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Tulsa Inks Austin Wormell to New Contract

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 12/30/21, 1:00PM EST

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Local standout made 17 appearances in first professional season with club


Goalkeeper Austin Wormell made 17 appearances for FC Tulsa in his first professional season at the club, and has re-signed with the team for the 2022 campaign. | Photo courtesy FC Tulsa

TULSA, Okla. – FC Tulsa announced on Thursday it had signed goalkeeper Austin Wormell to a new contract for the upcoming 2022 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Wormell becomes the second local product on the club’s roster for the new season, joining midfielder Ciaran Winters. His return to the club continues an incredible upward trajectory for the 23-year-old, who less than a year ago was in the middle of his senior season at NCAA Division II program Rogers State University. After being discovered by Tulsa Head Coach Michael Nsien at an open tryout in Tulsa, Wormell was offered a chance to cut his collegiate career short and sign a professional contract in February to be the team's third-string goalkeeper.

With starting keeper Sean Lewis sidelined with an injury for significant portions of the 2021 season, Wormell worked his way up the depth chart to make 17 league appearances, 16 of which were starts. He finished the season with 49 saves, posted a save percentage of 65.3 percent save percentage, and logged three clean sheets.

“Austin had a season to remember,” said Nsien. “Going into the season, we were hoping to maybe get Austin his pro debut at some point, but he obviously exceeded expectations and took his opportunity when the moments came. Austin's objectives this season will be ambitious and opportunistic once again, and he has the complete trust of the coaching staff and his teammates. The sky is the limit for Austin, and we look forward to an important year for his growth.”

Not only did FC Tulsa fans, coaches, and teammates take notice of Wormell’s standout performance in his rookie campaign, but so did the USL Championship. The league nominated Wormell for several Save of the Week awards throughout 2021 as well as Save of the Playoffs.

Wormell was in net as the club clinched its postseason berth at Indy Eleven and was also the starter as the side defeated OKC Energy FC on the final day of the regular season to claim the Victory Wrench in the Black Gold Derby.

“I’m extremely happy to re-sign with my hometown club,” said Wormell. “It means everything to me to be able to wear the crest and play in front of family, friends, and fellow Tulsans. As a team, we have a lot of unfinished business, and we will stop at nothing to bring a trophy to Tulsa.”

A former Tulsa Soccer Club and Blitz United product at the club level, Wormell prepped at Bishop Kelley High School where he won a 5A State Championship in 2017. While he initially played collegiately at Creighton and Oregon State, Wormell would later land at Rogers State where he helped lead the Hillcats to a 2019 GAC/MIAA conference title.

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