Hartford Athletic announced the re-signing of forward Kauan Ribeiro and goalkeeper Justin DiCarlo to USL Academy contracts, pending league and federation approval. Both players are returning to the first-team roster for the second consecutive season, continuing their development within the club after signing Academy contracts during the 2024 campaign.
Kauan Ribeiro is the club’s first true homegrown player, having been part of Hartford Athletic’s original academy team at age 14, in 2021. Kauan continued to work his way through the academy’s professional pathway and signed a USL Academy contract with Hartford in September of 2024, after spending the season with Hartford’s Reserve Team. The 18 year-old from Bridgeport, CT made multiple appearances on the 18-man roster throughout the remainder of the season, and re-signed ahead of 2025.
“Bringing in local talent like Kauan and Justin is a clear representation of our commitment to growth and finding success in this area,” said Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke. “Both of these guys bring valuable depth to our squad, and having trained with us for a few years, have a clear idea of who we are and how we compete. As our Academy continues to grow we hope to welcome more promising young players into our environment each year.”
Kauan’s pathway to pro journey is a testament to Hartford’s commitment to developing local talent and the strength of their Academy program. The Academy has grown from one boys team in 2021 to 17 boys teams and five girls teams, consisting of 327 players from ages 7 – 19. Players interested in participating in Hartford Athletic’s Youth Academy and Clinic programming can visit hartfordathletic.com/academy to learn more.
Justin DiCarlo, a 6’2, 20-year-old shot-stopper from Canton, Connecticut, began his journey with the Athletic in 2021. At just 16 years old, his performance at open tryouts earned him an invitation to train with the first team throughout the season. DiCarlo rejoined the club for another training stint during the 2023 regular season, and signed a USL Academy contract in February, 2024 ahead of a season where he was a mainstay on the 18-man roster.
DiCarlo’s local soccer roots trace back to his youth days with the Oakwood SC U12 and U14 teams before enrolling at The Hotchkiss School in 2018. Over his four-year high school career, he was a cornerstone of the program in goal, earning a varsity letter each season. His senior year saw him lead as team captain, achieving All-League First Team and All-Region Honorable Mention honors, along with the prestigious Lucien Swift Strong Memorial Award for Loyalty, Leadership, and Spirit. He capped off his high school career with All-State recognition, recording four shutouts and averaging seven saves per game in his final season.
Beyond high school, DiCarlo continued his development with AC Connecticut’s U17 team and USL Academy U19 squad in 2021. In 2022, following his graduation from Hotchkiss, he competed for Oakwood SC’s MLS Next U19 club. He committed to Dayton University in January of 2023, where he joined the Division I program for the spring. That fall semester, DiCarlo was part of the Flyers’ A10 Championship squad.
The squad hits the road for their first regular season matchup tomorrow, Saturday, March 8th. Kickoff is set for 7PM Eastern in Lexington. The boys in Green & Blue will return to Hartford for two home matches in March, the first of which on Tuesday, March 18th as they compete in a first-round U.S. Open Cup matchup. Tickets are available now on SeatGeek.
