Greenville, SC (December 15, 2021) – The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club today announced a group of eight players as the first returnees to the club for the 2022 season. With the announcement, Greenville continues a trend of roster continuity that helped the club to three consecutive USL League One Finals in the club’s first three seasons.
The returning players are highlighted by co-captain and all-league selection Tyler Polak, who will enter his fourth year with the Triumph after being announced as the club’s first signing after its formation. Joining Polak for their fourth seasons with Greenville are defender Evan Lee and midfielder Max Hemmings. Lee and Polak played for Triumph head coach John Harkes at FC Cincinnati, while Hemmings was signed early in the Triumph’s inaugural season upon graduating from Georgia State.
Greenville will also welcome back goalkeeper Paul Christensen, who started 11 matches for the Triumph in 2021. Christensen, a former MLS champion with Atlanta, is joined in goal by 2021 midseason signee Ben Hale, who came to the Triumph following his graduation from Furman.
Winger Allen Gavilanes, voted by the club as 2021 rookie of the year, returns for his second season in the Upstate. Gavilanes progressed from a tryout to appearing in 18 matches and scoring his first professional goal against New England in October.
USL veteran Don Smart also returns for a second season in Greenville after joining the club from Forward Madison ahead of the 2021 campaign. Rounding out the initial group of returnees is attacker Nico Brown, who provided an offensive spark after signing with Greenville late in the 2021 regular season.
Greenville is currently in discussions with additional players from the 2021 roster about returning to the team and anticipates announcing new player signings in the coming weeks. The 2022 season kicks off in the spring, with an official schedule release due across the next month.
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