LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Ignite FC has announced today the signing of defender Brandon Fricke for the inaugural USL League One season, pending league and federation approval.
The 6-foot-1 centerback played four years at Butler University, recording six goals and four assists in 71 appearances, and competed for the Des Moines Menace from 2010-14, recording four goals in 48 appearances. He earned First Team Academic All-American honors before being drafted by the Colorado Rapids in the 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
Since then, the 26-year-old has appeared for the USL Championship’s Charlotte Independence and has competed for the Menace and Swedish club Nybro IF.
“Brandon is a very reliable and intelligent defender who has gained a lot of experience overseas,” LIFC Head Coach Nate Miller said. “He is a strong leader and someone who makes players around him a lot better. Brandon has been on my radar a long time, and I know he has the qualities to make a strong impact on our squad. His mentality and approach to being a professional really impressed me, and I look forward to working with him.”
Fricke becomes the 11th player added to LIFC’s roster for the 2019 season, joining Xavier Gomez, Rafa Mentzingen, Christian Silva, Kyle Carr, Nathan Lewis, Steeve Saint-Duc, Kyle Ihn, Rhys Williams, Kevin Coiffic and Omar Castro.
“I’m excited that Lansing Ignite is the next step in my career and will do everything I can to help us win the championship this season,” Fricke said. “I can’t wait to get started and look forward to meeting everyone in February.”
LIFC players are preparing to report to Lansing for preseason training in February 2019. Lansing kicks off its League One season on the road against the Richmond Kickers on March 30, while LIFC will host its home opener against the Kickers at 7 p.m. ET on April 13 (BUY TICKETS [lansingignite.com]). For more information on Ignite FC, visit www.lansingignite.com [lansingignite.com] or follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram [instagram.com].
