Yoder Inks Pro Contract with FC Naples

NAPLES, Fla. – Longwood men's soccer standout defender Joshua Yoder will begin his professional career with FC Naples after signing a contract with the USL League On professional team earlier this week.

Yoder becomes at least the ninth player in the 40-year history of the Longwood men's soccer program to ink a professional contract.

An honorable mention all-Big South selection in 2025, Yoder appeared in 15 matches, making 14 starts on the year as a senior. He played all 90 minutes in all but one outing and contributed to the Lancers' 1-0 shutout of Elon on Sept. 16. He also played in four more clean sheets over his 53-match career that included 47 starts.

A team captain and business administration student at Longwood, the Charlottesville, Va., native, Yoder carried a 3.80 GPA and was named to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll as a junior.

"We are very excited for Josh as he takes the next step in his football career," said Longwood head coach Paul Gilbert. "Josh is the perfect example of a player who has taken ownership of his development and worked extremely hard on his game. This, combined with Josh's character and day-to-day consistency, will make him an incredible asset to FC Naples. We couldn't be more proud of Josh and are excited to follow along as he begins his professional career."

Founded in 2024 and beginning play in 2025, FC Naples is part of USL League One, the third tier of American soccer. The team opens the season Saturday at home against Fort Wayne FC at Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and can been seen on ESPN.

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