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Meet every player on Lexington Sporting Club’s inaugural roster for USL League One season

Lexington Sporting Club’s first professional USL League One roster features 22 players along with a coaching and training staff of seven.

LSC has begun its debut season in USL League One, but several benchmark moments are still to come for the club, including the first “Kentucky Derby” against Louisville City on Wednesday night and LSC’s home opener at Toyota Stadium in Georgetown on Saturday night.

Here’s a look at each player and coach that is part of a historic season for Lexington’s newest pro sports franchise.

Roster is shown in order of listed positions, from back to front. Each player’s name is listed with his jersey number.

Amal Knight
Amal Knight

13 Amal Knight

Height, weight: 6-3, 180.

Position: Goalkeeper.

Age: 29.

Hometown: St. Andrews, Jamaica.

Path to LSC: Knight previously played with San Diego Loyal in the USL Championship, the second tier of American pro soccer, and with FC Tucson in USL League One.

Knight also has playing experience in the top division of the Jamaican domestic league, and he’s played in several international matches with the senior Jamaica Men’s National Team.

Notable: Knight recently earned a call-up to the Jamaica Men’s National Team.

Austin Causey
Austin Causey

1 Austin Causey

Height, weight: 6-2, 178.

Position: Goalkeeper.

Age: 21.

Hometown: South Easton, Massachusetts.

Path to LSC: Born in Massachusetts, Causey was a member of MLS club New England Revolution’s academy system, before beginning his professional career in April 2021 with the Richmond Kickers in USL League One.

Kaelon Fox
Kaelon Fox

5 Kaelon Fox

Height, weight: 6-3, 180.

Position: Center back, right back and central defensive midfielder.

Age: 27.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky.

Path to LSC: Fox played youth soccer for Javanon SC in Louisville and Lexington FC, and won a pair of high school state titles at St. Xavier in Louisville.

Fox played at the University of Kentucky and Saint Francis (Pennsylvania), and has previous professional experience in Iceland and with FC Tucson in USL League One.

Notable: Fox was the first signing announced by LSC.

Erick Ceja Gonzalez
Erick Ceja Gonzalez

17 Erick Ceja Gonzalez

Height, weight: 6-1, 185.

Position: Center back.

Age: 21.

Hometown: Reno, Nevada.

Path to LSC: Gonzalez played at Truckee Meadows Community College (Nevada) for two seasons, before playing in the United Premier Soccer League.

Owen Green
Owen Green

Owen Green

Height, weight: 5-10, 165.

Position: Right back and right wingback.

Age: 24.

Hometown: Miami, Florida.

Path to LSC: Born in England but raised in Miami, Green played at Florida International and last played with South Georgia Tormenta FC in USL League One.

Notable: Green was part of the South Georgia Tormenta team that won the USL League One championship last season.

Diallo Irakoze
Diallo Irakoze

20 Diallo Irakoze

Height, weight: 5-10, 155.

Position: Right back and midfielder.

Age: 21.

Hometown: Kigoma, Tanzania.

Path to LSC: While he was born in the east African country of Tanzania, Irakoze is a local presence on the inaugural LSC team. Irakoze was raised in Lexington and played youth soccer for Lexington FC and high school soccer at Bryan Station.

He spent one season playing at the University of Louisville before joining Metro Louisville FC in the United Premier Soccer League.

Notable: Irakoze was part of LSC’s first USL Academy team last fall, and impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a professional contract.

Kimball Jackson
Kimball Jackson

4 Kimball Jackson

Height, weight: 6-2, 155.

Position: Center back and outside back.

Age: 18.

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky.

Path to LSC: Jackson was a part of MLS club FC Cincinnati’s MLS NEXT Under-19 team, and graduated from Lafayette High School. Jackson spent the 2022 season at Xavier University.

Notable: Jackson is one of three players from the commonwealth on LSC’s inaugural roster.

Franky Martinez
Franky Martinez

33 Franky Martinez

Height, weight: 6-1, 180.

Position: Center back and outside back.

Age: 27.

Hometown: New York City, New York.

Path to LSC: Martinez played at Iona and Massachusetts-Lowell before being selected in the third round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City.

Terique Mohammed
Terique Mohammed

57 Terique Mohammed

Height, weight: 5-9, 150.

Position: Left back.

Age: 22.

Hometown: Toronto, Canada.

Path to LSC: Mohammed was born in Toronto and played in 22 matches last season for FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League, the top men’s soccer league in Canada. He also previously played in the USL Championship and in USL League One while with Toronto FC II.

Notable: Mohammed has previously played for several Canadian youth national teams.

Cesar Murillo Jr.
Cesar Murillo Jr.

26 Cesar Murillo Jr.

Height, weight: 6-0, 197.

Position: Defender.

Age: 27.

Hometown: El Paso, Texas.

Path to LSC: Murrilo played at the College of Charleston before making professional stops with North Texas SC, a club owned and operated by MLS club FC Dallas that now plays in the MLS Next Pro, as well as Greenville Triumph and Forward Madison in USL League One.

Murrillo has already twice won the USL League One championship.

Notable: Murrilo is the most recent addition to the LSC roster, having joined the club March 15.

Tate Robertson
Tate Robertson

2 Tate Robertson

Height, weight: 5-11, 165.

Position: Right back and central midfielder.

Age: 25.

Hometown: Springfield, Ohio.

Path to LSC: Robertson played at Bowling Green State before embarking on a pro career that has featured stops at Dayton Dutch Lions (USL League Two) and Stumptown AC and Chattanooga FC of NISA.

Khalid Balogun
Khalid Balogun

14 Khalid Balogun

Height, weight: 6-4, 210.

Position: Center attacking midfielder, center forward and winger.

Age: 24.

Hometown: Bowie, Maryland.

Path to LSC: Balogun spent time with MLS Club D.C. United’s youth academy before going to NCAA Division III St. Mary’s College (Maryland), where he scored 37 goals in 66 matches.

Notable: Balogun earned the first penalty in Lexington SC history during the club’s first game this season at One Knoxville SC.

Will Baynham
Will Baynham

9 Will Baynham

Height, weight: 6-2, 172.

Position: Striker.

Age: 25.

Hometown: Brisbane, Australia.

Path to LSC: Baynham played youth soccer in England with the academy of English Premier League team AFC Bournemouth, before playing in the United States at Yavapai College (Arizona) and California-Santa Barbara.

Notable: Baynham scored in three consecutive NCAA Tournament matches for UCSB in 2019, including a game-winning golden goal during a Sweet 16 match at Indiana.

Baynham has been named a vice-captain for LSC’s 2023 season.

Nico Brown
Nico Brown

77 Nico Brown

Height, weight: 5-11, 165.

Position: Left wing and right wing.

Age: 24.

Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland.

Path to LSC: Brown played at Loyola University Maryland, and has spent his professional career to date with the Maryland Bobcats (NISA) and Greenville Triumph (USL League One).

Notable: Brown spent time with the Jamaican National Team at the under-17 level.

Ates Diouf
Ates Diouf

32 Ates Diouf

Height, weight: 5-11, 140.

Position: Midfielder and winger.

Age: 22

Hometown: Rufisque, Senegal.

Path to LSC: Diouf played last season for San Antonio FC in the USL Championship. San Antonio won the USL Championship title, defeating Louisville City in the title match.

Phila Dlamini
Phila Dlamini

22 Phila Dlamini

Height, weight: 5-8, 163.

Position: Midfielder.

Age: 23.

Hometown: Durban, South Africa.

Path to LSC: Dlamini has played for the South African Under-20 National Team and NCAA Division II school Saginaw Valley State (Michigan).

Jalen James
Jalen James

7 Jalen James

Height, weight: 5-11, 170.

Position: Winger.

Age: 22.

Hometown: Grand Prairie, Texas.

Path to LSC: James has been called up multiple times to represent the United States Youth National Team and is a product of MLS club FC Dallas’ academy, which is known as one of the best in the world.

Notable: James’ youth career featured overlap on the national team with current U.S. Men’s National Team players Josh Sargent and Tim Weah, and overlap in the FC Dallas Academy with Jesus Ferreira, another current USMNT player.

Soso Kim
Soso Kim

11 Soso Kim

Height, weight: 5-9, 165.

Position: Central midfielder.

Age: 27.

Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas.

Path to LSC: Kim is a native of South Korea who was raised in Kansas. He made three appearances for the reserve team of MLS club Sporting Kansas City, and later played at Duke and California-Santa Barbara.

Notable: Kim’s professional playing experience includes time with the Oakland Roots (now of the USL Championship) as well as clubs in the Czech Republic and Malta.

Charlie Machell
Charlie Machell

8 Charlie Machell

Height, weight: 6-2, 170.

Position: Midfielder.

Age: 28.

Hometown: Newcastle, England.

Path to LSC: Machell began his playing career with the youth academy of English Premier League club Newcastle United. He then came to the United States and played for NCAA Division II Wingate University (North Carolina) and NCAA Division I East Tennessee State.

As a professional, Machell has played in Cambodia, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Malaysia and Singapore.

Notable: Machell has been named the captain for LSC’s 2023 season.

Pierre Mane
Pierre Mane

25 Pierre Mané

Height, weight: 5-10, 155.

Position: Midfielder.

Age: 24.

Hometown: Dakar, Senegal.

Path to LSC: Mané played at both Pittsburgh and Virginia Commonwealth. Mané spent time during the 2021 season with FC Florida’s under-23 team in USL League Two.

Drew Patterson
Drew Patterson

18 Drew Patterson

Height, weight: 6-3, 190.

Position: Center forward and winger.

Age: 21.

Hometown: Cranford, New Jersey.

Path to LSC: Patterson played at Marist College (New York) and Cal Poly.

Don Smart
Don Smart

10 Don Smart

Height, weight: 5-9, 157.

Position: Midfielder.

Age: 35.

Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica.

Path to LSC: Smart was also part of the debut roster for Indy Eleven in the North American Soccer League in 2014. He was the first-ever professional signing for Forward Madison (another USL League One club) in 2018. He spent the last two seasons playing with Greenville Triumph SC, another USL League One team.

Notable: Smart is the oldest player on the LSC roster and scored the first goal in club history during its first professional game from the penalty spot.

Later during that March 18 loss at One Knoxville, Smart became the first LSC player to receive a red card.

Smart is a vice-captain for LSC’s 2023 season.

Coaching staff

Sam Stockley — Head coach.

Stockley also serves as the men’s sporting director for LSC.

Nach Novo — First assistant coach.

Novo also serves as the head coach of the under-23 team for LSC.

Warren Goodhind — Assistant coach.

Goodhind also serves as the associate head coach for LSC’s USL Academy team and as the technical director for the boys’ youth teams at LSC.

Connor Talbot — Head of goalkeeping.

Ian Kossick — Head of performance.

Brandon Coldwell — Equipment manager.

Taylor Spyker — Head athletic trainer.

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