OKC Energy FC Finalizes 2014 Roster

OKC Energy FC has finalized its roster for the 2014 season, General Manager Jason Hawkins announced today. A total of 20 players make up the roster for Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen, including six midfielders, six forwards, five defenseman and three goalkeepers.

"We are very happy with the squad we have constructed," said Nielsen. "We have a good balance of international and domestic players, who have come together and created an outstanding team environment. The common goal is being successful in our inaugural year as a franchise. Each player has worked tirelessly, both individually and collectively, since we opened camp, and we can't wait to get started."

The roster has six players from overseas, including two each from Denmark and England and one from Wales and Cameroon. The 14 American-born players hail from all over the United States – five from Kansas, two each from Oklahoma, Maryland and Virginia and one each from California, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Season tickets for OKC Energy FC are available by calling the Energy FC office at 405-235-KICK (5425).

Energy FC is led by former Sporting Kansas City goaltender and 2013 MLS Cup champion, Jimmy Nielsen. Nielsen was a two-time MLS All Star, the 2012 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, and goalkeeper for the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open championship club.

USL PRO is the strongest, best operated and most experienced North American men's professional soccer league outside of Major League Soccer (MLS). Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features 15 teams for the 2014 season, including expansion teams in Oklahoma City and Sacramento. Presently 10 USL PRO teams have direct affiliations with Major League Soccer clubs.

The league not only serves as a springboard to the MLS for players, but also for franchises. Five of the last six clubs to enter MLS have moved up from the USL's top professional division. Among the most successful clubs, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact and Orlando City SC all operated franchises in the USL's top professional division before making the transition to MLS.

2014 Energy FC Roster

No. Name Position Ht. Wt. Previous Club Hometown

1 Jon Kempin - Goalkeeper 6-1 170 Sporting KC (MLS) Leawood, Kan.

2 Kyle Miller - Midfielder 5-9 160 Sporting KC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

3 Peabo Doue - Midfielder 5-10 175 Phoenix Wolves (USL PRO) Takoma Park, Md.

4 Cyprian Hedrick - Defense 6-0 185 Phoenix Wolves (USL PRO) Douala, Cameroon

5 Gareth Evans - Defense 6-1 200 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Wrexham, Wales

6 Tarek Morad - Defense 6-2 161 UC Irvine (NCAA) Chino Hills, Calif.

7 David Leichty - Midfielder 5-11 158 Sporting KC Academy Overland Park, Kan.

8 Michael Thomas - Forward  5-10 170 Toronto FC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

9 Christian Duke -  Midfielder 5-9 157 Sporting KC (MLS) Overland Park, Kan.

10 Philip Lund - Midfielder 6-0 165 Seattle Sounders (MLS) Vejle, Denmark

11 Adda Djeziri - Forward 6-5 200 Scunthorpe United (League Two) Copenhagen, Denmark

12 Max Gunderson - Defense 5-9 155 Austin Aztex (USL PDL) Henderson, Nev.

14 Pete Caringi III - Forward 6-1 175 UMBC (NCAA) Perry Hall, Md.

16 Samir Badr - Goalkeeper 6-3 182 El Hodood (Egyptian PL) Fairfax, Va.

17 Paul Wyatt - Forward 6-0 181 Reading United (USL PDL) Modbury, England

18 Nate Shiffman - Midfielder 5-8 165 VCU (NCAA) Richmond, Va.

21 Steven Perry - Forward 6-0 175 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Edmond, Okla.

22 Kyle Greig - Forward 6-2 185 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) Stevens Point, Wis.

23 Mark Howard - Defense 6-1 186 AGF (Danish Superliga) Salford, England

24 Jennings Clark - Goalkeeper 6-0 160 USAO (NAIA) Norman, Okla.