The Tacoma Defiance have added midfielder Snyder Brunell and attacker Yu Tsukanome to their 2024 roster, the team announced on Monday.
Brunell, 16, is the first 2007 birth year player to join the Defiance on a pro contract and has already logged nearly 1,000 minutes with the team over the past two seasons while playing as an amateur. His 897 minutes was the most playing time an amateur had received with Defiance since Khai Brisco logged 931 in 2018. Brunell had previously played for Redmond’s Crossfire Academy before moving to the Sounders Academy in 2021.
Jeremiah Oshan
“Snyder has impressed since joining the Academy back in 2021,” Sounders Technical Director Henry Brauner said in a team statement. “He made a tough but beneficial decision to leave his former club and challenge himself at the highest level within the Sounders FC Academy, and we have been nothing but pleased with his growth under our staff. He has fully earned this opportunity to begin his professional career with Tacoma Defiance and we look forward to his continued development along our player pathway.”
Tsukanome, 22, is a Japanese player who moved to the United States last year and played for the National Premier Soccer League’s Dakota Fusion, where he scored 16 goals in just 10 matches. He had previously trialed with Defiance and can play across the attacking band.
“We are very excited to add Yu to the Defiance roster for 2024,” Sounders Director of Development Wade Webber said. “He impressed us while on trial last season with his technical capacity and tactical flexibility across any of the attacking positions, as well as his willingness to aggressively defend from the front. We look forward to helping him develop his capacity to influence games and be part of a dynamic Defiance squad next season.”
CURRENT TACOMA DEFIANCE ROSTER
DEFENDERS (3): Blake Bowen, Elias Katsaros, Pedro Rodrigues
MIDFIELDERS (8): Chris Aquino, Synder Brunell, Frank Daroma, Antonio Herrera, Gio Miglietti, Georgi Minoungou, Braudilio Rodrigues, Yu Tsukanome
