Happy Monday, everyone! It’s been over two weeks since our last player signings recap blog post. You didn’t miss much, as most of the latest signings have been from… You guessed it: LA Force and the Maryland Bobcats. Even though Irvine Zeta FC recently announced a player signing this past weekend. Let’s catch you up on the latest player movements across the NISA League.
LA Force
Ronaldo Pineda (Midfielder)
After spending last season with SoCal derby rivals ALBION San Diego, Ronaldo Pineda joins the Force. The 27-year-old midfielder made 19 appearances for ALBION the previous season and logged 1,514 minutes. Pineda also previously played with USL League One side Chattanooga Red Wolves, spending two seasons there and getting two assists in 38 matches.
Ivan Hernandez (Defender)
Ivan Hernandez returns for another season with the Force. In his first season with the club last year, the 20-year-old center-back played in 20 matches and scored three goals. Hernandez was a crucial piece in LA’s backline, working with Dekel Keinan, Ronaldo Lomeli, and Edwin Rivas throughout the 2023 season.
Ronaldo Lomeli (Defender)
Speaking of Ronaldo Lomeli, he also returns with the Force for another season. He made 14 appearances last season for the Force and had two assists, and the club adds another familiar face to its backline.
Seth Torman (Goalkeeper)
The Force added some depth at the goalkeeper position as they’ve signed Seth Torman to a contract for the upcoming season. He was with Birmingham Legion FC of the USL Championship last season but didn’t start a match with the club. He spent the 2023 season with Legion FC third on the depth chart behind starting goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel and backup goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg.
Beto Alvarenga (Midfielder)
Beto Alvarenga was announced last week as the latest signing with the LA Force. He played with former NISA side Chattanooga FC the previous season. He made 22 appearances for the boys in blue, scored two goals, and added two assists across all competitions. Alvarenga is an experienced NISA veteran who spent time in Chattanooga and played with Cal United Strikers FC. This is another solid addition for the Force to bring the Southern California native back home.
Ahmed Shaibu Jr. (Defender)
Another recent addition to LA has been defender Ahmed Shaibu Jr., who has joined the squad. Shaibu Jr. spent last season with the Michigan Stars and made 21 appearances, scored one goal, and recorded 1,754 minutes.
Maryland Bobcats FC
Josselin Possian (Center Midfielder)
One of the Maryland Bobcats’ originals, team captain Josselin Possian, returns to the Plex. This will be Possian’s fourth season at the Plex for the Bobcats. Possian played in 24 matches last season across all competitions for Maryland and scored two goals. In his career with the Bobcats, Possian has made 66 appearances, scored two goals, added two assists, and recorded 5,570 minutes on the pitch.
Richard Forka (Center Back)
Another Maryland Bobcat original, Richard Forka, is back at the Plex. Forka is also returning for his fourth season in Maryland and played in 25 matches across all competitions last season for the Bobcats. In his career with the Bobcats, Forka has played in 63 matches, scored one goal, and recorded 5,287 minutes on the pitch.
Drew Wivell (Center Midfielder)
Drew Wivell is back for another season in Maryland. After spending time working his way up from the Bobcats reserve squad, Wivell made his debut with the club in the 2022 season. Last season was Wivell’s best season, as he made 25 appearances, scored four goals, and added six assists across all competitions. Bobcat fans will hope for another encore this season and more in Wivell’s third season with the club.
Manuel (Manny) Gonzalez (Center Midfielder)
Manny Gonzalez will be back for a third season with the Bobcats. Gonzalez made 24 appearances for the Bobcats last season, scored two goals, and made one assist across all competitions. Gonzalez has also previously played with the Oakland Roots SC, the Tulsa Roughnecks FC, and the NASL’s Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Abdul Kooistra (Center Midfielder)
Abdul Kooistra only played in four matches at the start of last season and missed the remainder due to injury but returns for another season at the Plex. Kooistra had previously played with Dayton Dutch Lions, Philadelphia Lone Star, and Hawks FC.
Tunde Akinlosotu (Right Wing)
Last season, Tunde Akinlosotu played in two matches but will return for another season at the Plex. Akinlosotu has experience playing in Germany with LSK Hansa, Central Valley Fuego FC, and South Georgia Tormenta FC.
Filip Burnett (Right Back)
Filip Burnett, another player who spent time with the Bobcats reserve squad, is back for another season. In his first year with the club, he played in 20 matches for the Maryland Bobcats last season.
Caleb Pritchett (Striker)
Caleb Pritchett also returns for his second season. Pritchett played in 13 matches for the Maryland Bobcats last season.
Gavin Shiels (Center Midfielder)
Gavin Shiels returns for another season at the Plex. In his first season with the Maryland Bobcats, Shiels made seven appearances for the club.
Jacob (Jake) Boyle (Goalkeeper)
After the departure of former starting goalkeeper Alex Sutton this off-season, the Maryland Bobcats have brought back goalkeeper Jake Boyle for another season. Boyle made two appearances for the Bobcats last season and got one clean sheet in 135 minutes of action.
Marcos Sotarello (Center Midfielder)
Marcos Sotarello is back at the Plex for the Maryland Bobcats for his second season. Last season, Sotarello made eight appearances for the Bobcats.
Elijah Amo (Right Wing)
Amo returns to the Plex for another run with the Bobcats after a stint with the South Georgia Tormenta FC last season in USL League One. Amo played in 28 matches but had no goals or assists during his time with Tormenta FC. Amo played with the Maryland Bobcats during the 2022 season, scoring five goals and adding four assists in 21 appearances. Hopefully, with Amo and Darwin Espinal on the wings, we can see this dynamic duo carry the attack for Maryland and get more goals into the back of the net at the Plex this season.
Luis Almeida (Center Back)
The Bobcats brought a local product back to the DMV as the club recently added center back Luis Almeida to their squad. Almeida spent last season with ALBION San Diego, played in 14 matches, and helped the club secure nine clean sheets.
Travis Ward (Right Back)
Travis Ward returns to the pitch after not playing last year and has signed a contract with the Maryland Bobcats for the upcoming season. Ward is a well-known NISA veteran who played with Chattanooga FC, Stumptown AC, and the Michigan Stars. Ward also played with the Greenville Triumph in USL League One in 2019. In his most recent season with Chattanooga FC in 2022, Ward scored two goals in 22 matches for the boys in blue.
Irvine Zeta FC
Edson Alvarado (Midfielder)
Edson Alvarado is a former LA Force player and played there from 2021 through 2022. Alvarado scored no goals but had three assists in 43 appearances. He also played with Orange County SC previously. Last season, Alvarado played with Cimarrones de Sonora II in the Liga MX Sub-20 Apertura. He made 19 appearances and scored one goal last season in Mexico. On Feb. 23, Irvine Zeta FC announced Alvarado as the club’s first player signing for the new NISA expansion side.
With most of the other NISA clubs either still holding player tryouts or in preseason action, that’s the latest player movement updates I have for you from across the league. What do you think of the latest signings? Let me know in the comments section below. Stay tuned! I’ll have my podcast interview with Maryland Bobcats FC Head Coach Alex Kao posted later today. Enjoy the rest of your Monday!
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