November 17, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Sacramento Republic FC News Release
Sacramento, Calif. – Today, Republic FC announced that the club has signed two standout players from its Youth Development Academy to first team professional contracts. Midfielder Blake Willey (pronunciation: Will-ee), and defender Chibuike “Chibi” Ukaegbu (pronunciation: Chi-bee-Kay oo-Kay-boo) will be added to the club’s first team roster for the 2024 season pending league and federation approval. Willey and Ukaegbu become the seventh and eighth players to rise through the club’s youth system and sign a professional contract with their hometown club.
“Today is a very exciting day for youth soccer in our region,” said Republic FC President and General Manager Todd Dunivant. “It’s important to us to advance local products through the ranks, and today’s signings are reflective of our Academy’s continuous hard work developing elite talent. Both Chibi and Blake have very bright futures ahead of them and will be important pieces as we complete for silverware in 2024 and beyond.”
“Blake and Chibi each worked incredibly hard on the field this past season and proved they fit in with our first team squad,” said Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs. “Their signing is a great example of the character and talent within our club and the Sacramento region, and it is exciting to see them take the next step to begin their professional careers.”
Both players, each Sacramento area natives, featured for locally-based youth clubs prior to joining Republic FC – Willey for Sacramento United and Ukaegbu for FC Sporting. Throughout the 2023 season, each earned opportunities in training with the club’s professional squad through the Academy’s High Potential Player program. In April, Willey signed an Academy Contract, making him eligible to compete in USL Championship matches, and was twice named to the matchday roster in the regular season.
Ukaegbu, 16, joins the club’s professional squad after two seasons in the club’s academy system. He appeared in 60 matches as a defender for the club’s youth sides since 2021, scored three goals, and helped the club’s U15 and U17 teams reach the 2022 and 2023 MLS NEXT Cup playoffs and this fall’s USL Academy U-20 side challenge for the NorCal Division title. After joining Republic FC’s academy, he was identified as one of the top youth players in Northern California, and earned an invitation to the Fall YNT Regional ID Center in San Jose….