FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution have signed Revolution Academy product Justin Rennicks as a Homegrown Player. The forward from South Hamilton, Mass. is the third Academy product to join the first team under Head Coach Brad Friedel, and the second this offseason, and becomes the sixth Homegrown Player in club history. Rennicks played the last two seasons at Indiana University after spending the previous five years in the Revolution Academy.
Rennicks, 19, emerged as one of the Revolution Academy's most productive players upon joining the program at the Under-14 level ahead of the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. The forward graduated from the Academy with 38 goals and 25 assists in more than 100 appearances across the U-14, U-16, and U-18 levels. He was named UnitedHealthcare Academy Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, becoming the first and only player to win the award twice.
“Justin was a talented and productive player during his time in our Academy, and he further distinguished himself at Indiana University and in the U.S. Youth National Team system," General Manager Michael Burns said. “After monitoring his progress closely over the last two years, we felt this was the right time for Justin to take this next step in his development and join the first team.”
"I'm excited to move on to the professional level and happy that my first contract is with my hometown team," Justin Rennicks said. "I am grateful for the opportunity Todd Yeagley and Indiana gave me the last two seasons, and I know it has prepared me best for this next step. I can't wait to get out there under the guidance of Brad Friedel, who has done it at the highest level for both club and country, which is something that drives me every day. This club has been a part of my life for many years and it feels good to be back with the Revolution."
In two seasons at Indiana University, Rennicks recorded six goals, including three game winners, and one assist in 29 total appearances. After missing time due to injury during his freshman campaign, he developed into a key player for the Hoosiers in 2018, earning second-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-North Region recognition. He also received a College Cup All-Tournament Team selection after helping Indiana reach the Semifinal.
On the youth international stage, Rennicks has represented the United States at the U-20, U-18, and U-16 levels. Most recently, in November 2018, he helped the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team win the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. He registered four goals and six assists across eight appearances in that tournament, which secured the United States a spot in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In January 2019, Rennicks was called in by U-20 MNT Head Coach Tab Ramos for a U-20 World Cup training camp in Florida.
In his debut season with the Revolution Academy in 2012-13, Rennicks scored seven goals with six assists for the U-14s. He then contributed seven goals and four assists for the U-16s in 2013-14. Rennicks continued with the U-16s throughout the 2014-15 season, scoring four goals and adding a team-best nine assists across 34 appearances. In 2015-16, he registered 15 starts for the U-18s and scored six goals. Rennicks concluded his Revolution Academy tenure by scoring a personal season-best eight goals with three assists in 12 appearances for the U-18s in the 2016-17 season.
He joins all five of the Revolution's previous Homegrown Player signings on the active roster, including the club’s most recent Academy product, 17-year-old Nicolas Firmino (Somerville, Mass.), who New England signed on Nov. 27, 2018. In 2019, Isaac Angking (Providence, R.I.) will be entering his second professional season, while Diego Fagundez (Leominster, Mass.), Scott Caldwell (Braintree, Mass.), and Zachary Herivaux (Brookline, Mass.) will be playing in their ninth, seventh, and fifth professional campaigns, respectively.
TRANSACTION: New England Revolution sign forward Justin Rennicks as a Homegrown Player on Jan. 18, 2019.
JUSTIN RENNICKS
Position: Forward
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165 lbs.
Date of Birth: March 20, 1999 (Beverly, Mass.)
Hometown: South Hamilton, Mass.
Last Club: Indiana University
How Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on Jan. 18, 2019.
