Akeem O'Connor-Ward (born January 5, 1996) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender for

Memphis 901 Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. Stadium The club currently plays on the grounds of AutoZone Park, a baseball stad ...

in the

USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...

Career

Ward was selected 14th overall by

D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Su ...

in the

2019 MLS SuperDraft The 2019 MLS SuperDraft was the twentieth SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. The SuperDraft is typically held in conjunction with the annual January United Soccer Coaches convention, which in 2019 was held in Chicago, Illinois. The fir ...

, and he signed a professional contract with the club on January 31, 2019. “We had him rated as the best right back in the draft,” said United GM Dave Kasper. “We liked everything about him." He was loaned out to D.C.'s USL affiliate

Loudoun United Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. History On July 18, 2018, the team was of ...

in March 2019. He made his

debut on March 9, 2019, as he played all ninety minutes in a 2–0 away defeat to

Nashville SC Nashville Soccer Club is a Major League Soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The team began play in the league in 2020 as a continuation of the USL club of the same name and plays its home matches at Geodis Park. It is principally owned ...

. He was waived by DC United on July 24, 2019. Ward joined

side

Birmingham Legion FC Birmingham Legion FC is an American professional soccer club based in Birmingham, Alabama, that competes in the USL Championship, the second division of American soccer. The team was established in August 2013 and played under the name Birming ...

on July 30, 2019. In February 2020, Ward signed with

North Carolina FC North Carolina FC is an American professional soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League One, the third tier of the American league system. The team has played its home games ...

. He scored the first goal of his professional career on August 8, 2020, the lone tally in a 1–0 NCFC win over

Memphis 901 FC Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. Stadium The club currently plays on the grounds of AutoZone Park, a baseball stad ...

. He was later suspended for two games by the USL Championship for kicking

Charlotte Independence Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that plays in the USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid. The Independence currently play their home games at American Legion Memoria ...

player

Clay Dimick Clay Everett Bryce Dimick (born December 7, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Charlotte Independence in the USL League One. Career Dimick played college soccer at Belmont Abbey College between 2013 and 20 ...

in the neck during a game on August 26, 2020. Ward apologized in a tweet, saying he "lashed out" without intending to hit Dimick. On January 13, 2021, Ward signed with Oakland Roots ahead of their inaugural

season. On July 8, 2022, Ward was loaned to USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC for the remainder of the season. He left Oakland following their 2022 season. Ward joined

on January 18, 2023.

References

External links

D.C. United profileCreighton profile
Living people 1996 births American soccer players Soccer players from Virginia People from Vienna, Virginia Association football defenders Creighton Bluejays men's soccer players Lane United FC players Chicago FC United players D.C. United draft picks D.C. United players Loudoun United FC players Birmingham Legion FC players North Carolina FC players Oakland Roots SC players Rio Grande Valley FC Toros players Memphis 901 FC players USL League Two players Major League Soccer players USL Championship players Hastings College alumni {{US-footy-defender-stub