By North Carolina FC Communications,

CARY, N.C. (December 3, 2018) – North Carolina FC has picked up contract options on emerging stars Dre Fortune and Marios Lomis for the 2019 season, pending league and federation approval. Both young players showed promising signs of development last season and will look to continue to take steps forward as North Carolina FC aims to play and win at the highest level possible.

NCFC continues to evaluate players from the 2018 roster, in preparation for the 2019 season. The team is excited to build off its solid foundation and the start of a new era. A thorough process to find the team’s next head coach is still underway.

Homegrown product Dre Fortune returns to the side for a third season. The 22-year-old midfielder has a knack for getting forward and is an accurate set-piece specialist. Last season, Fortune made 19 appearances and logged 1,058 minutes across all competitions.

A key piece in the North Carolina Football Club’s youth-to-pro pipeline, Fortune came through the ranks with the NCFC Youth Academy before making his professional debut with the Rochester Rhinos in 2017. After returning home to join North Carolina FC in 2017, Fortune has amassed 41 appearances, 2,369 minutes, four goals and five assists during his time with the team.

The latest move from North Carolina FC will also see Lomis and his attacking prowess return to the fold in 2019. The forward tallied eight goals and three assists across all competitions, in his rookie season with NCFC. Prior to joining the team, Lomis spent a graduate year with Creighton. Before that, Lomis played with VV Noordwijk in the fourth division of the Netherlands – his home country. The 23-year-old striker adds an exciting element to the North Carolina FC squad with his ability to put shots on target and challenge opposing defenses with his athleticism and size.

North Carolina FC’s current roster features goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, defenders Aaron Guillen, Steven Miller and DJ Taylor, midfielders Dre Fortune and Graham Smith and forward Marios Lomis.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2019 season are on sale now and feature many great packages and benefits – including the brand-new Auto-Renewal Program and traditional benefits such as exclusive meet the team opportunities. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Player Profile:

Name: Dre Fortune

Position: Midfielder

Birthdate: 07/03/1996 (Age 22)

Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 170 lbs

Citizenship: United States

Previous Club: Rochester Rhinos

Transaction: North Carolina FC has picked up the contract option on Dre Fortune.

Player Profile:

Name: Marios Lomis

Position: Forward

Birthdate: 01/24/1995 (Age 23)

Hometown: Bennebroek, Netherlands

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 176 lbs

Citizenship: Netherlands

College: Creighton University

Previous Club: VV Noordwijk

Transaction: North Carolina FC has picked up the contract option on Marios Lomis.