OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Roots SC announced on Thursday the club had signed Trinidad and Tobago international Neveal Hackshaw ahead of the 2023 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Hackshaw will enter his eighth season in the USL Championship this campaign having previously earned Championship All-League selection on two occasions during his time with former club Indy Eleven. The 27-year-old originally joined the Charleston Battery ahead of the 2016 season, and has made 166 regular season appearances in the league, logging 12,782 minutes of action as well as six goals and eight assists.

After three seasons with the Battery, Hackshaw joined Indy ahead of the 2019 campaign and was recognized as one of the league’s top defenders, earning All-League First Team honors in 2019 as the Boys in Blue advanced to the Eastern Conference Final of the USL Championship Playoffs and All-League Second Team honors in 2020.

“Neveal is a veteran of this league, and someone who truly understands what the USL and Concacaf is all about,” said Roots Director of Player Personnel Nana Attakora. “Adding another great person and very experienced player to our squad is going to only help grow our culture and maturity on the field in 2023.”

During his time with Indy, Hackshaw led the side with 140 interceptions and 637 recoveries, while winning 56 tackles at a 66.7 percent success rate and a team-high 449 duels at a 60.3 percent success rate over 91 regular season appearances.  

In addition to his USL Championship career, Hacksaw has featured for Trinidad and Tobago, his home country, on 29 occasions. After making his debut in 2015, Hackshaw has competed for the Soca Warriors in the Concacaf Gold Cup and Nations League and has also seen action in FIFA World Cup Qualifying, recording two goals and one assist in his international career.