DETROIT – Detroit City FC announced on Friday the club had signed defender Jalen Robinson to a one-year contract ahead of the 2023 USL Championship with a club option for the 2024 season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Robinson joins Le Rouge having most recently played for fellow USL Championship club Loudoun United FC in the 2022 season. The 28-year-old made 23 appearances for Loudoun last season, logging 1,958 minutes of action, and recorded 75 clearances and 22 interceptions. Robinson additionally posted a 67.1 duel success rate while winning 51 of 81 aerial duels (63%).

A native of Catonsville, Md., Robinson grew up in the greater Washington, D.C. area, playing for Bethesda SC in Maryland. He joined the DC United Youth Academy in 2009, where he would stay until 2012. During his time as part of the DC United Academy, he would make five appearances for the United States U18 side.

From there, Robinson competed at Wake Forest University where he was a two-year starter for the Demon Deacons and made 36 appearances. Robinson was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team in 2013.

The following year he signed as a Homegrown Player with D.C. United to start his professional career. Robinson appeared on loan for both the Richmond Kickers and Phoenix Rising FC during his first two season before making his Major League Soccer debut for D.C. in 2016. Robinson made 26 appearances for United over four seasons before stepping away from the game in 2020.

Robinson returned to the professional ranks in 2021 with the Championship’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC before signing with Loudoun United this past season. Overall, he has made 77 appearances in the Championship, recording 5,548 minutes of action in the regular season.