IRVINE, Calif. – Orange County SC announced on Friday it had signed midfielder Chris Hegardt ahead of the 2025 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Hegardt joins Orange County on a permanent deal after previously having recorded one goal, two assists and 27 chances created in 16 appearances while on loan form Norwegian club Stabæk during the 2024 USL Championship season. The 23-year-old also won nine tackles at a 81.8 percent success rate and 57 duels at a 53.8 percent success rate during the campaign.

A native of San Diego, Calif., Hegardt has made 39 appearances in the Championship previously in his career. He made his debut for Tacoma Defiance during the 2019 season as a USL Academy signing, recording one goal and one assist in 17 appearances, before competing for two seasons at Georgetown University, where he helped the Hoyas reach the College Cup Semifinals in 2021.

Hegardt was then signed by Charlotte FC prior to the 2022 Major League Soccer season after acquiring his Homegrown Player rights from Seattle Sounders FC, and made seven appearances for the side across two seasons. During that span he also competed on loan in USL League One with the Charlotte Independence, where he recorded three goals and four assists in 14 appearances, and in the USL Championship for Loudoun United FC, where he notched one goal and one assist in six appearances.