The Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced the signing of midfielder Tyrell Burgess to the Whitecaps United Soccer Leagues (USL) First Division side. Burgess has agreed to a two-year contract, plus an option. The club have also signed goalkeeper Diego Aparecido F. Oliveira (Diego) to the Whitecaps USL Premier Development League (PDL) team after the Brazilian agreed to a one-year contract, plus an option. The pair arrive in Vancouver, pending international clearance.
Burgess, 22-years-old, comes to Vancouver after spending three years at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. In his senior season, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound midfielder finished second on the team in scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists in 20 matches with the Fighting Knights. For his efforts, Burgess was named to the NCAA Division II All-Sunshine State Conference (SSC) First Team. In total, Burgess tallied 14 goals and added 14 assists in 53 games for Lynn.
Prior to his senior year at Lynn, Burgess helped Reading Rage of the PDL capture the 2008 Mid Atlantic Division regular season title, as well as the Eastern Conference playoff title. In 16 matches with the Rage, Burgess scored five goals and added three assists.
Burgess began his college career with NCAA Division III Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island. As a freshman, he helped the Anchormen to an Eastern College Athletic Conference New England title after notching four goals and five assists in 18 matches.
The native of Smiths, Bermuda - who moved to Wilbraham, Massachusetts, when he was 16 - is also a member of Bermuda’s National Team. Burgess has nine senior caps for his country, having scored his lone goal in a 1-1 draw with the Cayman Islands during 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying last February. Burgess has also played for Bermuda’s U-17 and U-20 national teams.
The Whitecaps first saw Burgess during their player combine, which was co-hosted with USL Second Division side Harrisburg City Islanders, in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, this past December.
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