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Peoria City Roster Grows to 16

PEORIA, IL (May 9, 2022) – As Peoria City nears its debut game in USL League Two this weekend, the first-year club added more international flavor to its roster Monday with the addition of midfielder João Brum and defender Jordia Ramon

A native of Ribeira Grande, Portugal, Brum played one season of American collegiate soccer by competing as a graduate student at NCAA II Southern New Hampshire during the 2019 season. A starter in 12 of his 13 games, Brum averaged a point per game by scoring five goals and dishing three assists in his lone season with the Penmen.  

Ramon began his collegiate career at University of Charleston, then transferred to Barry University following the 2019 season. At Charleston, Ramon was the 2019 Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American after helping the Eagles to the NCAA Division II national championship. A starter in 38 of the 41 games he played at Charleston, Ramon helped the Eagles lead the nation in scoring defense and shutout percentage in both 2018 and 2019. Following the 2020-21 COVID pause, Ramon started 12 of 14 games at Barry during the 2021 fall season, scoring seven points on three goals and an assist.

Peoria City now has announced 16 players for its inaugural season in USL League Two.  Roster additions will continue to be announced throughout the week, leading up to the franchise’s debut game Saturday (7:00 p.m.) versus Minneapolis City SC at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium.  

While single-game ($5 GA, $25 premium fieldside) and season tickets ($25/$125) now are available for sale online at PeoriaCitySoccer.com, tickets and t-shirts also will be available for purchase in person during the team’s next Five Bars Fan Event Wednesday (5 o’clock) night at The Fieldhouse Bar & Grill.  Peoria City players and coaches also will be on hand from 5:30-6:45 at The Fieldhouse prior to the team’s first practice.

Peoria City last month announced the formation of the Five Bars Pub Club, an association of five local establishments which will host Peoria City events and soccer-themed promotions throughout the year.  The first Five Bars fan event was April 21 at W.E. Sullivan’s Irish Pub & Fare in Peoria Heights and the two additional pub club members are Bearded Owl Brewing and Pour Bros. Craft Taproom.

Following the team’s debut Saturday versus Minneapolis City, the other five Peoria City home games are scheduled for Friday, May 27 (Des Moines Menace); Friday, June 3 (St. Croix SC); Wednesday, June 22 (Des Moines Menace); Friday, July 1 (FC Manitoba) and Sunday, July 3 (Thunder Bay Chill).  All six games are slated for 7:00 p.m. CT kickoffs at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium.  

Five Bars is a reference to the design of the Peoria City badge, which incorporates six diagonal lines to form the borders of five wider bars.  The lines symbolize the six Illinois River crossings into the Peoria city limits, while the five bars represent Peoria’s five city council districts.

ABOUT USL LEAGUE TWO

A part of United Soccer Leagues, LLC, which also operates the USL Championship, USL League One, Super Y League and the new USL Academy, USL League Two is the top pre-professional soccer league in North America, offering a summer platform for aspiring professionals across the United States and Canada. League Two is the defined and proven pathway for players to progress to the ranks of professional soccer, while its clubs become fixtures in the communities where they operate. More than 70 percent of all MLS SuperDraft selections since 2010 have League Two experience, including 66 alumni chosen in 2018 and 61 in 2019. Werder Bremen’s Josh Sargent, Inter Miami CF’s DeAndre Yedlin, and Atlanta United’s Brad Guzan are among the many U.S. National Team players to have competed in USL League Two before making their professional debuts.

“Peoria will play home to future stars of American soccer.”
- Jim DeRose, Bradley University Head Soccer Coach

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