READING, PA (April 2, 2019) – Reading United has three former Philadelphia Union Academy players returning to compete in the 2019 season, pending league approval. Lamine Conte, Kalil ElMedkhar, and Jeremy Rafanello will all return to Reading to play under Head Coach Alan McCann for another competitive USL League Two season.

Lamine Conte returns to Reading for his third season, where he’ll look to be a key figure on the back line. An NAIA Second Team All-American in 2017, Conte transferred to Louisville ahead of his junior year. During his 2018 season with the Cardinals, Conte helped the team win the ACC Championship, collecting ACC All-Tournament Team honors in the process. Over his previous two seasons in Reading, he has played in 25 games between regular season and playoffs, showcasing his talent for over 2000 minutes in a United jersey.

Kalil ElMedkhar will call Reading home for a second straight season. The versatile midfielder had an eye-opening campaign at Kentucky this past season. During his sophomore campaign, ElMedkhar scored 11 goals with 11 assists, ranking seventh in Division I in assists and ninth in points. Last season with Reading, Kalil played in ten regular season games and four playoff games, where he tallied three goals with three assists.

“We’re looking forward to having the lads back in,” said United head coach Alan McCann. “With Kalil and Lamine both coming off successful college seasons, we’re excited to get to work with them on and off the field, and help them continue to push towards the next level.”

Jeremy Rafanello returns to Reading after a cup of coffee during the 2018 season. His freshman season at Penn State was a solid one, picking up Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors after netting three goals. During his final season playing for Union Academy, Jeremy ranked fourth in the nation in USSDA goal scoring. Rafanello played one game during the 2018 season for Reading, the regular season finale against Lehigh Valley.

McCann added, “With ‘Rafa’, we are excited to have him in from the start this year, after he impressed with us late last year.”

Reading United will begin their 24th season on May 11th at Lehigh Valley United. Reading will return home for their regular season opener on Saturday, May 25th against FA Euro. Season tickets are on sale at readingunitedac.com/tickets, and will cover all regular season games.

QUARRY CLASSIC







The Quarry Classic is one of the longest running tournaments in the Greater Reading area! The tournament will feature great youth soccer with beautiful field complexes, and the opportunity to play some competitive games. The Quarry Classic is one of the longest running tournaments in the Greater Reading area! The tournament will feature great youth soccer with beautiful field complexes, and the opportunity to play some competitive games. We are anticipating another great weekend of soccer with teams coming from near and far to enjoy some soccer and a whole lot of fun! Reading United A.C. is the administrator of the Wyomissing Quarry Classic and can answer any questions you may have about the tournament or the weekend. Reading United continues to provide soccer services to many clubs in the area and we are happy to have them helping us again this year. We offer: - Games for age groups ranging from U8 to U13+



- Guaranteed Minimum of 3 Games - Individual Awards for 1st and 2nd place teams - Round robin or team pool brackets - All games played at convenient locations

Register here

READING UNITED SEASON TICKETS







Season tickets are only $25! Get in on the action for less than $4 per game! Season tickets are only $25! Get in on the action for less than $4 per game!

PURCHASE HERE TODAY!

It may be cold outside, but Reading United's 2019 season is heating up. Stay up to date with all the latest news regarding our 2019 schedule, discounted ticket plans, player announcements and more right here and on our social media platforms. Follow us, like us and subscribe at the links below:

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