TULSA – FC Tulsa has signed former Tulsa Roughnecks FC defender and University of Tulsa star Bradley Bourgeois to a multiyear contract, pending league and federation approval. Bourgeois returns to Tulsa after spending the last two seasons with USL Championship club Nashville SC where he was a key piece of one of the league’s top defenses each of the last two seasons.

"It’s very exciting for us to have Bradley back in Tulsa wearing the FC Tulsa uniform," said FC Tulsa head coach Michael Nsien. "Working with Bradley previously, he has the intangibles needed to create a winning environment and has the potential to lead and shape the culture that will help our team reach its objectives. Bradley has unquestionable character and a fighting spirit. He is a ball winner, and he’s eager to win all of his duels. I’m certain Bradley is as motivated as any player to make this next season his best as well as Tulsa’s best."

Bourgeois, 25, made a name for himself in Tulsa as a standout defender for the TU Golden Hurricanes. He was a two-time All-Conference First Team player in 2014 and 2015, amongst numerous other collegiate accolades. Bourgeois was a freshman on TU’s historic C-USA champion 2012 team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He then was a starter in 2014 and ’15 when the Hurricanes won back-to-back American Athletic Conference championships, making two more NCAA Tournament appearances.

He was signed to MLS immediately following his collegiate career as a Houston Dynamo Homegrown Player in 2015 and spent his debut professional season in 2016 under an MLS contract. The defender made his first return to Tulsa in 2017 as a member of the Roughnecks and played a pivotal role in leading Tulsa to its first and only USL Championship playoff appearance, playing in 30 of the team’s 32 matches.

The breakout season in Tulsa offered Bourgeois the chance to join USL Championship expansion club Nashville SC which had its sights set on an MLS future. In Nashville’s two Championship-level seasons, Bourgeois made 42 appearances as a major cog in NSC’s second-ranked defense in 2018 and top-ranked defense in 2019. Playing on the backline, Bourgeois scored three goals for Nashville, including a dramatic extra-time equalizer in Nashville’s playoff match of 2018 against top-seeded FC Cincinnati to send the match to penalties.

“Tulsa has a special place in my heart," said Bourgeois. "I am beyond excited. This is probably the most exciting time for myself in my career. To be a part of the Tulsa community, be a part of this rebrand; it’s a very exciting time in Tulsa. This is a new era for this franchise, and something I really wanted to be a part of."

Bourgeois has been an active member of the community throughout his professional career and will continue to be in Tulsa. While with Nashville SC, Bourgeois was an ambassador for Real Men Wear Pink, the American Cancer Society’s initiative to spread breast cancer awareness through campaigns led by men. The 25-year-old defender plans to continue to be a Real Men Wear Pink ambassador through the Oklahoma chapter of the organization.

With the signing, Bourgeois becomes the sixth defender and 17th player signed to FC Tulsa’s 2020 roster. He is also the second player FC Tulsa has signed to a multiyear contract alongside Brazilian forward Marlon.