Louisville, Kentucky. – Louisville City FC announced Friday that the club has signed defender Travis Smith and forward Colin Elder to the USL Academy. Both players are eligible for selection in the club’s home opener against El Paso Locomotive FC this Saturday at the Lynn Family Stadium.
An agreement with the USL Academy allows players to train and play for professional teams while retaining their NCAA eligibility. Smith and Elder join Issac Cano as his USL Academy deal, his second at LouCity and his third this season.
An Allstate First Team selection out of DuPont Manual High School, Smith had 11 goals and 10 assists last fall. He was also selected to represent Kentucky at the National High School All-American Game in December, and Smith has signed a contract to play collegiately at powerhouse Wake his Forest University this fall.
“I am really excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Smith said. “It was a great experience learning from the pros. The real work is yet to come.”
From Mount Washington, Kentucky, Elder spent much of the preseason in Roux City, appearing in friendly matches against Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC and Austin FC. His senior year at East High School, he scored 90 goals for the Chargers, where he played as a kicker for his team in the 2022 KHSAA 6A Football State Championship and holds the school record. Elder will play his college football at the local Bellarmine College this fall.
“As a local player who has been through the LouCity Academy, I know how meaningful this opportunity is and hopefully set an example for future Academy players,” Elder said. “This is a great opportunity to take the next step in my football career. I would like to thank the first team and academy coaches for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to everything that comes with it.”
In addition to those currently under amateur contracts, LuCity Academy has produced five pros since its inception in 2020: Owen Dam, Carlos Mogull Jr., Sebastian Sanchez, and brothers Elijah and Josh Winder.
