CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced on Tuesday the club had signed forward Cal Jennings ahead of the 2025 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Jennings joins the Battery having earned consecutive Championship All-League selections over the past two years with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The 27-year-old has been one of the most prolific goalscorers in the USL Championship this decade with 65 goals since his debut in the 2020 season, moving him into 12th position in the league’s regular season scoring list.

Jennings recorded 35 goals in 64 regular season appearances across the past two seasons for the Rowdies while also adding three goals in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

“Your focus determines your reality and I have ambitions to win more hardware this year, I’m looking forward to getting to work with the Battery,” said Jennings. “I’m delighted that Charleston remained interested while I weighed my options in the offseason and preseason and that we were able to make a deal work. I learned firsthand over the past couple of seasons that this team is on the brink of multiple championships and I’m here to add to an already great cast of winners.  

“The long history of the organization, along with their recent success in elevating players to bigger opportunities, makes it one I’m very excited to be a part of. To the Battery community, I’m here to make the most of what looks like a very promising year of goals, wins and trophies.”

Jennings was an All-League First Team selection in 2023, when he was runner-up for the Golden Boot and finalist for Player of the Year, and an All-League Second Team pick in 2024. In 2023, Jennings also became the fastest player to reach 50 regular season goals in league history, setting the record in just his 90th appearance.

Prior to joining the Rowdies, Jennings competed Las Vegas Lights FC on loan from Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC and Memphis 901 FC. During his rookie season in Memphis, Jennings competed for current Battery Head Coach Ben Pirmann.

“We are always looking to strengthen our squad and signing Cal helps our attacking corps and will provide us with a proven striker who has produced in our league,” said Pirmann. “Cal is a striker who will impact our front line. He is quick and decisive with his movements and is always poaching around the opponent’s goal. We have a selfless squad that is ready to make an impact, and Cal is another piece of the puzzle as we continue to build. He understands the demands and our structure, and that will allow him to help this team from the get-go.”

A native of Roswell, Ga., Jennings played collegiately at the University of Central Florida and enjoyed a decorated career with the Knights. Jennings was a two-time All-American, three-time All-AAC selection, AAC Offensive Player of the Year, two-time regular season conference champion and led the NCAA in scoring in 2019. He was subsequently drafted by FC Dallas with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.