DETROIT – Detroit City FC announced Friday that the club has signed defender Jalen Robinson to a one-year deal with a club option for the 2024 season ahead of the 2023 USL Championship. This transaction is pending league and federation approval.
Robinson most recently joined Le Rouge after playing for fellow USL Championship club Loudoun United FC in the 2022 season. The 28-year-old appeared in his 23 games for Loudon last season, scoring 1,958 minutes of action and recording 75 clearances and 22 interceptions. Robinson also recorded a 67.1 dueling success rate, with him winning 51 of 81 aerial duels (63%).
A native of Catonsville, Maryland, Robinson grew up around Washington, DC and played for Bethesda SC in Maryland. In his 2009 he joined the DC United Youth Academy and remained there until 2012.
From there, Robinson attended Wake Forest University, where he started for the Demon Deacons for two years, appearing in 36 games. Robinson was named second in his team to the All-Atlantic Conference in 2013.
The following year he started his professional career by signing with DC United as a homegrown player. Robinson made his major league football debut with his D.C. in 2016 after appearing on loan for both his Richmond Kickers and Phoenix Rising FC in his first two seasons.
Robinson will return to the professional ranks with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the Championship in 2021 and signed with Loudoun United last season. Overall, he made 77 championship appearances and logged 5,548 minutes of action in the regular season.