Esai Easley

Esai Easley (born May 9, 2000) is an American soccer player.

Esai Easley
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-05-09) May 9, 2000
Place of birth Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Defender
Midfielder
Youth career
2015–2017 Seattle Sounders FC
2017–2018 De Anza Force
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Grand Canyon Antelopes 43 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Portland Timbers U23s 7 (0)
2022 Sporting Kansas City II 22 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 23, 2022

Career

Youth

Easley born in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii played club soccer for local side Kona Crush, before heading to Europe in 2013 for trials with Manchester City,[1] and again in 2014 for trials with Chievo and West Ham United.[2] In 2015, Easley joined the Seattle Sounders FC academy,[3] and then Californian side De Anza Force for their 2017-18 season.[4]

College & amateur

In 2018, Easley committed to playing college soccer at Grand Canyon University. In four seasons with the 'Lopes, Easley made 43 appearances, scoring two goals and tallying four assists. In 2019, he was named an All-WAC Honorable mention, First team All-WAC in the 2020-2021 season, and WAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-WAC First Team, and was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region Second Team in his senior year in 2021.[4]

While at college, Easley also appeared in the USL League Two with Portland Timbers U23s in 2021, making seven regular season appearances.[5]

Professional

On January 11, 2022, Easley was selected 22nd overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City.[6][7][8] He signed with the club's MLS Next Pro side Sporting Kansas City II on March 11, 2022.[9][10]

References
  1. "Manchester City IDs Elite Youth to Train in England • SoccerToday". SoccerToday. September 29, 2013.
  2. "Two Players Selected To Europe from GIS International ID Camp – VALLEY ISLE SOCCER ACADEMY". Valley Isle Soccer Academy. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  3. "Soccer: Easley signs with Seattle Sounders Academy FC". West Hawaii Today. June 23, 2015.
  4. "Esai Easley - Men's Soccer". Grand Canyon University Athletics.
  5. "Portland Timbers U23 | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  6. City, Sporting Kansas. "Sporting KC selects defenders Esai Easley and Brett St. Martin in MLS SuperDraft 2022 presented by adidas". Sporting Kansas City.
  7. "Sporting KC hopes to fortify future defense with pair of Tuesday picks". The Kansas City Star. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  8. "GCU players Esai Easley, Justin Rasmussen taken in first round of Major League Soccer SuperDraft". news.yahoo.com.
  9. City, Sporting Kansas. "Sporting KC II signs 2022 MLS SuperDraft selection Esai Easley | RSL Monarchs". Sporting Kansas City.
  10. "Esai Easley | MLSsoccer.com". mlsnextpro.
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