“Sam was a major bright spot for us during his rookie season,” said Republic FC General Manager Todd Dunivant. “He is a defender’s nightmare and showed he can score big goals in big moments. We are looking forward to building on his strong start.”

The Bozeman, Montana, native’s 35 appearances in league play this season were second-most on the team, as the winger compiled a total of 2,420 minutes during his first season with the boys in Old Glory Red. Werner tallied seven goals and five assists in league play while contributing another two goals and one assist across three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, including an 83rd minute strike in the Second Round that sunk regional rivals Reno 1868 FC as Sacramento marched on to the Third Round following the 1-0 win.

The former Stanford Cardinal was very active on the offensive front and finished the season with 54 chances created. His 230 crosses during league play was third-most in the entire United Soccer League Championship. The 24-year-old’s most memorable moment occurred against New Mexico United in the play-in game of the 2019 USL Championship playoffs where Werner’s pinpoint cross from near midfield was perfectly placed for Thomas Enevoldsen to deliver a strike that beat the visiting goalkeeper and secured the Indomitable Club’s spot in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Werner’s collegiate career with Stanford University was headlined by three consecutive NCAA championships from 2015-2017. The midfielder contributed nine goals and nine assists over his four seasons with Stanford, but none more unforgettable than his sudden-death strike in overtime of the 2017 College Cup that gifted championship glory to the Cardinal, only the second-ever NCAA men’s team to win back-to-back-to-back D1 titles.

His College Cup heroics earned him 2017 Offensive Most Outstanding Player, 2017 Top Drawer Soccer College Cup Best XI honors and the Bob Murphy Award which is awarded to “the student athlete whose unforgettable performance in an athletics contest will secure a place in Stanford history.”

Werner was a member of the Portland Timbers youth system, as well as the club’s U-18 team from 2012-2014.

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