (Photo: Business Wire)
“I am truly honored to join a board of such distinguished and successful franchise business leaders focused on further enabling IFA’s mission to protect, enhance and promote franchising,” said Maple. “Franchising is a unique and powerful business model. As we head into 2021 and continue to navigate the economic uncertainty fueled by the pandemic, the franchising industry remains an important job creator for local, national and global economies.”
Philadelphia Union trading Kalil ElMedkhar’s homegrown rights to FC Dallas
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Dave Musante
Philadelphia Union Academy grad Kalil ElMedkhar, a first round prospect for the upcoming MLS SuperDraft, is getting his homegrown rights traded to FC Dallas, according to multiple sources.
The Middletown, Del. native scored 20 goals and collected 21 assists in four seasons at the University of Kentucky and was a regular for Reading United in their back-to-back runs to the USL League Two championships in 2018 and 2019.
ElMedkhar graduated from YSC Academy in 2017. He joined the Union Academy from Penn Fusion Academy in their first season in the U.S. Development Academy in 2013. During his time in the academy, ElMedkhar played as a winger in the 4-2-3-1 formation that was preferred then. The team down through the academy now employs the 4-4-2 diamond midfield setup, which doesn’t utilize traditional wingers.
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