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TRANSACTIONS: Defiance Bring Aboard Experienced Fernandez

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 01/14/20, 7:19PM EST

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Memphis adds another to back line in Segbers; Atlanta signs Battling Bishops midfielder


New Tacoma Defiance signing Collin Fernandez arrives at the club having made 80 appearances in the Championship over his career. | Photo courtesy Nick Dawes / Saint Louis FC

TACOMA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance announced on Tuesday it had signed midfielder Collin Fernandez. The 22-year-old has appeared in 80 career USL Championship games and three MLS contests, including helping Phoenix Rising FC reach the 2018 USL Championship Final. The signing is pending league and federation approval.

“Collin is an experienced USL Championship midfielder that will bring an added punch to our midfield,” said Sounders FC General Manager and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “He is a talented young player that has a great future ahead of him.”

Fernandez has recorded 5,039 minutes across 80 appearances and 58 starts in his USL Championship career. He has notched three goals and six assists, including two goals in 2018 as a member of Rising FC. Last season with Saint Louis FC, Fernandez started 12 of his 20 appearances and recorded 1,123 minutes and one assist.

The Downers Grove, Illinois native was named to the USL’s 20 Under 20 List in 2017 after appearing in a career-high 28 games for FC Tulsa while on loan from the Chicago Fire. Fernandez has appeared in three career MLS matches for the Fire, where he turned professional as a Homegrown signing in 2014, recording one shot in 14 minutes of action.

SEGBERS SIGNS IN MEMPHIS: Memphis 901 FC announced another new addition to its back line on Tuesday with the arrival of former Sporting Kansas City II defender Mark Segbers.

“Mark is a fast and powerful right back that is strong in one-on-one matchups and effortlessly gets up and down the channel,” said 901 FC Head Coach Tim Mulqueen. “He has an excellent ability to get great service delivered and has a proven ability to finish.”

The St. Louis, Mo. native comes to 901 FC with two seasons of USL Championship experience. He spent last season with SKC II, where he made 30 appearances and logged 1,944 minutes. Segbers previously played for Orange County SC and was part of the side that finished top of the Western Conference in the 2018 Championship season. Before the start of his professional career, Segbers also played for Chicago FC United of USL League Two.

“Mark is very athletic with good speed, balance and strength. He also has a very good soccer IQ,” added Mulqueen.

ATLANTA ADDS BATTLING BISHOP: ATL UTD 2 announced on Tuesday it had signed midfielder Baboucarr Njie, pending league and federation approval.

“Baboucarr is a well-rounded midfielder that suits our style of play,” said Atlanta Head Coach Stephen Glass. “He is sound defensively and has the ability to get forward and score goals, as his record in college shows. Baboucarr impressed us at our showcase and we’re pleased to add him to our group.”

Njie, 24, played three seasons at North Carolina Wesleyan College from 2016-2019. In 2018 he played for North Carolina FC’s U-23 squad in USL League Two, before returning to Wesleyan for his Junior 2019 season. Njie made 57 appearances across three years with the Battling Bishops while tallying 34 goals and 19 assists. In 2019, he was named USA South Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference and selected as a DIII First Team All-American after scoring 15 goals and adding seven assists to lead Wesleyan to the East Division Title with a 12-1 conference record. 

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