Seattle Sounders FC has signed forward Darwin Jones to a Homegrown Player contract, the club announced today. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.
“We’re pleased to welcome Darwin to the Sounders FC First Team. He’s an exciting player that we know well from our Academy ranks and have been monitoring during his career at the University of Washington,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “Our Academy staff has done a tremendous job of developing players like Darwin, and we’re excited to add another quality Homegrown Player to our roster.”
Jones, 22, is the fifth Homegrown Player signing in Sounders FC history, joining DeAndre Yedlin (2013), Sean Okoli, Aaron Kovar and Victor Mansaray (2014). The forward joins Sounders FC after a standout career at the University of Washington, where he earned All-Pac-12 First Team in each of his two seasons.
“I’m humbled and excited to join Sounders FC and look forward to proving myself as an impact player for the club,” said Jones. “I’m looking forward to being in a competitive environment alongside a group of quality players that I can learn from inside a first-class organization.”
Jones recorded 15 goals and nine assists in 27 appearances across two seasons for the Huskies. He led the team with eight goals, 21 points and 74 shots in 2014, helping Washington to a 12-5-3 overall record and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In 2013, he finished second on the team with 18 points (seven goals, four assists) and first with 91 shots as the UW went 16-2-4 and advanced to the Elite Eight.
Prior to transferring to Washington, Jones played his freshman season at Highline Community College, where he tallied 15 goals and 10 assists and led the Thunderbirds to the semifinals of the NWAACC playoffs, earning team MVP and NWAACC Northwest Region All-Star honors.
A member of the inaugural Sounders FC Academy class, Jones led the Sounders FC U-18 squad with 16 goals in 28 appearances during the 2010-11 season, playing alongside Yedlin, Kovar and Okoli.
Transaction: Seattle Sounders FC signs forward Darwin Jones as a Homegrown Player on January 9, 2015.
Name: Darwin Jones
Position: Forward
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175
Born: April 4, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois
Hometown: Des Moines, Washington
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on January 9, 2015
