BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC announced on Wednesday the signing of defender Josh Bauer on a short-term deal through the end of the 2020 USL Championship season.

“We’re excited to add Josh to our group,” said President and GM Jay Heaps. “He had an outstanding college career, and we look forward to Josh having an impact for the remainder of the season.”

Bauer heads to Birmingham after a standout career at the University of New Hampshire where he was, most notably, named a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American after the 2019 season and was a 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, an award given to the best player in college soccer.

The center back started his final 70 games for the Wildcats, scoring 10 goals and assisting eight, while wearing the captain’s armband and leading his team to win the past two America East Conference Championships. He was named the America East Defender of the Year, and ECAC Defender of the Year in 2019 and is only the second player ever to be named the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player twice (2018, 2019). He was also a 2018 United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and a United Soccer Coaches First Team Scholar Athlete the past two seasons.