Esai Easley
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 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 | |||
Esai Easley (born May 9, 2000) is an American soccer player.
Career
[edit]Youth
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]- ^ "Manchester City IDs Elite Youth to Train in England • SoccerToday". SoccerToday. September 29, 2013.
- ^ "Two Players Selected To Europe from GIS International ID Camp – VALLEY ISLE SOCCER ACADEMY". Valley Isle Soccer Academy. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- ^ "Soccer: Easley signs with Seattle Sounders Academy FC". West Hawaii Today. June 23, 2015.
- ^ a b "Esai Easley - Men's Soccer". Grand Canyon University Athletics.
- ^ "Portland Timbers U23 | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
- ^ City, Sporting Kansas. "Sporting KC selects defenders Esai Easley and Brett St. Martin in MLS SuperDraft 2022 presented by adidas". Sporting Kansas City.
- ^ "Sporting KC hopes to fortify future defense with pair of Tuesday picks". The Kansas City Star. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ "GCU players Esai Easley, Justin Rasmussen taken in first round of Major League Soccer SuperDraft". news.yahoo.com.
- ^ City, Sporting Kansas. "Sporting KC II signs 2022 MLS SuperDraft selection Esai Easley | RSL Monarchs". Sporting Kansas City.
- ^ "Esai Easley | MLSsoccer.com". mlsnextpro.
External links
[edit]- Esai Easley MLS profile
- Esai Easley - Men's Soccer Esai Easley at GCU Antelopes
- Living people
- 2000 births
- American men's soccer players
- Men's association football defenders
- Grand Canyon Antelopes men's soccer players
- Major League Soccer players
- MLS Next Pro players
- Capital FC players
- Soccer players from Hawaii
- Sporting Kansas City draft picks
- Sporting Kansas City II players
- USL League Two players
- People from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- De Anza Force players
- 21st-century American sportsmen