Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that the club has signed goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra to a one-year contract with an option for 2018. Sporting Kansas City selected Dykstra in Stage Two of the 2016 MLS Re-Entry Draft last month.
“When we lost Alec Kann in the Expansion Draft, we knew we wanted to fill that role with a veteran of MLS,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “Andrew is a player who was available in the Re-Entry Draft and one who we know very well from his time in the league. He has a good attitude and we look forward working with him this coming season.”
Dykstra, 31, previously played for D.C. United from 2012-2016, where he served as a backup goalkeeper to Bill Hamid. He began his professional career with the Chicago Fire in 2009 and boasts seven years of MLS experience, appearing in 31 regular season matches with seven shutouts and an 11-11-8 record.
Undrafted out of college, Dykstra was signed to the Chicago Fire’s developmental roster in April 2009. He was signed to the senior roster two months later and became Chicago’s starting goalkeeper ahead of the 2010 campaign. He ended the year with a career-high 17 MLS appearances and five shutouts.
In Dykstra’s first season with the Charleston Battery, he was named the team’s 2011 MVP after posting a 7-4-2 record and a 0.846 goals against average. He joined D.C. United in 2012 but spent most of the year on loan with Charleston, notching nine clean sheets in 23 appearances as the Battery were crowned USL Pro champions.
D.C. United loaned Dykstra to the Richmond Kickers in 2013, where he finished with a league-best 10 shutouts and a 0.863 goals against average en route to the USL Pro Commissioner’s Cup title.
Dykstra made four MLS appearances in 2014, going 3-0-1 with a 0.75 goals against average. He played nine more league games in 2015 and started D.C. United’s 2016 opener before beginning his second loan spell with Richmond. He went on to make 35 saves in nine matches, helping the Kickers reach the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, Dykstra played four years of collegiate soccer at Virginia Commonwealth University. He made 73 appearances for VCU and was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association Second Team as a senior in 2008. During his college years, Dykstra also played 45 matches in four seasons with Richmond Kickers Future of the USL Premier Development League.
For a full list of Sporting Kansas City’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/tracker.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) signs goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra to a one-year contract with an option for 2018.
VITALS
Andrew Dykstra
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: 1/2/1986 (31 years old)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 195 lbs.
Last Club: D.C. United
Hometown: Woodbridge, VA
Birthplace: Honolulu, HI
Citizenship: USA
