Temple captain Matt Mahoney signs with Bethlehem Steel FC

Former Temple University defender Matt Mahoney won’t be going far to continue his soccer career.

The Buffalo, New York native who spent time in the New York Red Bulls Academy signed with Philadelphia Union USL affiliate Bethlehem Steel FC on Friday.

“It’s been an amazing experience ever since I joined on trial, the team has welcomed me into their family,” Mahoney said in a news release. “The team is growing a really great program here and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”

A right back, Mahoney has been with the club since the start of preseason in early February and started in their first friendly against Junior Lone Star FC last week.

Mahoney made 73 appearances for the Owls over his four-year college career and finished with three goals and five assists. He was known for his tenacity and leadership on the field for Temple. He also played for the New Jersey Express in the Premier Development League prior to his senior season.

“Matt’s name came through another coach in our system but luckily we’ve been able to see him play and mature being down the road at Temple,” head coach Brendan Burke said in a news release. “When he joined us at the start of training camp, he came in and made an impact showcasing his fitness and ability to understand our style of play. He has a great deal of talent and brings a great amount of effort to each practice and we need players on the club that do that.”

Prior to college, the 21-year-old starred in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with New York Red Bulls from 2008-11 and with New York Cosmos/BW Gottschee Academy from 2011-13.

A kinesiology major who is expected to graduate in May, Mahoney interned with the Philadelphia Union last summer in the exercise science department.

Mahoney becomes the lone right back on the Steel roster, but he’ll likely be competing for minutes with Union rookie Aaron Jones and Academy right back Nykolas Sessock. Sessock had a strong outing in the second half of the Junior Lone Star game and showed well again in a start against Villanova this week.

The Steel roster is now right at the minimum 12 with Mahoney and left back Charlie Reymann signing this week.