The Swope Park Rangers have signed goalkeeper Max Trejo, defenders Dylan Hooper and Kaveh Rad, and midfielder Tucker Lepley to Academy contracts, the club announced today. All four signings are pending league and federation approval, while their Academy contracts do not affect each players’ NCAA eligibility.
Trejo, 16, was born in Mexico City but grew up in Lawrence, Kansas and has been a part of the Sporting KC Academy since 2016. The goalkeeper has made 44 appearances in Development Academy action while rising from the Under-15 side to the Under-19s. Trejo has made 11 appearances split between the U-17s and U-19s in the 2018-19 campaign.
The youngest of the group at the age of 15, central defender Hooper is in the midst of his second season with the Sporting KC Academy. The Shawnee, Kansas native has made 15 appearances for the U-17s this season, following on from a strong debut campaign where he played in 24 matches for the U-15s in 2017-18.
Rad, 17, returns for his second season as an Academy signing with the Rangers, having spent a large part of the 2018 season training with the team, though he did not make an appearance. A native of Durham, North Carolina, Rad joined the Sporting KC Academy in 2016 and has made 58 appearances split between the U-15s, U-17s and U-19s, tallying three goals.
Lepley, 17, spent a large part of preseason with the Sporting KC first team in Arizona, appearing in one scrimmage against FC Arizona. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Lepley has been a part of the Sporting KC Academy setup since 2018, making 18 appearances and tallying three goals to date for the U-17s in the 2018-19 Development Academy season.
The Rangers (0-1-1) are back in action this weekend when the side takes on Bethlehem Steel at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday afternoon with kickoff set for 4 p.m. CT. All USL Championship games are streamed live on ESPN+, while tickets for home games are available via SeatGeek.com.
VITALS
Max Trejo
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: 4/10/2002 (16 years old)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 155 lbs.
Hometown: Lawrence, Kan.
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
Citizenship: Mexico, USA
Twitter: @maxtrej0
Instagram: @maxtrejo_
VITALS
Dylan Hooper
Position: Defender
Born: 11/13/2003 (15 years old)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hometown: Shawnee, Kan.
Birthplace: Overland Park, Kan.
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @dylnhooper03
Instagram: @dylan.hooper03
VITALS
Kaveh Rad
Pronunciation: KAH-vay
Position: Defender
Born: 6/13/01 (17 years old)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 160 lbs.
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
Birthplace: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @KavehRad11
Instagram: @_kavehrad
VITALS
Tucker Lepley
Position: Midfielder
Born: 1/17/02 (17 years old)
Height: 5-4
Weight: 125 lbs.
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Birthplace: Charlotte, N.C.
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @LepleyTucker
Instagram: @tuckerlepley_
