Sporting Kansas City has acquired forward Christian Volesky in a trade with the Portland Timbers, the club announced Monday. Volesky is on a one-year contract with options for 2018, 2019 and 2020.
In exchange, Portland will receive Sporting Kansas City’s natural fourth-round pick (No. 80 overall) in the 2017 MLS Super Draft.
Volesky, 24, has spent the last two seasons with the Rochester Rhinos of the United Soccer League. He was drafted by the Timbers in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft but never played for the club.
“Christian is a player who fits many of the characteristics we are looking for in our team,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “He is a young, hungry player who we've followed closely over the past two years and who we feel can give us depth in a position of need.”
As a rookie, Volesky scored a team-high eight goals and added three assists as Rochester finished atop the regular season standings and captured the 2015 USL Championship. He was the club’s top scorer again in 2016, recording 10 goals and four assists en route to team Offensive Player of the Year honors. Volesky was one of only two players to feature in all 32 matches for Rochester this season.
Volesky totaled 29 goals and five assists in 73 matches during a four-year college career, spending his first season at the University of Denver and his final three years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He was an All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team selection from 2012-2014 and was named the MVC’s 2014 Player of the Year as a senior when SIU Edwardsville reached the second round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship.
Following his successful college career, Volesky landed Tom Fitzgerald MLS Combine MVP honors after scoring two goals in combine matches.
Volesky, a native of Henderson, Nevada, led Foothill High School to four consecutive Nevada state championships from 2007-2010.
For a full list of Sporting Kansas City’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/tracker. The club holds a first-round pick (No. 14 overall) and a third-round pick (No. 58 overall) at the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, with the first two rounds set for Friday in Los Angeles and the final two rounds held via conference call on Jan. 17.
Transaction: Sporting KC (MLS) acquires forward Christian Volesky from the Portland Timbers (MLS) in exchange for a natural fourth-round pick (No. 80 overall) in the 2017 MLS Super Draft.
VITALS
Christian Volesky (vuh-LESS-key)
Position: Forward
Born: 9/15/1992 (24 years old)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 175
Last Club: Rochester Rhinos (USL)
College: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Hometown: Henderson, Nevada
Birthplace: Henderson, Nevada
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @CVolesky12
