VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday that the club has signed goalkeeper Spencer Richey to an MLS contract for 2017, with options for 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Richey joins defender/midfielder Brett Levis, midfielder Alphonso Davies, and striker Kyle Greig as players who have made the move to the first team roster from Whitecaps FC 2.

“Spencer is a very promising young goalkeeper,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. “He’s had two strong seasons playing in USL, and came up with a pair of excellent performances for us in the Champions League. He has a bright future ahead of him with terrific role models who will push him to his best.”

Spencer Richey – Whitecaps FC goalkeeper

Led Whitecaps FC 2 with eight wins, 57 saves, and a 0.704 save percentage in 17 starts in net in 2016, including playoffs

Recorded wins in each of his two Champions League starts, registering a clean sheet in his first-team debut versus Central FC on August 2

Third round (61st overall) selection from the University of Washington in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft

Richey, 24, led WFC2 goalkeepers with eight wins, 57 saves, and a 0.704 save percentage in 17 starts in 2016, including all three playoffs matches. He finished his second USL season with an 8W-5L-4D overall record and a 1.41 goals-against average.

“It’s an honour to represent this club and play in front of our supporters,” said Richey. “This is something that I have been working towards my whole life, and hopefully this is just the beginning.”

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Richey recorded wins in each of his two CONCACAF Champions League starts with the first team. He registered a five-save clean sheet in his first-team debut versus Trinidad and Tobago side Central FC on August 2, just four days after setting a WFC2 single-match record with nine saves against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. In his second Champions League start at Sporting Kansas City on September 13, Richey backstopped the ‘Caps to a historic 2-1 victory that clinched their place in February’s quarterfinals.

The native of Seattle, Washington was selected by Whitecaps FC in the third round (61st overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft after five years with the University of Washington, including one medical redshirt season.

Spencer Richey

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6-01

Weight: 195

Date of Birth: May 30, 1992 in Seattle, Washington

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Citizenship: USA

Status: Domestic

Last team: Whitecaps FC 2 (USL: ’15-’16)

How Acquired: Signed MLS contract on Monday, December 19, 2016