FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution Academy midfielder Kevin Vang has been named the club’s 2018 UnitedHealthcare Academy Player of the Year, the club announced today. Vang becomes the fourth recipient of the prestigious honor, joining Revolution Academy alumni Zachary Herivaux (2014), Justin Rennicks (2015, 2016), and Joe Brito (2017).
Vang, 17, has been an influential presence in the midfield since joining the Revolution Academy ahead of the 2014-15 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. During his fourth Academy campaign in 2017-18, he totaled 26 games played, including 24 starts, and tallied four goals with seven assists in his first complete season with the Under-19s. In total, Vang has amassed 112 games played, 95 starts, nine goals, and 28 assists in his Revolution career, which spans all levels of the program from the then-Under-14 team to the Under-19 squad.
“Kevin thoroughly deserves this honor,” said Bryan Scales, the Revolution’s director of youth development. “Throughout his four-and-a-half years with our academy, he has demonstrated his tremendous ability on the field and represented the club with professionalism and class off of it. His best soccer still lies ahead of him and we are excited to watch his continued development at Providence College.”
The Providence, R.I. native began his Revolution Academy career in the 2014-15 season, setting a Revolution-career high with 33 combined appearances to go with five assists in time split between the Under-14 and Under-16 squads. The next year, he added four more helpers and one goal in 25 games played. During the 2016-17 campaign, Vang played at the Under-17/18 and Under-15/16 levels, totaling 28 appearances, three goals, and a personal-high 12 assists.
A resident of Cranston, R.I. and recent graduate of Cranston High School East, Vang is committed to attend Providence College. He has also been involved with the U.S. Youth National Team, participating in the team’s Futures Camp in Carson, Calif. in May 2015. Prior to joining the Revolution, Vang played for Bayside FC and competed in the 2014 Dallas Cup with Cedar Stars Academy.
