Hartford Athletic have signed defender Luke Merrill, pending league and federation approval. Merrill was offered his first professional contract after attending the club’s invitational combine earlier this month.
“It’s a special moment for me to sign my first professional contract with Hartford Athletic,” said Merrill. “I’ve worked hard to get to this spot in my career, and I cannot wait to begin this new chapter in Hartford. I’d like to thank Coach Ramos and the rest of the technical staff for believing in me, and I’m excited to begin the 2023 season with my teammates.”
Merrill comes to Hartford after finishing his senior season at Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah) in October 2022. Over two seasons with the Griffins, Merrill played in 31 games, scored 10 goals, and recorded three assists.
“Luke is a young player with tremendous high-energy,” said Head Coach Tab Ramos. “He’s excellent technically and can play in multiple positions. We are excited that he has chosen to join us.”
A native of Layton, Utah, Merrill began his collegiate career at Salt Lake Community College. He recorded seven assists across two seasons for the Bruins, and earned All-Region 18 Second Team honors in 2019.
“Luke is a young player with potential,” said Technical Director Ray Reid. “I think under Tab’s tutelage, he will develop and grow as a player. We are excited that he is joining the Hartford Athletic family.”
Hartford Athletic have signed the following players for the 2023 season:
Forwards: Elvis Amoh, Jeciel Cedeño, Kyle Edwards, Antoine Hoppenot, Joel Quist, Prince Saydee
Midfielders: Danny Barrera, Jonathan Filipe, Kembo Kibato, Andre Lewis, Conor McGlynn,
Defenders: Ash Apollon, Triston Hodge, Robin Lapert, Niall Logue, Luke Merrill, Kaveh Rad, Tulu
Goalkeepers: Joe Rice, Richard Sanchez
More player announcements will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for Hartford’s home opener on March 25th against Birmingham Legion FC are available now at hartfordathletic.com/single.