Minnesota United FC at Carolina RailHawks WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC Local Broadcast: FOX 50 - TWC SportsChannel Radio: 1550 The Ticket - 99.9 HD-3 #CARvMNU RailHawks 2016 Spring Schedule

Match Preview The RailHawks are fired up to open their Spring Season and begin their 2016 championship push. After concluding the Fall 2015 season with a 6-3-11 record, the RailHawks are ready to regain a spot at the top of the NASL in 2016. In three matches last year, the RailHawks earned a 1-1 tie in the spring at WakeMed Soccer Park, and a 3-1 home win over Minnesota United in July, but fell to the Loons 1-3 on the road in September. With the offseason signings of numerous world-class players and the addition of new owner Steve Malik, the club is more equipped and prepared to succeed than ever. The season opener is RailHawks’ fans chance to see new standouts like Paul Black, Marvin Ceballos, Simon Mensing and Brian Shriver make their regularseason debuts for the club. The first home match will also kick off the 2016 season celebration of the club’s new ownership and 10th anniversary season. Minnesota finished the Spring Preseason with a record of 1-1-3. The Loons struggled in its early preseason matches, falling to the Portland Timbers 0-4, Chicago Fire 0-4, and Vancouver Whitecaps 1-3. In its final preseason games, Minnesota United beat the Pachuca CF Reserves 2-1 and earned a 2-2 draw against the Mexican U-20 Men’s National Team.

Date

Opponent

Sat 4/2 Sat 4/09 Sat 4/16 Sat 4/23 Sat 5/1 Sat 5/7 Sat 5/14 Sun 5/22 Sat 6/4 Sat 6/11

Minnesota @Rayo OKC Ottawa Fury FC @Tampa Bay @ New York Ft. Lauderdale Miami FC @FC Edmonton Jacksonville @Indy Eleven

Time/Result 3:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

RailHawks 2016 Fall Schedule Date

Opponent

Sat 7/2 Wed 7/9 Sat 7/16 Sat 7/22 Sun 7/27 Sat 8/6 Wed 8/13 Sun 8/20 Sat 8/27 Sun 9/3 Fri 9/10 Wed 9/14 Sat 9/17 Sat 9/24 Sat 9/28 Sun 10/2 Sat 10/8 Wed 10/12 Sat 10/15 Sat 10/22 Sat 10/29

@Minnesota Tampa Bay @Ft. Lauderdale Miami FC @Ottawa Fury FC @Jacksonville Puerto Rico FC Indy Eleven @New York Jacksonville Ottawa Fury FC @Miami FC @Tampa Bay FC Edmonton New York @Rayo OKC Ft. Lauderdale Rayo OKC @Indy Eleven Minnesota @Puerto Rico FC

Time/Result 8:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Carolina RailHawks Roster No.

Name

Pos.

HT

WT

Country

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 20 21 24 27 31 42 50 92

Paul Black Kupono Low Drew Beckie Alex Pérez Austin da Luz Marvin Ceballos Matt Watson Aly Alberto Hassan Nazmi Albadawi Tiyi Shipalane Kareem Moses Connor Tobin Billy Schuler Jonathon Orlando Brian Shriver Jeremy Kelly Simon Mensing Steven Miller James Marcelin Akira Fitzgerald Brian Sylvestre

D D D M M M M F M M D D F M F M D D M GK GK

6.0’ 5.11’ 6.1’ 6.2’ 5.10’ 5.5’ 6.0’ 6.2’ 5.11’ 5.10’ 6.2’ 6-1’ 5.11’ 5.8’ 5’10’ 5.9’ 6.2’ 5.11’ 6.2’ 6.0’ 6.4’

179 165 174 176 155 140 180 175 165 160 185 180 170 165 150 150 185 161 175 174 215

England USA Canada Spain USA Guatemala England USA USA South Africa Trinidad & Tobago USA USA USA USA USA Germany USA Haiti USA USA

Pronunciation Guide Black Kuh-po-no / Low Beck-key Pe-res Da-looz Seh-bye-yoze Watson Al-ee / Ha-sann Nahz-me / Al-ba-da-we Tee / Ship-ah-lahn-ee Ka-reem Toe-bin Shoe-ler Or-lahn-doe Shh-rye-ver Kelly Men-sing Miller Mar-suh-leen Fitzgerald Silves-tree

Technical Staff

Head Coach: Colin Clarke Asst. Coach: Dewan Bader, Greg Shields, Nic Platter Team Physician: Dr. Jonathan Chappell (Wake Orthopedics)

____________________________________________________________________ RailHawks Notes Coach’s Quote “We are very excited to kick off the 2016 NASL season at home,” said RailHawks head coach Colin Clarke. “It’s going to be important to start the Spring Season with a good result. Our new owner, Steve Malik, has made a significant investment on the roster and we will make good use of it to fight for the Championship. Who to Watch RailHawks midfielder Tiyi Shipalane is coming off his best professional season ever with the Carolina RailHawks. In 2015, the versatile playmaker scored seven goals and contributed a team-high and NASL-high nine assists. RailHawks Sign Former NCAA Standout Jonathon Orlando The Carolina RailHawks have signed forward Jonathon Orlando ahead of the 2016 Spring Season. Orlando, an impressive goal scorer and opportunity creator, will provide an additional threat to the RailHawks’ attack.

2016 NASL Spring Season Standings TEAM

GP

W

T

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1

Atlanta Silverbacks

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

Carolina RailHawks

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

FC Edmonton

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

Indy Eleven

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

Jacksonville Armada

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

Minnesota United FC

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

New York Cosmos

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

Ottawa Fury FC

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

San Antonio Strikers

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

Tampa Bay Rowdies

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2016 NASL Individual Statistics No. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 21 20 24 27 31 42 50 92

Name Paul Black Kupono Low Drew Beckie Alex Pérez Austin da Luz Marvin Ceballos Matt Watson Aly Hassan Nazmi Albadawi Tiyi Shipalane Kareem Moses Connor Tobin Billy Schuler Brian Shriver Jonathon Orlando Jeremy Kelly Simon Mensing Steven Miller James Marcelin Akira Fitzgerald Brian Sylvestre

Position D D D M M M M F M M D D F F M M D D M GK GK

GP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Starts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Goals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Assists 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

YC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Min 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NASL Spring 2016 Fixtures Week 1- April 2-3, 2016 Minnesota Miami Indy Eleven FC Edmonton Ottawa Week 2- April 9-10, 2016 Ottawa Tampa Bay Carolina Minnesota Jacksonville Week 3- April 15-16, 2016 Miami Ottawa New York FC Edmonton Fort Lauderdale Week 4- April 22-24, 2016 Rayo OKC Jacksonville Carolina New York Ottawa Week 5- March 30, May 1-4, 2016 Miami Tampa Bay Indy Carolina FC Edmonton Week 6- May 7, 2016 Minnesota Rayo OKC Fort Lauderdale FC Edmonton New York Week 7- May 14-15, 2016 Indy Miami Rayo OKC Jacksonville New York Week 8- May 21-22, 2016 Minnesota Fort Lauderdale Jacksonville Carolina Tampa Bay Week 9- May 27-28, 2016 Fort Lauderdale Indy Rayo OKC FC Edmonton Tampa Bay

at at at at at

Carolina Fort Lauderdale Tampa Bay Rayo OKC New York

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Indy Miami Rayo OKC FC Edmonton New York

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Jacksonville Carolina Indy Tampa Bay Minnesota

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Miami Fort Lauderdale Tampa Bay Minnesota FC Edmonton

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Ottawa Fort Lauderdale Rayo OKC New York Jacksonville

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Ottawa Jacksonville Carolina Indy Miami

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Fort Lauderdale Carolina Tampa Bay Minnesota FC Edmonton

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Indy Rayo OKC Ottawa FC Edmonton New York

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Ottawa Jacksonville New York Miami Minnesota

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Week 10- June 4, 2016 New York Jacksonville Ottawa Indy Minnesota Week 11- June 11-12, 2016 Tampa Bay Rayo OKC Carolina Miami Fort Lauderdale

at at at at at

Fort Lauderdale Carolina Tampa Bay Miami Rayo OKC

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

at at at at at

Jacksonville Ottawa Indy Minnesota FC Edmonton

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Carolina RailHawks Player Bios 2 – Paul Black Defender Paul Black joined the RailHawks following a strong 2015 season with the Atlanta Silverbacks. Black, a 25-year-old from Rochdale, England, anchored the Silverbacks’ defense last season, playing 2,538 minutes in 29 appearances. Despite his young age, Black possesses an experienced skillset that will bolster the RailHawks’ backline in 2016. After progressing through Manchester City’s youth system, Black played professionally in England for eight years, including four years with Oldham Athletic, one year with Tranmere Rovers, one year with Carlisle United, one year with Mansfield Town, and one year with Cheltenham Town. Black earned 5,496 playing minutes in his 75 appearances in England’s League One and League Two. The attack-minded natural-right back also boasts call ups to the England Under-18 and Under-19 teams. 3 – Kupono Low Kupono Low joined the RailHawks in the franchise’s inaugural 2007 season, scoring the RailHawks’ first-ever goal and earning the RailHawk’s first-ever season MVP. In his nine seasons with the club, Low has won the admiration of soccer fans throughout North America thanks to his incredible level of consistency, his commitment to the RailHawks, and his leadership and mentorship of younger players. Low holds the all-time record for most appearances with the club, with 244, earning him the nickname “Mr. RailHawk.” In 2015, Low’s years of hard work were rewarded when the official RailHawks beer (in collaboration with Lonerider Brewing) was named for him, Kupono Captain’s Ale. On the field in 2015, Low started 22 matches for the RailHawks, playing 1,970 minutes and logging one assist while anchoring the defense. Kupono Low rejoins the team having previously spent eight seasons as an integral player within the defense. Low currently holds the all-time record of most appearances with the club at 220. Last season, Low logged 2,082 minutes in 24 appearances. 4 – Drew Beckie The RailHawks signed Canadian defender Drew Beckie ahead of the 2016 season. The 25-yearold clocked over 2,300 minutes in 35 matches with Ottawa Fury FC during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Beckie grew up in Denver, Colorado after relocating with his family from Regina, Saskatchewan at a young age. An early standout, Beckie was offered a contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency Program at 15, but opted for the collegiate route, later committing to the University of Denver. While with the Pioneers, Beckie was named to the Duke Nike Classic All-Tournament Team. In addition, in 2011 the defender was named the University of Denver soccer team’s Most Valuable Player, as well as being selected to the All-MPSF First Team. Beckie represented Team Canada in the 2012 Olympic qualifying games. No stranger to representing his country, Beckie had previously attended camp for the U-20 and U-17 teams years before. In 2013, Beckie entered the MLS SuperDraft in which he was selected 28th overall by the Columbus Crew in the second round. Beckie played for the Crew on their reserve squad and then signed with Ottawa Fury FC the next year. Named the NASL’s 2015 Humanitarian of the Year, Beckie will add not only skill, but impeccable character to the RailHawks. 5 – Alex Pérez The RailHawks signed Alex Pérez late September 2015. The skillful midfielder started five games during the 2015 season, amassing 404 minutes of play and scoring one goal. Pérez began his soccer career in his home city of Madrid, playing for prestigious youth clubs such as Juventud Madrid and CDC Moscardó before making his professional debut with Getafe CF in 2010. Pérez excelled during his two years with Getafe CF, playing in 61 matches, making two appearances in the UEFA Europa League, and logging 4,923 minutes. The defender scored one goal and started in 26 matches during the 2010-2011 season. In 2012, Pérez joined Spanish club SD Huesca on

loan and appeared in 12 matches. He then joined Bulgarian club PFC Levski Sofia for the 2013 season and logged 1,085 minutes before returning to Spain on loan to Recreativo de Huelva. 6 – Austin da Luz Da Luz first signed with the RailHawks in 2012, and has since rejoined the team following a oneyear stint with USL Pro side Orlando City SC. While in Orlando, he made a total of 18 USL Pro appearances, scoring five goals and completing one assist in 1,123 minutes. At the conclusion of the 2014 USL season, da Luz returned to the RailHawks. During his four seasons with the RailHawks (2012-2015), da Luz accumulated 4,500 minutes, 8 goals, and 12 assists in over 68 matches. The Winston-Salem native had a stellar college career playing for the Demon Deacons at Wake Forest University. He appeared in 80 matches scoring 13 goals while also having 39 assists. Da Luz was part of the highly successful team that appeared in four Final Fours including a NCAA National Championship in 2007. Da Luz would was selected as the 14th overall pick of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls, where he played seven regular season games in 2011, making four starts and notching a goal and an assist. He was then traded to D.C. United, where he participated in 14 matches. 7 – Marvin Ceballos NASL standout Marvin Ceballos joined the RailHawks ahead of the 2016 season. Ceballos, a native of Guatemala City, Guatemala, began his professional career with Liga Nacional side Comunicaciones in 2011. The explosive midfielder netted eight goals and earned 3,385 playing minutes in his three seasons with Comunicaciones. After joining Indy Eleven in 2015, Ceballos immediately asserted himself as one of the top young midfielders in the NASL thanks to his vision and technical skillset. The 23-year-old scored two goals in his 12 appearances for Indy Eleven last season. Ceballos was the first outdoor player to net a goal for his country in a FIFA tournament when he score the game winner against Croatia in the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011, boosting his country to the knockout round. Ceballos would also start against Portugal in the Round of 16, going the full 90 minutes in a 0-1 defeat that saw los Chapines give the eventual tournament runner-up all it could handle. Ceballos also represented Guatemala at the Under-23 level in two Central American region qualifying games during the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament in September 2011. He has also appeared with Guatemala’s senior national team five times, including three caps last summer. 8 – Matt Watson The Carolina RailHawks announced that England-born midfielder Matt Watson re-joined the club on a multi-year contract ahead of the 2016 NASL season. Watson played an instrumental role with the RailHawks in its early stages, helping the team capture one USSF D-2 Conference title and one NASL regular season title. The vibrant midfielder first joined the RailHawks ahead of the 2008 season. In 2009, Watson helped the RailHawks to a club-best second-place finish in the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) standings. Between 2008 and 2009, Watson appeared in 44 regular season matches, scored three goals, and recorded five assists. During his third season as a RailHawks player, Watson helped the team capture the NASL Conference title in the United States Soccer Federation Division-2 Professional League (USSF D-2), starting 18 of 26 matches, and scoring two goals. During the inaugural season of newly-formed North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2011, Watson started all 24 of his regular-season appearances, as the team captured the NASL regular season title after finishing first in the standings. Watson scored three goals and recorded two assists that year. Watson then joined former RailHawks Head Coach Martin Rennie in Vancouver as a member of Whitecaps FC ahead of the 2012 MLS season. The Englishman would eventually clock over 2,300 minutes in 37 matches with the Canadian side before transferring to Chicago Fire in 2014. Watson started 22 of 27 matches in which he appeared for the Fire that season, earning over 2,000 minutes of play and scoring one goal. During the 2015

season, he made 13 appearances for the Fire, eight of which were starts. Prior to joining the RailHawks, Watson played for the Richmond Kickers in 2006 and helped the team win the USL-2 regular season and championship titles. The following year, the midfielder was named to the USL2 All-League First Team after helping the Kickers to a second-straight regular season title. He was also a part of the Kickers’ run to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup quarterfinals in 2007. Not satisfied with only playing the sport outdoors, Watson simultaneously played indoor soccer professionally during the offseason. He was the third selection in the 2006 MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) Draft and would eventually win two MISL championship titles with Baltimore Blast during his five seasons with the team. Before becoming a professional soccer player, Watson played two seasons of NCAA Division I soccer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and was named America East Conference Midfielder of the Year and Rookie of the Year, while he earned spots on the All-America East Conference First Team and Rookie Team. Watson made 34 appearances for the Retrievers, scored five goals, and recorded 16 assists. 9 – Aly Alberto Hassan The Carolina RailHawks announced the signing of forward Aly Alberto Hassan ahead of the 2016 season. Hassan, an NASL veteran, has played in the league for five seasons and advanced to the Championship match twice. The 26-year-old forward from Weston, Florida, broke into the NASL in 2012 when he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Hassan had an extremely successful rookie season with the Strikers, appearing in 21 matches and scoring six goals, including a hat trick in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Following a brief loan to Bolivian squad Club Aurora, Hassan returned to Fort Lauderdale, where he spent three more seasons. Hassan logged 885 playing minutes and scored three goals for the Strikers, before joining Ottawa Fury in 2015. During his season in Ottawa, Hassan appeared in 12 matches and scored three goals, helping the Fury earn a berth in the NASL Championship match. Hassan has also represented the United States at the U-20 level, earning his first national team cap in 2008 against Guatemala. 10 – Nazmi Albadawi The Carolina RailHawks announced the return of versatile midfielder Nazmi Albadawi ahead of the 2016 season, bringing back another member of the 2015 roster on a multi-year contract. Albadawi played in 24 games for the RailHawks in 2015, starting in 23 and amassing 1,913 playing minutes. In addition, Albadawi collected six goals and three assists. The previous year, he made 25 appearances with the RailHawks, including 20 starts and scoring four goals. Albadawi, 24, a product of CASL (Capital Area Soccer League) and Triangle United Soccer Association, began his time with the RailHawks as a member of the U-23 team in 2012, and captained the RailHawks U23 squad that captured the prestigious USASA National Championship in 2013. Albadawi later joined the NASL prior to the start of the 2014 Season when he was offered his first professional contract. After spending time playing for Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, NC, Albadawi went from watching the RailHawks in the stands to a collegiate career that would ultimately land him on the RailHawks senior team. The trustworthy midfielder played one year at Wake Tech Community College and then became a four-year standout member of the N.C. State Wolfpack men’s team. During his senior year at N.C. State, Albadawi was ranked eighth in the ACC conference with nine points. In addition, during his junior year, Albadawi managed to average 0.92 points per game, good enough for tying ninth in the ACC, despite only playing 12 out of 20 games due to an injury. 11 – Tiyi Shipalane Tiyi Shipalane enters his fifth consecutive season with the RailHawks and sixth overall. After spending the 2010 season with the RailHawks, Shipalane returned to his native South Africa for one season to play for the University of Pretoria. Last season, Shipalane logged 2,335 minutes in 28 appearances. The dynamic midfielder scored seven goals and added nine assists, positioning

him on top of the NASL assists table. Shipalane moved to the U.S. to play college soccer at Lindsey Wilson College, where he was the 2006 NAIA Region XI Player of the Year and a three-time AllAmerican. He began his professional career with the Harrisburg City Islanders and made his professional debut on April 18, 2009 against the Richmond Kickers. After 18 appearances and six goals for the Islanders in the 2009 season, Shipalane spent one season in MLS’s D.C. United. After a brief stint with former USL team, Harrisburg City Islanders, Shipalane first signed with the Carolina RailHawks in 2010. 12 – Kareem Moses The RailHawks signed Trinidad and Tobago international Kareem Moses ahead of the 2016 season. Moses, 25, joined the RailHawks after playing for two successful seasons with FC Edmonton, where he scored two goals in 47 games and clocked over 4,000 minutes. Moses brings international experience to the RailHawks. The native of Port of Spain has logged nearly 700 minutes with the Trinidad and Tobago senior National Team since he debuted in 2012 in a friendly against Canada. The Trinidadian also represented his country at the U-23 level, playing for the side in six matches. Moses signed his first professional contract in 2009 with Joe Public FC from Trinidad and Tobago, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Superstar Rangers. After his contract ended, Moses went to play with North East Stars FC where he helped the team to a cup title and reached three other cup finals. 13 – Connor Tobin The Carolina RailHawks have announced the re-signing of established leader Connor Tobin ahead of the 2016 season. Tobin, one of the strongest defenders in the NASL, will return to the RailHawks for his third year with the franchise as the team celebrates its tenth anniversary. Tobin earned the RailHawks’ captain’s armband in 2015 and played 2,542 minutes in 29 matches, ending the season with more matches started, matches played, and minutes played than any of his current teammates. The assertive defender also scored two goals in 2015 and his passionate play and commitment to building a strong relationship with supporters quickly made him a fan favorite. Tobin played at the University of Vermont where he started in 76 out of the 77 matches he appeared in. These 77 matches are tied for 6th all-time at that University's Men's soccer program. After he played four years of college ball, he began to play professionally in Norway for Nybergsund in 2009. After two years, he returned to the United States to play for the Rochester Rhinos. 17 – Billy Schuler The RailHawks signed former-UNC star Billy Schuler ahead of the 2016 season. Schuler, 25, led the Tar Heels’ attack from 2008 until 2011. The forward helped the Tar Heels reach the NCAA Championship match in 2008, and helped his squad win the NCAA Championship in 2011. Following his impressive collegiate career, Schuler joined Swedish club Hammarby for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, in which he scored two goals in 26 appearances. The Allentown, New Jersey, native returned to the US in 2014, joining Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes for one season before transferring to Whitecaps FC II of the United Soccer League for the 2015 season. Schuler logged 890 playing minutes and scored two goals in his 26 appearances with Vancouver. 20 – Jonathon Orlando The Carolina RailHawks signed midfielder Jonathon Orlando ahead of the 2016 Spring Season. Orlando, an impressive goal scorer and opportunity creator, will provide an additional threat to the RailHawks’ attack. Orlando grew up playing soccer in the Washington, DC area. He attended the University of the District of Columbia, where he took over the attack and led the Firebirds squad. Orlando was the team leader in a whopping six categories: goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, shots on goal, and shots. At the conclusion of his freshman season in 2005, Orlando ranked

8th in goals scored among all NCAA Division II schools. Orlando also ranked 10th in points per game among Division II schools, earning himself substantial recognition in the league. 21 – Brian Shriver The Carolina RailHawks signed 28-year-old forward Brian Shriver ahead of the 2016 NASL season. Shriver is a Florida native and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumnus. Shriver is no stranger to the RailHawks. In the 2013 NASL season, Shriver led the RailHawks and the entire league with 15 goals. Shriver’s prolific scoring abilities earned him a spot in the 2013 NASL Best XI and won him the NASL Golden Boot, which is awarded to the league’s top scorer during the combined Spring and Fall seasons. The forward’s capacity to threaten opposing defenders and finish in front of goal will allow him to rejoin the club as a major offensive contributor. Shriver’s soccer career took off at Clearwater High School in Clearwater Fla., where he served as team captain for three years and helped win the 2004 Florida state championship title. Shriver was named an NSCAA/Adidas Youth All-American in 2004 and participated in the 2004 Adidas Elite Soccer Program. Following high school, Shriver went on to play for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2005 until 2008, earning eight goals and six assists for the Tar Heels. In 2008, Shriver made 13 appearances with the RailHawks’ U-23 squad, scoring six goals. The following year Shriver was drafted by FC Dallas of Major League Soccer, but he turned down the contract to finish his degree. In 2014, Shriver joined Miami FC, which later became the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The forward scored 15 goals during his two seasons with the Strikers and led the club to the 2011 NASL Soccer Bowl Final. After playing for the RailHawks during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Shriver returned to Florida and joined the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2014. Shriver scored five goals and logged 2,609 playing minutes during his two seasons in Tampa Bay. 24 – Jeremy Kelly The Carolina RailHawks added Kelly to their roster ahead of the 2016 season. Kelly, a product of the Capital Area RailHawks Academy will be available for selection for the 2016 Spring Season. Kelly, attacking midfielder, began his soccer career in France, where he lived until he was 11. Upon coming to the United States, Kelly joined the Triangle United Soccer Association, where he played until the start of the 2012-2013 season. Kelly later joined the RailHawks Academy as a member of the U-15/16 team and was also a member of the 2014-2015 USSDA Southeastern Conference champion team. Kelly started all 20 games of the 2015-2016 season with the U-18 team and scored four goals. The Capital Area RailHawks Academy is a collaboration between the Capital Area Soccer League and the RailHawks for U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams in the U-13/14, U-15/16 and U-17/18 age groups and is designed to attract the highest caliber players and coaches possible, regardless of their previous club affiliations. Academy players are eligible to train and play with professional soccer players prior to their enrollment in college and keep their NCAA eligibility. Kelly has committed to join his hometown university UNC-Chapel Hill Men’s Soccer program next fall. With the inclusion of Kelly, both Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News have ranked Carolina’s signing class as No. 1 in the country. 27 – Simon Mensing The Carolina RailHawks announced the signing of German-born English defender Simon Mensing ahead of the 2016 season. Mensing, a 33-year-old from Wolfenbüttel, Germany, spent several years playing for Scottish Premiership League side Hamilton Academical FC. Mensing led Hamilton Academical’s defense for four seasons, accumulating an impressive 20 goals and 11,877 playing minutes in over 150 appearances. Following his notable career with Hamilton Academical FC, Mensing split the 2012 season between Scottish sides Greenock Morton and Raith Rovers. Mensing then joined Premiership League’s Livingston for two years and continued to assert himself as a confident and reliable defender with an ability to score. The Livingston captain and defender netted two goals in his 33 appearances with the squad. Mensing left Scotland for America and

joined the NASL in 2015, anchoring the Atlanta Silverbacks’ defensive line in his 28 appearances. Mensing’s physical and assertive style of play earned him the captain’s armband and the praise of Silverbacks fans and NASL supporters alike. Now, Mensing will use his veteran leadership to protect the RailHawks’ goal and push toward a championship in 2016. 31 – Steven Miller The RailHawks signed Steven Miller to a multiyear contract in December 2015. Miller played five matches for the RailHawks in the Fall 2015 Season, accumulating a total of 450 playing minutes. Miller grew up in Elkins Park, Pa. and went on to play at Colgate University from 2007 to 2011. He finished his final collegiate season with 12 goals and one assist, earning the 2011 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award, an All-Patriot League First Team spot and the Patriot League Tournament MVP award. After graduating from Colgate, Miller was selected as the first pick in the third round of the MLS Supplemental Draft by the Montreal Impact. Miller then signed with the Premier Development League’s Michigan Bucks in 2012, before signing his first professional contract with Danish squad Jammerbugt FC in 2013. While in Denmark, he scored one goal in 12 matches. Miller returned to the United States in 2014 to play for USL’s Wilmington Hammerheads FC, where he netted three goals in 26 appearances. In March 2015, Miller signed with Tulsa Roughnecks FC, another United Soccer League squad, where he scored three goals and earned three assists during his 2,125 played minutes. 42 – James Marcelin The Carolina RailHawks and Fort Lauderdale Strikers agreed to a trade that sent midfielder Neil Hlavaty to the Strikers in return for 29-year-old midfielder James Marcelin. In 2015, Marcelin was named to NASL’s Best XI team. Marcelin and Clarke enjoyed two successful seasons with Puerto Rico Islanders, in which the Islanders would finish the 2008 season with a 15–9–6 record, clinching the USL-1 first position and the Commissioner's Cup and making a notable run in the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League. Marcelin is a member of the Haiti national team and has represented his country more than 20 times at the senior level. He was part of Haiti's 2007, 2009, and 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. The dominating midfielder joins the RailHawks after playing for two successful seasons with the Strikers, where he picked up two Team of the Week honors in 2015, and tallied two goals and three assists. Marcelin started 30 of 31 games for the Strikers and logged nearly 2,700 minutes. Marcelin started his career in native Haiti as a teenager with Roulado, later moving to Racing Club Haïtien. In 2008 he signed with Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL First Division, where he would stay until 2009. In 2010 he moved to the Portland Timbers and remained with the club as they made the transition to MLS in 2011. Marcelin also played one season with FC Dallas in 2012 before joining the Strikers. 50 – Akira Fitzgerald Fitzgerald first joined the RailHawks as a member of the RailHawks U-23 Program before signing his first professional contract in July of 2011. Fitzgerald started 21 matches for the RailHawks in 2015, amassing nearly 1,900 minutes. Fitzgerald also led the NASL in saves in 2015. Fitzgerald played his collegiate soccer at Wake Forest University, where he started 69 out of 71 matches. He logged nearly 6,300 minutes with the Demon Deacons. He finished his collegiate career ranked third in school history in career goals against average (0.83), fourth in saves (237), third in save percentage (.803) and second in minutes played (6,296). Fitzgerald joined MLS’ New York City FC on Dec. 11, 2014. The 27-year-old made two appearances for the Club during their first-ever preseason; he came on as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 win over St. Mirren on February 10th and started against the Houston Dynamo in the Carolina Challenge Cup on February 24th.

92 – Brian Sylvestre Brian Sylvestre was signed ahead of the 2015 season and loaned to MLS' Philadelphia Union. The physically stately American shot stopper is a former player of the USL’s Harrisburg City Islanders, where he made three senior level appearances. Sylvestre debuted for the Islanders in a U.S. Open Cup match against the Philadelphia Union and is a former member of both the United States U-17 and U-20 National Teams. As a product of Hollywood, Florida, Sylvestre played his high school soccer at Hollywood Hills High School. His youth career started at the Schultz Academy, which ultimately led to Sylvestre joining the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Sublime development built the path for Sylvestre to join the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency in 2009. Sylvestre made his Residency team debut in the U-19 Super Group at Dallas Cup XXXI in 2010. As a member of the senior side, Sylvestre was a part of the Whitecaps squad that earned runners up in the 2012 Canadian Championship. He then continued his career with a move to the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2013.

Head Coach Bio Colin Clarke Colin Clarke enters his fifth season as head coach of the Carolina RailHawks after being appointed to the position on December 6, 2011. Clarke signed a new multi-year contract with the RailHawks on 2014. This contract makes Colin Clarke the longest tenured head coach in franchise history. Prior to joining the RailHawks for the 2012 NASL Season, Clarke enjoyed successful seasons with league rival the Puerto Rico Islanders and FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. After a successful professional and international playing career, Clarke was hired to his first head coaching job with the Richmond Kickers by then Kickers General Manager and current RailHawks’ President Curt Johnson in 1998. In his first season, Clarke led the RailHawks to a fourth place league finish accompanied by a run to the NASL Semifinals and a historic run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup highlighted by a victory over the 2011 and 2012 MLS Champion, LA Galaxy. In the newly formatted 2013 NASL Regular Season, Clarke led the RailHawks to accumulate the most points over the Spring Season and Fall Season with an overall record of 12 wins, 7 ties, and 7 losses in league play. In 2013, Clarke and the RailHawks once again defeated the LA Galaxy in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup and avenged their Fourth Round loss in 2012 with a 3-1 victory over Chivas USA. The trip to the Quarterfinals of the 100th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the RailHawks longest run in the annual tournament since their Semifinal run in 2007. Over his two seasons in charge, Clarke led the Kickers to a 38 - 18 record. During the 2003 Major League Soccer season, Clarke took over as head coach of the Dallas Burn (later named FC Dallas) and turned around the club’s fortunes, leading the club to a Western Conference first place finish in 2006. In 2007 Clarke joined the Puerto Rico Islanders. His tenure in Puerto Rico was highlighted by a league regular season championship in 2008 and a historic run to the semifinals of the 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League before losing to Cruz Azul in a penalty kick shootout. For his accomplishments over the course of the 2008 season, Clarke was named the league’s Coach of the Year. In 2010, Clarke’s Islanders made headlines in Champions League play once again when they defeated the LA Galaxy 4 – 1 at the Home Depot Center. Following their Champions League success, the Islanders went on to defeat the RailHawks in the USSF-D2 Pro League Championship Final. Clarke left his tenure with the Islanders with a league regular season championship (2008), a league championship (2010), two CFU Club Championships (2010, 2011), and five consecutive playoff berths (2007-2011). Prior to coaching, Clarke established himself as one of the top players from Northern Ireland representing the country in the 1986 World Cup and experiencing a twelve-year playing career in England. Clarke began his playing career with Peterborough United of the Football League Fourth Division in 1981 and quickly ascended to England’s First Division spending time with Southampton, Queens Park Rangers, and Portsmouth until a knee injury ended his playing career. Appearing 38 times for the Northern Ireland National Team, Clarke recorded a World Cup goal, a hat-trick, and finished his career as the all-time leading goal scorer for Northern Ireland (13). Clarke finished his professional career with 147 goals in 436 matches.