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The Daily Tar Heel

Cam Lindley and Zach Wright sign with MLS teams

Cam Lindley

Midfielder Cam Lindley (6) takes a shot against James Madison on Tuesday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. 

After seeing their season cut short in the 2017 College Cup, two North Carolina men’s soccer players will have the chance to make an impact on the next level when they join the Major League Soccer ranks this week.

On Thursday, it was announced that sophomore midfielder Cam Lindley’s rights were acquired by Orlando City, S.C., from the Chicago Fire. Lindley will join Orlando in exchange for defender Rafael Ramos and $100,000 in Targeted Allocation Money.

The former Tar Heel midfielder earned a four-year contract with Club options. He is no stranger to the professional competition, having won a national championship with the Chicago Fire Under-18 Academy team, as well as playing in the Professional Development League with Chicago FC United in 2016 and the Wilmington Hammerheads in 2017.

Lindley’s acquisition comes after a stellar sophomore season. The midfielder scored seven goals and tallied 13 assists in 22 matches, and he led the Tar Heels back to the College Cup for the second consecutive season. His 13 assists were the most by a player in head coach Carlos Somoano’s seven seasons as coach. 

Lindley’s play also earned him the distinction of ACC Midfielder of the Year, and he was named a first team All-American. In addition to these accolades, Lindley was named a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, an award given to the nation’s top player. 

Lindley, who started all 43 games of his collegiate career, was not the only Tar Heel signed by an MLS club this week. On Wednesday, Sporting Kansas City announced it had signed former UNC forward Zach Wright as a Homegrown player. Wright had joined the club’s Under-18 Academy team before arriving at UNC, allowing the club to pick up his rights without subjecting him to the MLS SuperDraft. The forward will join the club on a one-year contract with club options for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Forward Zach Wright (10) around a Fordham defender on Dec. 2 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

Wright finished a decorated collegiate career by leading UNC to consecutive College Cups for the first time since 2011. In 79 games, Wright scored 15 goals and compiled 28 assists. His best two years came in 2016 and 2017 as he started in all 42 matches he competed in, tallying nine goals and an impressive 18 assists. Wright was selected for consecutive second team All-ACC nods in his final years at UNC.

The forward will be reunited with former teammate and defender Colton Storm, who was selected by Sporting Kansas City as the 14th pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. 

Lindley and Wright are the latest Tar Heels to join the pro ranks, a trend that has seen at least one player signed by the league since 2015. UNC has developed 48 players who have joined the pro ranks since 2000. Since 2009, 27 former Tar Heels have made the jump to the MLS.

With two more Tar Heels joining the MLS, it might not be long before one of these players represents UNC for the national team.

@christrenkle2

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheeel.com

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