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ENERGY FC BOLSTERS BACK LINE WITH SEATTLE SOUNDERS ACADEMY GRAD SAM ROGERS

By Energy FC Communications, 04/20/21, 1:00PM CDT

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The towering center back joins OKC after four seasons with the Tacoma Defiance.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Energy FC has signed defender Sam Rogers, pending league and federation approval, Head Coach John Pascarella announced today. Rogers featured in eight matches for the Tacoma Defiance in 2020, scoring one goal and finishing second on the team in clearances and blocks. He also finished third on the team in passing accuracy with 85.8%.

“I’m excited to get going,” said Rogers. “The club has been very welcoming, making the transition easy for me. We have great players at this club who I’m looking forward to working with, and I’m going to do everything I can to make an impact, win games and make the playoffs.”

The 6’3”, 21-year-old Seattle native joined the Seattle Sounders FC Academy in 2013 and signed his first professional contract with the Tacoma Defiance in 2017. He went on to make 64 appearances for the Seattle Sounders’ USL Championship affiliate over four seasons. Rogers also made three appearances for the United States U-20 national team.

“Sam is somebody I was inquiring about all offseason, but we had to be patient,” said Pascarella. “He brings depth to the team, and he can challenge for a starting position, no questions asked. He has very good feet and great size. He’s played over 60 games in this league already at just the age of 21, so he’s a guy we can lean on throughout the season.”

Rogers becomes the 21st player on the 2021 roster, joining goalkeepers CJ Cochran, Sam Howard and Kyle Ihn, defenders Robert Coronado, Conor Donovan, Zach Ellis-Hayden, Mitch Osmond and Mueng Sunday, midfielders Arun Basuljevic, Brad Dunwell, Kodai Iida, Hiroki Kurimoto and Charlie Ward, and forwards Villyan Bijev, Jon Brown, Jaime Chavez, Aidan Daniels, Frank Lopez, Groutchov Pierre and Tucker Stephenson as the players currently under contract for OKC in 2021.

Energy FC begins the 2021 season on Saturday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Taft Stadium against FC Tulsa. More information on Season Seat Memberships, Boost Plans, Group Experiences and single game tickets can be found at energyfc.com/tickets.

The full season schedule can be viewed and downloaded to digitally add to your device at energyfc.com/2021-schedule.