SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC 2 today announced that it has signed veteran forward David Estrada. The 30-year-old returns to the club after spending over four seasons with Sounders FC from 2010-2014, where he tallied 41 appearances and five goals in MLS play. As part of his deal with the club, Estrada will serve a dual role as a player for S2 as well as an Assistant Coach for Sounders FC Academy.
“David is an experienced pro that we think can bring great value to our young players from both a playing and coaching aspect, which is why we brought him on in this dual role,” said Sounders FC Director of Player Development Marc Nicholls. “We are looking forward to seeing what expertise he can bring to S2 as well as our development pipeline as a whole.”
Estrada was selected by Sounders FC in the First Round (11th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft out of UCLA, where he went from walk-on to multiple All-Pac-12 performer. He spent a little over four seasons with the club, including a career-best year in 2012 where he started 12 of 17 appearances and finished third in the club with five goals. The speedy attacker became the third player in club history to record a hat trick when he scored three goals against Toronto FC in the 2012 season opener at CenturyLink Field.
“Ever since David began training with us, he’s had a lot to offer to the younger players on our squad playing around him,” said S2 Head Coach John Hutchinson. “It will be great to have a guy like him around to not only help our team on the field, but also provide another experienced voice to assist Wade Webber and me working with our players.”
Estrada played the 2014 season with D.C. United, where he recorded two assists in nine appearances before spending the next three seasons in USL for Sacramento Republic FC, the Orange County Blues and Charlotte Independence. The Salinas, California native most recently spent the 2016 and 2017 campaigns with Charlotte, where he scored 11 goals in 61 USL appearances.
In November of 2017, Seattle Sounders FC and the Tacoma Rainiers announced that beginning in 2018, Sounders FC 2's previously-announced transition to Tacoma is accelerating, allowing S2 to play its home matches at Cheney Stadium while progress continues toward a new soccer-specific facility. The two clubs previously reached a historic agreement to build a 5,000-seat facility in Central Tacoma on the footprint of Cheney Stadium. While that process moves forward, South Sound soccer fans are now able to see their USL side play in Tacoma several seasons ahead of schedule.
S2’s first campaign in Tacoma begins this Friday, March 16 with the season opener against the Portland Timbers at Cheney Stadium. For ticket information on Sounders FC 2, please contact the We R Tacoma front office at (253) 752-7707 or visit S2Tacoma.com. The most up-to-date news and notes about S2 leading up to the 2018 season can be found by following the club on Twitter (@SoundersFC2) and liking the team on Facebook.
TRANSACTIONS: Seattle Sounders FC 2 signs forward David Estrada on March 14, 2018.
Name: David Estrada
Position: Forward
Height: 5-8
Weight: 160
Born: February 4, 1988 in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico
Hometown: Salinas, California
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Signed to S2's roster on March 14, 2018
Previous Experience: Charlotte Independence (2016-2017), Orange County Blues (2015), Sacramento Republic FC (2015), D.C. United (2014), Seattle Sounders FC (2010-2014), Atlanta Silverbacks (loan, 2014), Charlotte Eagles (loan, 2014)
CURRENT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 2 ROSTER
Defenders (5): Rodrigue Ele, Nick Hinds, Sam Rogers, Denso Ulysse, Ibrahim Usman
Midfielders (4): Azriel Gonzalez, Francisco Narbon, Ray Saari, Ray Serrano
Forwards (4): Felix Chenkam, David Estrada, Shandon Hopeau, David Olsen
