Mamadou Diarra had one of the most prolific seasons in all of college soccer, totaling eight goals – three of which were game-winners – and eight assists in 16 matches for Florida Atlantic University in 2024.
Accolades, of course, came his way, including being selected as the American Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and being tabbed as the 57th best player in Division I, according to “Top Drawer Soccer.”
If Diarra, a 23-year-old forward, is feeling any pressure to produce like that for Fort Wayne FC as it heads into its first USL League Two match of the season, he certainly isn’t showing it.
“No, I feel like there’s no pressure. I just need to stay focused and keep working hard. The key is to get better every day,” said Diarra, whose Fort Wayne FC team will face the Dayton Dutch Lions 7 p.m. Saturday at West Carrollton High School in West Carrollton, Ohio.
It helps Diarra to be in a comfortable environment with a club he’s enjoying, playing alongside teammates with whom he already has chemistry. Those include two others from FAU – Aboubacar Traore, who played for Fort Wayne FC last summer, and Oliver Moller-Jensen.
“It’s really good to have all three of us from FAU here,” Traore said. “We are very used to playing with each other and we understand each other’s movements. It’s way easier when all three of us are on the field; we can combine it all with what we are learning from (the Fort Wayne FC coaching staff). We think we can bring our natural connection to the team here.
“It’s great to make new friends here, but it’s also nice to have people you’re used to around you.”
Soccer fans in Northeast Indiana already knew what Traore was capable of from 10 matches in 2024 and a two-goal performance in a friendly against Chivas Guadalajara’s U-23 team. And they learned quickly of Moller-Jensen’s capabilities; he had two late goals in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Sueño FC in a friendly at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium.
“In the second half, we got it going and that’s the most important thing,” said Diarra, who hails from Bamako, Mali. “I feel like it was good, it was a great beginning to the season.”
After winning the Valley Division in 2023 and 2024, Fort Wayne FC is focused on capturing a USL League Two championship this season before moving up to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026 at a new soccer-specific stadium being built at Bass Road and I-69.
The FAU trio will be a big part of the club’s efforts this season. Saturday’s match can be streamed live at SportsEngine Play.
“It helps me a lot because we’re connected. We’ve got Bouba and Ollie, so we’re all able to play like we do at FAU and it’s a great connection,” Diarra said.
Traore, a 22-year-old forward from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, was also a First Team All-Conference selection last year with FAU after scoring four goals with an AAC-leading 10 assists in 16 matches. That assist total also tied an FAU record. The Owls were 7-6-3 and lost in the AAC Quarterfinals.
Moller-Jensen, a 21-year-old forward from Vallensbaek, Denmark, had a goal and two assists in 14 matches for FAU last season.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the Fort Wayne FC family this season. And having my two brothers here, Bouba and Momo, it’s just an extra bonus,” Moller-Jensen said. “I love being around those guys and we’ve created a very good bond together and that bond is only going to become stronger and get better with us here together.
“We are all here at Fort Wayne FC to do our absolute best for the club and the community, and to achieve the best we can out of this great opportunity we’ve got.”
