Austin Ricci
Austin Ricci playing for York United in 2022.
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-04-08) April 8, 1996
Place of birth Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 York United FC
Number 22
Youth career
Richmond Hill SC
2010–2013 Ajax SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Oakland Golden Grizzlies 71 (22)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Vaughan Azzurri
2016 K-W United FC 7 (3)
2017–2018 Michigan Bucks 28 (17)
2018 Vaughan Azzurri 8 (5)
2019 York9 FC 9 (0)
2020–2021 Valour FC 22 (5)
2022– York United FC 29 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 7, 2023

Austin Ricci (born April 8, 1996) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for York United FC of the Canadian Premier League.

Early life

Ricci played youth soccer with Richmond Hill SC. In 2010, he joined Ajax SC.[1]

Ricci played high school soccer for the St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School Lions, winning gold at OFSAA in 2014,[2][3] and being named MVP of the team for three consecutive seasons.[4]

College career

In February 2014, he committed to Oakland University to play for the men's soccer team in the fall.[5] He scored his first goal on September 12, 2014 against the Denver Pioneers.[6] He won the Horizon League with the team in his freshman season in 2014.[7] In 2015, he was named Horizon League Co-Offensive Player of the Year and a Horizon League First-Team All Star,[8] and was named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Regional Second Team.[9] In his junior season in 2016, he was named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Regional Third Team.[10] In his senior season in 2017, he was named a Horizon League First-Team All-Star.[11]

Club career

In 2014 and 2015, he appeared for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario.[12]

In 2016, he played for K-W United FC in the Premier Development League.[13] He scored a hat trick in the season opener on May 17 against Toronto FC III.[14]

He played for the Michigan Bucks in the Premier Development League in 2017 and 2018.[15][16] In 2017, he won the Great Lakes Division with the team.[17] On July 10, 2018, he scored four goals and added four assists in a 14-1 victory over the Derby City Rovers,[18] a performance which earned him PDL Player of the Week honours.[19]

He later returned to Vaughan Azzurri in 2018, scoring six goals in twelve appearances, across the regular season and playoffs, as Vaughan won the league title.[20]

In December 2018, Ricci signed his first professional contract with Canadian Premier League side York 9 FC for the 2019 season.[21][22] He made 11 appearances for the club in 2019 across all competitions, tallying one assist.[23]

In February 2020, he went on trial with Valour FC, also in the Canadian Premier League, and had been set to sign a contract in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, delaying the signing.[24][25] In July 2020, he officially signed with the club.[26][27] In his first season with the club, he made six appearances during the shortened season, drawing two earning two penalty kicks for the team.[28][29] In November 2020, he re-signed with the club.[30][31] On June 27, 2021, he scored his first professional goal in a match against Forge FC.[32] His second goal gave his team a 1-0 victory over Forge FC on July 11.[33] On July 19, he scored a brace to help Valour to a 3-0 victory over York United FC.[34] He was named to the CPL Team of the Week three times in 2021.[35] On August 22, 2021, he scored a brace against Atlético Ottawa in a Canadian Championship match, to help lead Valour to their first ever victory in the competition.[36] He finished as the top goalscorer in the 2021 Canadian Championship domestic cup competition, winning the Golden Boot, with three goals.[37] His season was cut short after he was injured in a collision with Forge goalkeeper Triston Henry during a match in September.[38][39]

In March 2022, he went on trial with his former club York United FC (who had previously been York9 during his last stint).[40][41] In April 2022, he officially signed with the club for the 2022 season.[42][43] He joined on a one-year contract with club options through 2024.[44] On May 11, he re-aggravated his knee injury against Atlético Ottawa in a Canadian Championship match,[45][46] forcing him to undergo surgery, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.[47][48] In October 2022, he re-signed with the club for the 2023 season.[49]

Career statistics

As of match played on October 7, 2023[50]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic cup League cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
K-W United FC 2016[13] Premier Development League 7300——73
Michigan Bucks 2017[15] Premier Development League 1451010—165
2018[16] 14120000—1412
Total 28171010—3017
Vaughan Azzurri 2018[51] League1 Ontario 8541—00126
York9 FC 2019 Canadian Premier League 90—20—110
Valour FC 2020 Canadian Premier League 60———60
2021 165—23—188
Total 225—23—248
York United FC 2022 Canadian Premier League 30—10—40
2023 2630020—283
Total 2930030—323
Career total 1013351830011437

References

  1. ↑ "Ajax FC program sending four players to NCAA programs". Ajax News Advertiser. March 24, 2014.
  2. ↑ Hayakawa, Michael (June 7, 2014). "Lions roar into OFSAA soccer final in Windsor". Richmond Hill Liberal.
  3. ↑ Hayakawa, Michael (June 9, 2014). "St. Theresa Lions roar to OFSAA soccer gold". Richmond Hill Liberal.
  4. ↑ Tait, Ed (April 24, 2021). "Beyond the Pitch - Austin Ricci". Valour FC.
  5. ↑ "Oakland Soccer signs seven in early signing period". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. February 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Austin Ricci Oakland profile". Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
  7. ↑ Emaus, Katlynn (September 13, 2015). "Austin Ricci, men's soccer team prepared for Horizon League spotlight". The Oakland Post.
  8. ↑ "Oakland places six on All-League Teams, Ricci named Offensive Player of the Year". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. November 9, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Ricci and Dudley named to NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. December 10, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ricci and Higgins named to NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Team". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. December 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ricci, Higgins and Jensen garner men's soccer Horizon League Honors". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. November 6, 2017.
  12. ↑ Nielsen, Aaron (May 2, 2016). "State of the Game: League One Ontario kicks off for 2016". Red Nation Online.
  13. 1 2 "Austin Ricci 2016 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
  14. ↑ Brown, Josh (May 18, 2016). "K-W United FC dominates season opener". Waterloo Region Record.
  15. 1 2 "Austin Ricci 2017 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
  16. 1 2 "Austin Ricci 2018 PDL Stats". USL League Two.
  17. ↑ "Michigan Bucks win record 14th PDL division title". The Oakland Press. July 14, 2017.
  18. ↑ Emons, Brad (July 11, 2018). "Bucks keep PDL playoff hopes afloat with resounding win in Louisville". Hometown Life.
  19. ↑ Coreschi, Colton (July 19, 2018). "Bucks' Ricci Named PDL Player of the Week". USL League Two.
  20. ↑ Thompson, Marty (July 10, 2020). "Austin Ricci, former Vaughan Azzurri attacker, signs with Valour". League1 Ontario.
  21. ↑ Hershenfeld, Nate (December 14, 2018). "York9 FC brings on Richmond Hill-based forward Austin Ricci". York9 FC. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Austin Ricci signs with Canadian Premier League". Oakland Golden Grizzlies. January 2, 2019.
  23. ↑ Jacques, John (July 9, 2020). "Valour FC To Announce Austin Ricci". Northern Tribune.
  24. ↑ Tait, Ed (July 10, 2020). "Austin Ricci on joining Valour FC: "I want to remind everyone who I am as a player and show this league and this country what my qualities are and what I'm capable of."". Valour FC.
  25. ↑ "Valour FC adds ex-York9 forward Austin Ricci; Ohin and Peña to return". Canadian Premier League. July 10, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Valour FC sign Canadian forward Austin Ricci". Valour FC. July 10, 2020.
  27. ↑ Jacques, John (July 10, 2020). "Valour FC Signs Forward Austin Ricci". Northern Tribune.
  28. ↑ Tait, Ed (November 13, 2020). ""I think I showed what I'm capable of, that I'm able to play at a high level" - Ricci with lots to prove in 2021". Valour FC.
  29. ↑ "Austin Ricci didn't score for Valour this season, but he certainly shone in a unique way nonetheless". Eikon Sports. September 16, 2020.
  30. ↑ Jacques, John (November 14, 2020). "Austin Ricci Re-Signs With Valour FC". Northern Tribune.
  31. ↑ "Valour re-signs Austin Ricci for 2021 CPL season". Canadian Premier League. November 13, 2020.
  32. ↑ Jacques, John (June 27, 2021). "Ricci Happy To Silence 'Outside Noise' With First Pro Goal". Northern Tribune.
  33. ↑ "Ricci goal, Sirois clean sheet give Valour FC 1-0 win over Forge FC for CPL lead". Toronto Star. July 11, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Ricci brace, Sirois five-save clean sheet give Valour FC 3-0 victory over York United". Toronto Star. July 19, 2021.
  35. ↑ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (December 8, 2021). "CPL50 – 48. Austin Ricci (Valour FC)". Canadian Premier League.
  36. ↑ Laniuk, Justin (August 22, 2021). "Austin Ricci's brace gives Valour FC first ever Canadian Championship win". Last Word on Sports.
  37. ↑ Jacques, John (November 22, 2021). "Valour's Austin Ricci Is The 2021 CanChamp Top Goalscorer". Northern Tribune.
  38. ↑ Jacques, John (April 21, 2022). "BREAKING: Ricci Returning To Nine Stripes". Northern Tribune.
  39. ↑ "York United FC announces signing of Austin Ricci". York United FC. April 21, 2022.
  40. ↑ Jacques, John (March 2, 2022). "Austin Ricci Is Training With York United". Northern Tribune.
  41. ↑ Jacques, John (April 20, 2022). "Report: Ricci Poised For CPL Return". Northern Tribune.
  42. ↑ Jacques, John (April 21, 2022). "Official: York United Adds Austin Ricci". Northern Tribune.
  43. ↑ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (April 21, 2022). "York United signs Canadian striker Austin Ricci". Canadian Premier League.
  44. ↑ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (April 21, 2022). "York United signs Canadian forward Austin Ricci". OneSoccer.
  45. ↑ "York United striker Austin Ricci undergoes ACL surgery". OneSoccer. June 7, 2022.
  46. ↑ "'We're all gutted for him': Austin Ricci ruled out for the season after injury". York United FC. June 8, 2022.
  47. ↑ "York United striker Austin Ricci undergoes ACL surgery". Canadian Premier League. June 7, 2022.
  48. ↑ Jacques, John (June 7, 2022). "Ricci Out For Season Following Second ACL Surgery". Northern Tribune.
  49. ↑ Jacques, John (October 14, 2022). "York United Re-Signs Hometown Striker Austin Ricci". Northern Tribune.
  50. ↑ Austin Ricci at Soccerway
  51. ↑ "Austin Ricci 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
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