IRVINE, Calif. – Orange County SC made its first roster moves for the 2024 USL Championship season on Wednesday as the club announced it had signed goalkeeper Colin Shutler and defender Dillon Powers to new contracts and exercised its contract option on defender Owen Lambe.

Defenders Ryan Doghman and Markus Nakkim are also set to return, having previously been under contract for the 2024 campaign, bringing back a group of five players that proved one of the best defensive units in the USL Championship this past campaign.

Shutler’s new contract comes after he posted a goals-against average of 0.90 and a save percentage of 74.3 percent while recording 11 shutouts after becoming the club’s starter midway through the campaign. Powers, meanwhile, is set for his fourth season with OCSC after moving into a center back role this past campaign from his former midfield position. 

Powers ranked second only to Nakkim on OCSC in clearances (98), blocks (17), and aerial duels won (60), and the two will now aim to build on their successful partnership in the upcoming campaign.

Analysis

Orange County SC will have more moves to come, but keeping together a defense that helped fuel the club’s rise in the Western Conference to a second-place finish this past season is a major plus. Dillon Powers’ conversion to center back is now set to become permanent as he takes his place alongside Markus Nakkim, while goalkeeper Colin Shutler is rewarded with a new contract after a breakout season.

Shutler had a Goals Prevented mark of -1.22 over the past campaign and with a full season could have challenged for the most shutouts in the Championship. If he can maintain that level going into his third campaign overall with the club, then even better things could be coming for Head Coach Morten Karlsen’s side.