# D.C. United Academy

The D.C. United Academy is the youth and development program for the Major League Soccer club D.C. United. The program consists of teams at four age levels: the under-23 and under-20 teams, as well as the Academy (U-17, U-16, and U-15).
The D.C. United Academy has been one of the most successful MLS academies. Many players have been signed directly from the Academy to the professional team, or have later played professionally. Notable players to have graduated from the D.C United Academy include Bill Hamid, who has been called up by the U.S. national team and who was the MLS 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year, and Andy Najar, who has been capped for Honduras and who was the MLS 2010 Rookie of the Year.

## History

The D.C. United Academy was created in 2005 in an effort to provide local talent an opportunity to have professional training. D.C. United was one of the first MLS clubs to develop its own academy. The D.C. United Academy gained some press in 2013 when D.C. United Academy graduate Michael Seaton made his league debut with D.C. United; Seaton was the first player to play an MLS game who was born after MLS began play in 1996. D.C. United decided in 2015, however, to reduce its outlays on its academy in part to help defray the expenses associated with the team's new soccer-specific stadium.

## Structure

Like most Major League Soccer teams, United's academy features youth pre-academy teams that ascend to the ranks of the senior team on the professional level. Starting in 2016, United will field their reserve team in the second-division USL Championship. Beneath their reserve and senior squads is the under-23 side, whom play exhibition matches.
The teenage brackets represent the main academy as well as the pre-academy structure. Players from the under-15 to the under-18 age level play in MLS Next, playing against other academy teams around the nation. Formerly, the academy played in the USSDA.
Consisting of players aged from under-12 to under-14, the Pre-Academy is a stepping stone for younger players to adapt to an academy setting. This age group of players participates in Northeast Pre-Academy League.
For players at the U-10 level and below, United offers specialty training camps.
D.C. United Academy is fully funded and does not charge any fees for its players.

## Notable alumni

Andy Najar, who transferred from D.C. United to Belgium's Anderlecht for a reported $2 million, was the first player from the D.C. United Academy — and first from any MLS academy — to move to Europe on a permanent contract. The youngest D.C. United Academy signing is Chris Durkin, who signed for D.C. United in 2016 at 16 years old. Furthermore, several D.C. United Academy players have played with U.S. national youth teams.

## MLS players

The following list includes players who, after leaving the D.C. United Academy, have played at least one match in Major League Soccer.
Notes:
* D.C. United appearances updated as of November 29, 2020.
* Where a player has played with multiple levels of a national team (e.g., men's team, under-20 team, under-18 team), only the highest level is listed.
Source: D.C. United

## The Academy
### U19 team

    As of November 1, 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | USA | Luke Peacock |
| 2 | DF | SLV | Diego Vásquez |
| 3 | DF | USA | Justin Melly |
| 4 | MF | USA | James Snaith |
| 5 | DF | USA | Dash Papez |
| 6 | DF | USA | William Jones |
| 7 | FW | LTU | Gabrielius Mažonas |
| 8 | MF | USA | Garry Zhang |
| 9 | FW | USA | Adrian Buri |
| 10 | FW | USA | Christopher Argueta |
| 11 | MF | HON | Brian Chavez |
| 12 | MF | ETH | Michael Dessalegn |
| 13 | DF | USA | Ramsey Ray |
| 14 | DF | HON | Alessandro Maldonado |
| 15 | DF | BRA | Henrique Borges |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | SLV | Felipe Rodriguez |
| 17 | FW | USA | Diego Diaz |
| 18 | GK | USA | Cameron Marbray |
| 19 | MF | GHA | Otu Bisong |
| 20 | FW | USA | Langston Fabiyi |
| 21 | FW | USA | Sydney Aggrey |
| 22 | MF | TUN | Teymour Mohammed |
| 23 | DF | USA | Judah Pritchett |
| 24 | GK | USA | Alexander Aguilar |
| 25 | MF | BUL | Glb Bogdanov |
| 26 | MF | TUR | Tito Segni |
| 27 | MF | USA | Nelson Martinez |
| 28 | FW | SLV | Brice Hall |
| 29 | FW | USA | Brown Huffard |

### U16/U17 Team

    As of February 19, 2022
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | USA | Jason Guevara |
| — | GK | USA | Luke Peacock |
| — | GK | USA | Ethan Talapatra |
| — | DF | SLV | Alexander Aguilar |
| — | DF | USA | Gleb Bogdanov |
| — | DF | USA | Gustavo Borges |
| — | DF | USA | Alexis Gonzales |
| — | DF | USA | Greg Jones |
| — | DF | USA | Dash Papez |
| — | DF | SLV | Diego Vasquez |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | SLV | Jonathan Aguirre |
| — | MF | SLV | Christopher Argueta |
| — | MF | USA | David Ayala |
| — | MF | USA | Isaiah Chisolm |
| — | MF | USA | Diego Diaz |
| — | MF | NCA | Luciano Lanzas |
| — | MF | USA | Nelson Hernandez |
| — | MF | HON | Alessandro Maldonado |
| — | MF | USA | Justin Melly |
| — | MF | USA | Ethan Pendleton |
| — | MF | USA | Gavin Turner |
| — | MF | USA | Gary Zhang |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | USA | Ignacio Alem |
| — | FW | USA | Sydney Aggrey |
| — | FW | USA | James Ashby |
| — | FW | HON | Noel Calix Ortiz |
| — | FW | PER | Gabriel Cossio |
| — | FW | USA | Wilson Holman |
| — | FW | USA | Gage Lyons |
| — | FW | TUN | Teymour Mohammed |
| — | FW | USA | Hugo Portillo |

### U15 Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | USA | Jason Guevara |
| — | GK | USA | Owen Pschigoda |
| — | GK | USA | Cameron Marbray |
| — | DF | USA | Michael Bosley |
| — | DF | USA | Myles Mercer |
| — | DF | USA | Kemari Kerr |
| — | MF | USA | Ayaan Ali |
| — | MF | USA | Emidio Castro-Valdez |
| — | MF | USA | John Chisholm |
| — | MF | USA | Ejani Christian |
| — | MF | USA | Neil Das |
| — | MF | USA | Kevin Diaz-Blanco |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | USA | Braxton Hayes |
| — | MF | USA | Brice Hall |
| — | MF | USA | Jimmy Juarez |
| — | MF | USA | Jerry Lopez Felix |
| — | MF | USA | Ada Karatepe |
| — | MF | PER | Jason Molina |
| — | MF | USA | Damilola Olupona |
| — | MF | SLV | Diego Torres |
| — | MF | USA | Makai Wells |
| — | MF | USA | Aiden Zarate |
| — | FW | SLV | Raul Avalos |
| — | FW | USA | Langston Fabiyi |
| — | FW | USA | Haadi Khalid |
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | SLV | German Argueta |
| — | USA | Jerry Boasmanboon |
| — | USA | Julian Dix |
| — | USA | Alan Flores |
| — | GUA | Gabriel Fuentes |
| — | USA | Brown Huffard |
| — | POL | Jakub Porada |

### U14 Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | USA | Anthony Applewhaite |
| — | USA | Mayson Barillas |
| — | USA | Braydon Bloom |
| — | USA | Jeffrey Bonilla |
| — | USA | Austin Brown |
| — | DOM | Kamil Castillo |
| — | USA | Pascal Crosley |
| — | USA | Juani Cuneo |
| — | USA | MJ Day |
| — | USA | Nate Free |
| No. | Nation | Player |
| — | USA | Chase Gould |
| — | USA | Luca Nicolacci |
| — | USA | Marco Nicolacci |
| — | USA | Edwin Ortiz |
| — | USA | Dominick Pell |
| — | USA | Mateo Pinto |
| — | USA | Valentino Quaranta |
| — | PUR | Edwin "SJ" Rios Jr. |
| — | USA | Austin Roberts |
| — | USA | Siji Sowemimo |
| — | USA | Brayden Stevens |

## Coaching staff

    As of August 7, 2023
| Position | Staff |
| U-19 Head Coach | Mattar M'Boge |
| U-17 Head Coach | Phil Gordon |
| U-15 Head Coach | Marco Etcheverry |
| U-14 Head Coach | Phil Nana |

## Reserves

From 2005 until 2012, D.C. United fielded a reserve team that played in the MLS Reserve Division. The reserve team disbanded when Major League Soccer and USL Pro announced a player development partnership, and United announced Richmond Kickers as their USL Pro affiliate.

### Honors

* MLS Reserve Division: 1
** 2005

### Seasons

| Season | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | MLS Reserve League | Top goalscorer(s) | Top goalscorer(s) |
| Season | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | Name | Goals |
| 2005 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 21 | 24 | 1st | Jamil Walker | 9 |
| 2006 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 11 | 19 | 5th | | |
| 2007 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 5th | | |
| 2008 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 5th | | |
| 2011 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 21 | Eastern Division 2nd | Joseph Ngwenya | 4 |