D.C. United Academy
Soccer team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The D.C. United Academy is the youth and development program for the Major League Soccer club D.C. United. The program consists of teams at four age levels:[1] the under-23 and under-20 teams, as well as the Academy (U-17, U-16, and U-15).
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| Full name | D.C. United Academy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | ||
| Stadium | Segra Field | ||
| League | MLS Next | ||
| Website | www | ||
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The D.C. United Academy has been one of the most successful MLS academies.[2] Many players have been signed directly from the Academy to the professional team, or have later played professionally. Notable players to have graduated from the D.C United Academy include Bill Hamid, who has been called up by the U.S. national team and who was the MLS 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year, and Andy Najar, who has been capped for Honduras and who was the MLS 2010 Rookie of the Year.[3][4][5]
History
The D.C. United Academy was created in 2005 in an effort to provide local talent an opportunity to have professional training. D.C. United was one of the first MLS clubs to develop its own academy.[5] The D.C. United Academy gained some press in 2013 when D.C. United Academy graduate Michael Seaton made his league debut with D.C. United; Seaton was the first player to play an MLS game who was born after MLS began play in 1996.[6] D.C. United decided in 2015, however, to reduce its outlays on its academy in part to help defray the expenses associated with the team's new soccer-specific stadium.[7]
Structure
| Level | Type | League |
|---|---|---|
| Senior team | Professional | Major League Soccer |
| Reserve team | Professional | USL Championship |
| U-18 | Academy | MLS Next |
| U-16 | ||
| U-15 | ||
| U-14 |
Like most Major League Soccer teams, United's academy features youth pre-academy teams that ascend to the ranks of the senior team on the professional level. Starting in 2016, United will field their reserve team in the second-division USL Championship. Beneath their reserve and senior squads is the under-23 side, whom play exhibition matches.
The teenage brackets represent the main academy as well as the pre-academy structure. Players from the under-15 to the under-18 age level play in MLS Next, playing against other academy teams around the nation. Formerly, the academy played in the USSDA.
Consisting of players aged from under-12 to under-14, the Pre-Academy is a stepping stone for younger players to adapt to an academy setting. This age group of players participates in Northeast Pre-Academy League.[8]
For players at the U-10 level and below, United offers specialty training camps.
D.C. United Academy is fully funded and does not charge any fees for its players.[9]
Notable alumni
Andy Najar, who transferred from D.C. United to Belgium's Anderlecht for a reported $2 million, was the first player from the D.C. United Academy — and first from any MLS academy — to move to Europe on a permanent contract.[10] The youngest D.C. United Academy signing is Chris Durkin, who signed for D.C. United in 2016 at 16 years old.[11] Furthermore, several D.C. United Academy players have played with U.S. national youth teams.[12]
MLS players
The following list includes players who, after leaving the D.C. United Academy, have played at least one match in Major League Soccer.
| Name | Turned Pro | DCU apps | Left DCU | Departure | National team (caps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Hamid | 2009 | 240 | — | — |  United States (7) |
| Andy Najar | 2010 | 100 | 2013 | $3 million transfer to Anderlecht (Belgium).[13] |  Honduras (36) |
| Conor Shanosky | 2010 | 5 | 2014 | Released. Signed with Louisville City FC. | United States U20 |
| Ethan White | 2010 | 38 | 2013 | Traded to Philadelphia for Jeff Parke. | United States U20 |
| Michael Seaton | 2013 | 5 | 2015 | Traded to Portland. |  Jamaica (14) |
| Collin Martin | 2013 | 15 | 2016 | Traded to Minnesota for 4th round draft pick. | United States U20 |
| Jalen Robinson | 2014 | 26 | 2019 | Contract ended. | United States U23 |
| Chris Durkin | 2016 | 36 | 2020 | $1.1 million transfer to Sint-Truiden (Belgium). | United States U23 |
| Ian Harkes | 2017 | 33 | 2018 | Released. Signed with Dundee (Scotland). | United States U20 |
| Antonio Bustamante | 2019 | 2 | 2019 | Released. Signed with Blooming (Bolivia). |  Bolivia (2) |
| Donovan Pines | 2019 | 93 | 2023 | Signed with Barnsley F.C. | United States (2) |
| Griffin Yow | 2019 | 36 | 2022 | $100,000 transfer to K.V.C. Westerlo (Belgium) | United States (4) |
| Moses Nyeman | 2019 | 32 | 2022 | $350,000 transfer to S.K. Beveren (Belgium) | United States U20 |
| Kevin Paredes | 2020 | 41 | 2022 | $7.35 million transfer to VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) | United States (4) |
| Jacob Greene | 2021 | 16 | 2024 | Signed with Columbus Crew 2 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
| Jeremy Garay | 2021 | 3 | 2025 | Out of contract, joined Loudoun United |  El Salvador (2) |
| Ted Ku-DiPietro | 2022 | 70 | 2025 | Sold to Colorado Rapids | United States U23 |
| Jackson Hopkins | 2022 | 53 | United States U20 | ||
| Matai Akinmboni | 2022 | 17 | 2025 | Transfer to AFC Bournemouth | United States U20 |
| Gavin Turner | 2025 | 1 | United States U16 | ||
| Oscar Avilez | 2026 | 0 | United States U16 | ||
| Grant Leveille | 2026 | 0 |  Haiti |
Notes:
- D.C. United appearances updated as of November 29, 2020.
- Where a player has played with multiple levels of a national team (e.g., men's team, under-20 team, under-18 team), only the highest level is listed.
Source: D.C. United Archived January 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
The Academy
U19 team
- As of November 1, 2024[14]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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U16/U17 Team
- As of February 19, 2022 [15]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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U15 Team
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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U14 Team
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coaching staff
- As of January 7, 2026[16]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| U-18 Head Coach | Declan Duffin |
| U-16 Head Coach | Nikola Katić |
| U-15 Head Coach | Daniel Szolosi |
| U-14 Head Coach | Robert Ivanovich Nunez |
Reserves
From 2005 until 2012, D.C. United fielded a reserve team that played in the MLS Reserve Division. The reserve team disbanded when Major League Soccer and USL Pro announced a player development partnership, and United announced Richmond Kickers as their USL Pro affiliate.[17]
Honors
Seasons
| Season | MLS Reserve League | Top goalscorer(s) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | Name | Goals | |
| 2005 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 21 | 24 | 1st | Jamil Walker | 9 |
| 2006 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 11 | 19 | 5th | ||
| 2007 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 5th | ||
| 2008 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 5th | ||
| 2011 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 21 | Eastern Division 2nd |
Joseph Ngwenya | 4 |