Tormenta FC Signs Former Toronto FC II Player Lars Eckenrode
South Georgia Tormenta FC has signed center back Lars Eckenrode ahead of its 2019 USL League One season, pending league and federation approval. The 6 foot 3, 195-pound center back spent the past two seasons playing professionally with Toronto FC II.
“I am really excited about signing Lars,” USL League One Head Coach John Miglarese said. “We need players with experience in the USL that bring a professional mindset to our locker room. We have that in Lars.”
“Not only did we gain experience, but we also signed a very good player who can anchor our back line and provide the leadership required for that position,” Miglarese said.
Eckenrode attends the University of Michigan where he studies Sport Management. He spent four seasons with the Wolverines’ Men’s soccer team which he captained in 2016. During his collegiate career, Eckenrode appeared on the Big Ten All-Rookie Team in 2013 and the College Sports Madness Preseason All-Big Ten Team in 2014.
The center back played for D.C. United U-23 in 2014, followed by two years with Ann Arbor FC. Off the field, he spent time coaching for Saline FC in Saline, Michigan. Eckenrode was then drafted in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, where he was picked up in the fourth round by Toronto FC II.
“I’m very excited to start with Tormenta FC,” Eckenrode said. “It’s a team filled with a ton of quality, and I’m excited to see how far we can go.”
Eckenrode is the 14th player to sign with Tormenta FC’s USL League One team. Other signees include Conner Antley, Jad Arslan, Micah Bledsoe, Lucas Coutinho, Charlie Dennis, Ricardo Gómez, Pablo Jara, Michael Mecham, Michael O’Sullivan, Joshua Phelps, Jerry Saint-Vil, Nick Wells, and Nil Vinyals.
