Our USL 19 team is preparing to travel to Tamba Bay, FL to compete for the title of 2021 USL Academy League Champions! After a strong season in the USL Academy League’s Northeast Division, the joint-team between Inter CT and our friends at AC Connecticut earned us the only Wildcard spot as the league’s best second placed team.

Inter CT players have been well represented throughout this USL season, which kicked-off in May with a 3-1 win over Malaga. They include: 

• GK - Luca Marinelli - 03
• D - Jordan Blunschi - 04
• M - Surya Balaji - U19
• M - Max Weiss - 04
• F - Oliver Dahlen - U19
• D - Basit Idriss - 04
• D - Connor Shea - U19
• D - Will Whelan - U19

The above players have all contributed to a remarkable season which also sees Inter CT’s own Marty Walker and Leon Othen on the Academy staff.

“It's a great honor to make such a prestigious tournament and to have staff and players from InterCT FC compete at such a high level. The dedication from staff and players turns dreams like this into realities and so we go again to compete with some of the best players in the entire country. Our step into the USL world with our friends at AC Connecticut has proved a great experience and one we will look forward to again and again. . ..”  

— Marty Walker, USL Academy Coach

The  USL Academy Playoffs will also be contested by Queensboro FC (Northeast Division), Southern Soccer Academy (Southeast), Indy Eleven (East Central), New Mexico United (Southwest), Charlotte Independence (Atlantic), Weston FC (Florida) and San Antonio FC (South Central). Seven teams earned berths by winning their respective regional division; AC Connecticut—for whom we are named as the USL franchise—qualified as the team with the best points per game among all second-place finishers.

The international-style tournament features two groups of four, with each team playing three group phase matches December 2-4 at the Waters Sports Complex, home to USL League Two’s Tampa Bay United. AC Connecticut begins the tournament by facing Atlantic Division champions, Charlotte Independence.

Read up on the extraordinary first year of USL Academy play with the following articles. 

* Inter CT adds pathway to pro with USL affiliation 

* First signing in pathway to Pro

* USL Academy link to Hartford Athletic established

* Second player signs for USL Academy 

* Inter CT player scores first evert USL Academy goal

* Inter CT player scores in recent USL Academy win

* Inter CT player becomes first Academy player to get first team call up

* USL Academy unbeaten run continues - Inter CT player scores again

* Inter CT player, Jordan selected to train with CT Pro team Hartford Athletic

* Inter CT Academy players give back to help prospective talent

* Academy team enters last game with commanding lead