MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Monday that goalkeeper James Pantemis and defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère have signed first-team contracts as MLS Homegrown Players, valid at the start of the 2018 season.

“We are happy to sign James and Thomas to MLS homegrown contracts. They are players who have come through our Academy system and have been part of the Canadian youth national team programs,” said Impact technical director Adam Braz. “They have shown that they deserve to take the next step into the first team and we look forward to helping them to continue to develop as players.”

Pantemis joined the Academy in 2014, coming from Lakeshore. He played with the Impact U18 for two seasons, before joining FC Montreal in the USL in 2016, playing two games.

He has also been a part of many national team camps, as he was first called up to the Canadian U15 team in 2012. He also played with the U16, U17, U18 and U20 teams, before being called up for two senior team camps in 2017. This summer, he started for Canada-Québec in the three games played at the Jeux de la Francophonie in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

“It means a lot to me to be given the opportunity to represent my hometown club,” said Pantemis. “It’s an honour and I am ready to give everything I got to help this club succeed in the future.”

Meilleur-Giguère joined the Impact Academy in 2013, coming from his amateur club of L’Assomption. He played with the Impact U16 and U18, before spending one season with FC Montreal in the USL, in 2016, where he started 21 games, playing 1,866 minutes, as well as scoring two goals.

In 2016, he was also captain of the U20 Canadian national team and took part in the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship.

In 2017, he played with Ottawa Fury FC, the Impact’s affiliated club in the USL. He also captained Canada-Québec’s team at the 2017 Jeux de la Francophonie.

“This MLS contract was an objective I had,” said Thomas Meilleur-Giguère. “It represents even more to be able to play for my beloved club.”

Transaction: Montreal Impact signs James Pantemis and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère to Homegrown Players contracts on November 13, for the 2018 season.

JAMES PANTEMIS

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6’2’’

Weight: 168lb

Date of birth: February 21, 1997

Place of residence: Kirkland, Quebec

Previous team: FC Montreal

Date acquired: November 13, 2017

THOMAS MEILLEUR-GIGUÈRE

Position: Defender

Height: 6’0’’

Weight: 165lb

Date of birth: November 13, 1997

Place of residence: L’Assomption, Quebec

Previous team: Ottawa Fury FC

Date acquired: November 13, 2017