There are 16 players from Ballard FC’s 2024 roster competing in their respective NCAA tournaments this fall.
Out of the 16 players, ten of them are playing this Thursday night as the University of Washington Huskies host the Seattle University Redhawks. The Huskies roster includes six 2024 Ballard FC players: Joe Dale, Peter Kingston, Richie Aman, Sean Sent, Chris Meyers, and Rhys Gourdie. All six have appeared in all 19 matches this season. Kingston and Dale have played in all three Ballard FC seasons. Kingston was named Big Ten Second Team All-Conference with 6 goals and 4 assists. Dale has a goal and three assists this season, and also scored the match-winning penalty against Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament. At the beginning of the season, Aman, Kingston, and Sent were recognized as Big Ten Players to Watch. Additionally, Chris Meyers was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and won Big Ten Defender of the Week twice this season.
On the other side, the Redhawks have four Ballard FC players of their own: Taketo Onodera, Demian Alvarez, Charlie Lanphier, and Luke Hammond. Hammond appeared in all 19 matches while the trio of Onodera, Alvarez, and Lanphier made 18 starts. The Redhawks won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament Title this season with Alvarez, Lanphier, and Hammond making the All-Tournament team. Onodera was named WAC First Team All-Conference, and Alvarez was recognized as WAC Defender of the Year. The Redhawks also have former Ballard FC head coach, Jason Farrell, on their coaching staff.
Thursday’s match will kick off at 7pm at Husky Soccer Stadium, you can purchase tickets here. The winner of Thursday’s match will play Southern Methodist University (SMU) at 4pm on Sunday, November 24th.
There are two Ballard FC players competing in the sweet sixteen of the NCAA Division III Tournament this Saturday. Rafi Otero will captain Claremont-Mudd-Scripps as they take on Middlebury at 7:30am. Otero has 13 goals and 6 assists this season, including a match-winning goal in the round of 32 against Colorado College. Later that morning, Elliot Spatz and Connecticut College will take on Kenyon at 10:30. Spatz is coming into the match in great form, scoring three goals in his last three matches.
On Sunday, there are four more Ballard FC players awaiting their opponents. Andrew Myerson and the Duke Blue Devils will play either the University of San Diego or UC Davis at 10am. This is Myerson’s first season competing with the Blue Devils after redshirting last year. He recorded his first career assist against Averett, and he scored his first goal against Howard earlier in the season. Myerson’s captain, Luke Thomas, won a USL 2 National Championship with Ballard FC in 2023. Thomas has three goals and three assists this season.
In the afternoon, the University of Pennsylvania will take on either Massachusetts or Evansville at 2pm. Leo Burney and Charlie Gaffney have played in all three Ballard FC seasons and just won their third straight Ivy League Regular Season Conference Title. Gaffney has played in 14 matches this season, including one against Temple where he recorded a hat-trick of assists. Burney was named Ivy League Defender of the Year and was eighth on Top Drawer Soccer’s Midseason Top 100 rankings. Alongside the duo of Gaffney and Burney is Stas Korzeniowski who played with Ballard FC in 2023. Korzeniowski was recognized as Ivy League Co-Offensive Player of the Year and ranked 36th on Top Drawer Soccer’s Midseason Top 100 rankings.
Lastly, Cameron Yriondo and the University of Virginia Cavaliers will host either West Virginia or North Florida at 2pm. This is Yriondo’s first season with the Cavaliers after transferring from Seattle Pacific University. Yriondo has appeared in nine matches this season, including last week’s match against Wake Forest.
Fans can support ten Ballard FC players in-person locally at Husky Soccer Stadium this Thursday. For everyone else, make sure to follow along via the respective live streams or social media.
Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Taketo Onodera celebrates after scoring a goal against Midlakes United at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Peter Kingston celebrates a goal against West Seattle Junction. Photo courtesy of Kellen Davis. 
Chris Meyers dribbles the ball during the second half against United PDX at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Richie Aman dribbles the ball during the first half against Project 51O at Interbay Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Charlie Gaffney scores against Chivas de Guadalajara U23 at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Demian Alvarez dribbles the ball during the second half against Lane United FC at Civic Park. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Charlie Lanphier celebrates after the match against Lane United FC at Civic Park. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Leo Burney celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half against Capital FC. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Joe Dale dribbles the ball during the first half against Midlakes United at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Luke Hammond dribbles the ball during the second half against Capital FC. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Sean Sent battles for the ball during the second half against Midlakes United at Bellevue College. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Rafi Otero looks on during the first half against Capital FC at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Rhys Gourdie looks on during the second half against Capital FC at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Elliot Spatz dribbles the ball during the second half against Capital FC at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Cameron Yriondo looks on during the first half against FC Olympia. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin. 
Andrew Myerson looks on during the second half against Chivas de Guadalajara U23 at Memorial Stadium. Photo courtesy of Blake Dahlin.
