Philadelphia Union Sign Goalkeeper Matt Freese As Club’s Seventh Current Homegrown Player

Wayne, Pennsylvania native signs First Team contract with Philadelphia;

20-year-old becomes Union’s seventh current Homegrown Player, 10th in club history

CHESTER, Pa. (December 21, 2018) – Philadelphia Union announced today that goalkeeper Matt Freese (pronounced: FREEZE) has signed a professional contract with the club, becoming a Homegrown Player. A 20-year-old goalkeeper from Wayne, Pennsylvania, Freese becomes the seventh current Union Homegrown.

“It is a tremendous achievement for Matt to join our First Team, and of course, as a Homegrown Player, it is for sure an extra special moment for his family,” said Ernst Tanner, Union Sporting Director. “I saw Matt in person for the first time when he played for Harvard against Penn, and he made a fantastic impression to me, one that has only grown with further study. We have observed immense progress throughout his time in our Academy, with Steel FC, and for Harvard, and we couldn’t be prouder to see him take this next step.”

The Union’s 10th all-time Homegrown, Freese joins the club following two years at Harvard University, where he played 16 matches, recording 77 saves. Following the 2018 season, Freese earned Second-Team All-Ivy League honors for the first time in his career.

In 2017, Freese made three appearances in the matchday 18 for Bethlehem Steel FC as a member of the Union Academy. He also made one substitute appearance in preseason for Steel FC, earning three saves in 30 minutes.

Freese is a United States youth international, last being called up by the Under-19 National Team for training camp in February of 2017. Prior to playing collegiately at Harvard, he featured for the Union Academy, making six starts in seven appearances for the U-17/18s in the academy’s 2016-17 season.

Freese is slated to join Brenden Aaronson, Anthony Fontana, Derrick Jones, Mark McKenzie, Matt Real and Auston Trusty as Homegrown Players on the Union’s active roster.

TRANSACTION: Philadelphia Union sign goalkeeper Matt Freese as a Homegrown Player on December 21, 2018.

Name: Matt Freese (pronounced: FREEZE)

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 195

Born: September 2, 1998 in Wayne, PA

Hometown: Wayne, PA

Citizenship: United States, Germany

Acquired: Philadelphia Union sign goalkeeper Matt Freese as a Homegrown Player on December 21, 2018