Union Academy Alumni Roundup

The biggest news on the Philadelphia Union Academy alumni front in recent weeks is a report that goalkeeper Zack Steffen is moving up to SC Freiburg’s first team, which was promoted back to the German top flight after a season in 2. Bundesliga.

While third string goalkeepers can’t expect to get a ton of minutes, his promotion is indication of the young keeper’s development in Germany since signing with Freiburg after one season at Maryland in 2014.

USL

FC Cincinnati midfielder Jimmy McLaughlin scored a 69th minute winner on July 2 to get the better of the team he would be playing for had he not been released after last season. McLaughlin was in the right place at the right time to tap direct a flick from Omar Cummings off a Corben Bone corner kick into the back of the net for his third of the season. His heroics in front of a crowd of 17,380 helped land him on the USL team of the week.

On-loan midfielder Zach Pfeffer has come off the bench the last two matches for Charlotte Independence, a 1-1 draw with Orlando City B on July 2 and a 3-1 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders on June 25. He’s played 296 minutes in 9 matches for the Independence since being loaned out from the Colorado Rapids.

PDL

Colton Storm made his debut with the Portland Timbers U23 team in a 1-0 win over Lane United FC on June 29. The North Carolina senior played 34 minutes in the match.

Forward Leon Maric, who was on the Union U18 team in 2013-14 before playing for Continental FC Delco the past two seasons, scored a goal in his second PDL appearance in a 3-1 loss to Ocean City Nor’easters on July 1. Maric is heading to Virginia this fall.

Will Campbell, who will be a redshirt freshman at North Carolina this fall, has been a steady presence in the Reading United back line this summer. He’s gone the full 90 minutes in all 10 of his starts this summer. He’s second only to Charlie Reymann in minutes for the season.

Mohamed Conde made his debut with Reading United off the bench in a 7-1 win over Evergreen FC on Wednesday.

Other

Former Union Academy teammates John Schroeder, Zachary Perez and Mohamed Conde were part of the FC Florida Elite U19 team that qualified for the U.S. Youth Soccer national championships.

FC Florida topped CESA 96 Premier in the region III championship on June 29 after beating Barcelona 97 from Texas in the semifinal and going 2-1 in group play. The championships will be played in Frisco, Texas July 25-31.

Penn State rising senior Connor Maloney was mentioned by name by Union coach Jim Curtin after joining several Reading United players in training with the first team earlier this week.