Charlotte (NC) — On Friday, the Charlotte Independence professional soccer team announced the club has signed rookies Oscar Ramsay and Casey Penland for the 2020 USL Championship season, pending league and federation approvals. Ramsay is a 22-year-old, center midfielder who most recently played for Hofstra University. Penland is 22-year-old, defender who was named the 2019 Southern Conference (SoCon) Player of the Year for UNC Greensboro. Both players were featured during the two-day Charlotte Independence Invitational Combine held at the Sportsplex at Matthews last December.

“Both players have got great attacking instincts and it was a big plus to see that in our environment at the invitational," said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. "Oscar is an excellent technical player, and moreover he can play in a couple different spots so he gives us a little flexibility in that regard. Casey has an ability to both defend and brings a dynamic element when it comes to creating scoring opportunities.”

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ramsay represented the boy’s national team for U-20 World Cup Qualifying. After his high school senior season, Ramsay joined Hofstra University where he played four collegiate seasons accumulating 73 games played, six goals and five assists.

In the summer of 2019, Ramsay joined USL League 2 side Lionsbridge FC where he appeared in five games, adding a goal and an assist. Ramsay garnered additional League 2 experience the summer prior with Reading United AC en route to a Mid Atlantic Division Championship.

Penland captained UNC Greensboro to the 2019 SoCon Regular Season Championship and a 2019 SoCon Championship Final appearance behind a conference-best 0.33 goals against average. He led all SoCon defenders with five goals in 2019 and leaves UNC Greensboro with the program-record for careers goals scored by a defender. Since 2016, Penland appeared in 68 games, recording 12 goals and 20 shutouts for the Spartans.

In the summer of 2019, Penland joined USL League 2 side North Carolina Fusion U23 where he appeared in thirteen games, adding a goal and an assist, en route to the South Atlantic Division Championship. A native of High Point, North Carolina, Penland was a two-sport, high-school athlete doubling as a basketball guard and soccer standout for High Point Christian Academy.

Ramsay and Penland mark the 10th and 11th players added to the 2020 Charlotte Independence roster. The club exercised team-options on four players’ contracts, reached new contracts with three returning players and made three new signing as the team prepares for the 2020 preseason set to begin on Monday, February 27th.

Current Charlotte Independence roster:

Forward: Enzo Martinez

Midfielder: Jake Areman, Kevan George, Valentin Sabella, Junior Etou, Oscar Ramsay

Defender: Clay Dimick, Joel Johnson, Hugh Roberts, Casey Penland

Goalkeeper: Brandon Miller

The Charlotte Independence will open the 2020 USL Championship season at Sporting Kansas City II on Sunday, March 8th. The Independence will open the 2020 home schedule the following weekend on Saturday, March 14th against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at the Sportsplex at Matthews. For more information on 2020 Season Memberships, please visit charlotteindependence.com or call the Independence front office at 704-206-1515.