READING, PA (20 May 2024) –  Reading United A.C. is excited to announce its acceptance into the USL Academy League for the Spring of 2024.  Reading United will roster a U20 men’s team at the direction of our USL2 assistant coaches. The team will practice with the current men’s reserve team, and participate in 3-5 friendly matches from now through July against other USL Academy teams in the Mid-Atlantic Division.

“With the successful addition of the women’s WPSL team in 2023, I am excited that we can expand the club to provide this opportunity for younger, male players in Berks County. The goal of the Academy team is to provide an opportunity for older, Berks County youth players, to be coached at and play at a higher  level under the Reading United badge,” said Christian Bauer, Club President and Co-owner.

Prior to Reading’s 2024 season, Reading United announced a partnership with the youth club Berks United FC.  With the addition of the Academy, with males aged U16-U19, Reading United has now established a vertically integrated youth to pre-professional pathway, built from the top-down.  

Reading Vice President Art Auchenbach added, “Our goal is to offer local, greater Reading area high school rising and existing seniors an opportunity to further develop their soccer skills as they age out of youth club soccer and prepare for college or beyond.  Governor Mifflin graduate, and current United defender Amit Bhogal is a great example of this.  We hope that when these Academy players go off to college and return home for the summer, they will want to play for our Reserve or eventually the USL2 teams.”

Reading United is still actively pursuing talent to join the Academy team for 2024.  If you are interested, please contact Casey Moore at Casey@readingunitedac.com.

The club has begun its 2024 season, with the men’s USL2 team posting its first win against rival Lehigh Valley United this past Saturday, May 18. Reading United open the 2024 home schedule on Friday, May 24th when our WPSL women’s team take on take on LVU Rush.  Kickoff at Alvernia University Stadium is scheduled for 7:00pm. Single game and season tickets for the 2024 campaign can be purchased online at www.readingunitedac.com/tickets.