WINDSOR, Colo – Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC announced they have signed center-back Brecc Evans, who, as a teenager, captained North Texas SC during its 2019 USL League One title-winning campaign. The signing is pending league and federation approval.
Evans, a native of Culver City, CA., spent the 2021 season in the USL Championship with Memphis 901 FC. Memphis went 14-10-8 in 2021, with Evans making 22 appearances as the team advanced to the playoffs.
“I’m thrilled to join the club in its inaugural season and bring professional soccer to the Northern Colorado community,” said Evans. “I want this club to have the best backline in the league and consistently add points each to the table to ensure we are fighting for a championship at the end of the year.”
Evans enrolled at California Polytechnic State University in 2018, but left after his freshman campaign to turn professional. North Texas SC signed him to a two-year deal in February 2019, and named him the team captain prior to the preseason at just 18 years of age. The club, which included current US Men’s National Team star Ricardo Pepi, went on to finish top of the table with a stellar +22 goal differential, and defeated Forward Madison in the semifinals and Greenville Triumph SC in the final to claim USL League One’s inaugural title. Evans finished as the league’s third-best passer in 2019, completing more than 87 percent of his passes out of the back.
“We are delighted to bring Brecc to Colorado,” said Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC head coach Éamon Zayed. “Along with Lachlan [McLean], that gives us two players who have already won a USL League One championship before.
“It’s crazy to think that despite being only 22 years of age, he has already captained that fantastic 2019 North Texas FC team to a USL League One title and was also a part of an impressive Memphis team who reached the USL Championship playoffs last season.”
Evans was sent to Austin Bold in the USL Championship on loan in 2020, but North Texas recalled him during the season to guarantee him more playing time.
He was a member of the FC Dallas Academy from 2014–18, winning the U-16 National Championship in 2016 and the Dallas Cup Super Group title in 2017.
At Northern Colorado, Evans will join a backline that includes former Bohemian FC defender Rob Cornwall, the club’s first announced signing who will be heading stateside after spending his entire career to this point playing professionally in Ireland.
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC will begin its inaugural USL League One campaign on April 9 with a match against Richmond Kickers. The club’s first home match will be almost two months later, when they host North Carolina FC on June 8.
Hailstorm FC will play its home matches in the 6,500-seat main stadium of the Future Legends Complex, the premier destination for sports and events in Northern Colorado. Opening in 2022, the 118-acre complex will feature a professional stadium, multiple baseball diamonds and multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports tournaments, events, leagues, and more.