Anthony Hernandez, a defender who excelled for Fort Wayne Football Club the past two seasons, has agreed to terms and rejoined the club for its first season in professional soccer.
His addition to the roster Sunday is pending league and federation approval.
“I’m incredibly excited to join Fort Wayne FC this season,” Hernandez said. “After spending the past two summers here, it truly feels like home and I’m eager to be part of the team. I can’t wait to play in front of the home crowd, contribute on the field, and help make this a successful year.”
Fort Wayne FC will open its inaugural USL League One season March 7 at FC Naples in Naples, Florida, kicking off a stretch of five straight road matches before the first event at Fort Wayne FC Park – May 2 against the Charlotte Independence.
Season tickets are on sale now. A deposit is no longer required and fans can pick their seats.
“To have Anthony continue with us as we move into USL League One is a great comfort. Simply put, Anthony is a Fort Wayne player,” said Fort Wayne FC’s head coach, Mike Avery. “Anthony is a great technician, and he handles the ball with precise control while executing at top speed. Anthony plays with passion, is a team-first guy, and aligns with how we see the game.”
Hernandez is the sixth player to join the roster, which also includes Javier Armas, Tiago Dias, JP Jordan, Michael Rempel and Reid Sproat.
Hernandez, 22, played at Bowling Green the past three years, totaling six assists over 53 matches, 43 of which he started. The native of Pickerington, Ohio, was one of only three Falcons to start every match last season, when he assisted on two goals.
“Anthony is a young player, but he also brings a lot of valuable experience,” Avery said. “He has been around USA youth national team environments, he was a part of the Columbus Crew Academy, he was a regular starter in a top college program at Bowling Green, and he was an essential piece of the last two division titles we won with Fort Wayne FC at the USL League Two level.
“Anthony’s best football is ahead of him, and we are excited to play a part in his continued development and success.”
Hernandez appeared in 26 matches for Fort Wayne FC in 2024 and 2025 combined – helping the team to back-to-back appearances in the conference semifinals – and his 2025 season included a key goal, in a 2-0 victory over Lexington SC, and an assist. Dias and Sproat also played for Fort Wayne FC last season in USL League Two, a pre-professional level of soccer.
Fort Wayne FC’s first training camp in pro soccer will open Jan. 26 at Concordia High School.
Fort Wayne Football Club roster
Javier Armas, midfielder, 26 years old
Tiago Dias, defender, 24 years old
Anthony Hernandez, defender, 22 years old
JP Jordan, midfielder, 22 years old
Michael Rempel, defender, 24 years old
Reid Sproat, defender, 24 years old
About Fort Wayne Football Club
Fort Wayne Football Club, founded in 2019, is a professional soccer club playing its first season in USL League One in 2026. The club is building a state-of-the-art, soccer-specific stadium, Fort Wayne FC Park, that will open at Bass Road and I-69 in 2026. In pre-professional USL League Two, Fort Wayne Football Club won division titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025. For more information, visit FortWayneFC.com.
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.