The parade of Homegrown signings in MLS continued in earnest on Thurday, with the Seattle Sounders inking two of their own ahead of the 2014 SuperDraft.
Seattle announced midfielder Aaron Kovar (pictured above, Stanford) and forward Sean Okoli (pictured below right, Wake Forest) will join 2013 Rookie of the Year candidate DeAndre Yedlin as Homegrown players signed by the club during the past two years. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms were not disclosed.
"It's exciting to have two more Academy kids join our team," head coach Sigi Schmid said in a statement. "Being able to add two young and talented players is a good thing. It's also very important that Academy kids can see a pathway onto the first team."
Kovar, 20, was the Gatorade Washington State Player of the Year in 2011 and earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2012. He started all 15 of his appearances for Stanford in 2013, ranking second on the team with six assists and earning an Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 selection.
"I feel honored to be part of this club," Kovar said in a statement. "I've been a fan since I was 10 years old going to USL games with my dad. It's obviously a difficult decision, but this has been my dream for as long as I can remember and I've worked really hard to get here. I'm excited to be part of my hometown club, to meet all my teammates and get ready for the preseason."
Okoli, meanwhile, scored 24 goals and added nine assists in 61 appearances during three years at Wake Forest. He earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2013, registering a team-high nine goals. In 2012, the 20-year-old led the team with a career-high 11 goals, and was named Second Team All-ACC.
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Okoli said. "I can't wait to play at CenturyLink in front of all of the fans. I am excited to help the team win games, score goals and really get my career started.
