The kits have been unveiled. The season is less than a month away. And the Fort Wayne FC roster keeps getting stronger.
The club announced four additions to the lineup Monday – forward Muslim Umar, midfielder Gaku Nishimura, defender Christien Merritt and goalkeeper Christian Herluf – bringing the roster to 23 in advance of the May 11 season opener at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium against Sueño FC.
Nishimura played eight matches last season for Fort Wayne FC, when it won its second straight Valley Division championship in USL League Two.
All player additions are pending league and federation approval.
Tickets for Fort Wayne FC’s final season before moving to the professional ranks are on sale at FortWayneFC.com.
Visit the shop to purchase the new kits, which were revealed Thursday.
Umar, 21, played 13 matches last year for the University of Portland, starting seven times for the Oregon school. He scored against California and had an assist at San Diego. In 51 career matches over three seasons for Portland, Umar had eight goals and four assists. In 2022, he was selected to the All-West Coast Conference Freshman Team.
He transferred after last season to Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Umar’s family emigrated to Canada and he spent much of his youth career with Edmonton, Alberta-based BTB Academy, FC Edmonton and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
In 2021, he was selected by Bayern Munich to be part of their world squad, which competed in global friendlies. Also that year, Umar, known as “Mugsy,” got time in a Canadian Premier League match for Toronto-based York United.
“Muslim Umar is an attacking player with a wide array of high-level experience in the game, and the potential to reach even higher,” Fort Wayne FC coach Mike Avery said. “I am confident that Fort Wayne FC can help Mugsy continue his progression as a player and deliver on the promise of the attacking talent that is easy to see is there. Mugsy is a great addition to our squad.”
Nishimura, 21, who was born in Yokohama, Japan, played 16 games last season for California, Berkeley. He scored goals against Virginia and Louisville and added two assists.
He previously played for San Jose State University and made the All-Western Athletic Conference Freshman Team in 2023. He also has two matches of experience in the second division of Japan’s Kanto Soccer League.
With Fort Wayne FC in 2024, Nishimura assisted on two goals.
“Gaku joined us a little late last season due to his college calendar, but once he stepped onto the field with us, he immediately raised our level,” Avery said. “Gaku has incredible technique and precision in his passing, and his ability to help us connect from the back to the front is a quality we value. Gaku sees the game at an advanced level and he has the quality to deliver on his vision.”
Merritt, 22, who hails from Montclair, New Jersey, played in 15 games last season for Bryant and started nine of them. He has 18 matches of experience over two years, totaling 826 minutes of action, after missing his freshman season due to injury.
“Christien comes to us from a very talented Bryant University team that plays the game in a way that really stands out in college soccer, and that has a lot of similarities to how we strive to play in Fort Wayne,” Avery said. “Christien is a left back who has electric pace, an engine that allows him to get up and down the sideline, and he plays with a confidence and passion that I really appreciate.
“Christien is a very thoughtful and intelligent young man who takes opportunities like this one seriously, and I am confident that he will be a great fit for Fort Wayne FC.”
Herluf, a 22-year-old from Odder, Denmark, plays for McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. Last season, he was the Goalkeeper of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and gained All-Midwest Region honors in NCAA Division II. He was also a First Team All-American from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
Herluf led the nation in regular-season shutouts with 14 and in goals-against average at 0.45. Including the postseason, he had a 0.56 GAA and a .835 save percentage.
In his McKendree career, Herluf has a McKendree-record 28 shutouts in 44 matches with a 0.47 GAA and a .849 SP.
“I saw Christian play with McKendree University at the Final Four in December, and he catches the eye right away,” Avery said. “He has a big, athletic frame and moves easily around the goal, and he handles the ball cleanly.
“An important factor for us in Fort Wayne, because of the style we play, is how comfortable the goalkeeper is with the ball at his feet. Christian’s feet are one of his greatest strengths. He strikes the ball very well and passes with great accuracy.”
Herluf joins Aurie Briscoe and David Anderson as goalkeepers on the Fort Wayne FC roster.
About Fort Wayne FC
Fort Wayne FC, founded in 2019, is currently a pre-professional club in USL League Two’s Valley Division in the Central Conference. The club won Valley Division championships in 2023 and 2024. Fort Wayne FC is moving to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026 at a new state-of-the-art stadium. www.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.
