Rowdies Add Midfielder Ben Bender on Loan from Charlotte FC

September 6, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release

Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Ben Bender
(Tampa Bay Rowdies)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today the club has acquired midfielder Ben Bender on loan from Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC for the remainder of the USL Championship season.

Bender will be available for selection for this Saturday’s road match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 9 p.m. ET.

“We’re thankful to Charlotte for letting Ben come to Tampa Bay,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “Ben is a fantastic player, and one I’ve known about for quite a while. He came out of the college system as the number one pick and he’s already played 50 MLS games for Charlotte, so to get him here is a great coup for us. He’ll bring goals, as well as a great attacking threat and real quality. We’ve got nine games left in this last period of the season to secure a good playoff spot. That’s especially important for us, so to get someone of Ben’s quality along with Ryan Spaulding recently really boosts the squad.”A native of Maryland, Bender played collegiate soccer close to home at the University of Maryland. In his two seasons with the Maryland Terrapins, he recorded nine goals and five assists in 29 appearances. Bender led the team in both goals and assists during his sophomore season and was unanimously voted the 2021 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year.

In 2022, Bender was selected as the number one overall pick by Charlotte FC in the MLS SuperDraft ahead of the club’s inaugural season. During his first season in the professional ranks, Bender notched three goals and six assists in 28 league appearances. He added another three goals and three assists the following season in 2023 before being sidelined by a knee injury. Bender returned to the field in May of this season with Charlotte’s MLS Next Pro side Crown Legacy FC, scoring a brace in his first appearance on May 16 to help secure a 4-1 victory over Chattanooga FC. Two weeks later, Bender tallied a goal for Charlotte in his first league appearance since his injury in a 3-1 win versus New York Red Bulls.

“I know there’s a lot of history at the Rowdies and I’m excited to get on the field and hopefully help the club win,” said Bender. “Hopefully we can make a run in the playoffs and start by getting some wins on the road here in the next week. Another personal goal is to get my fitness back because I had a long injury. I was out for a…