Ehtar Belleville F.C. adds talent to 2023 roster

BELLEVILLE, IL – APRIL 13, 2023…. Ehtar Belleville FC, a National Premier Soccer League team based in Belleville, Illinois, is proud to announce it has signed four talented players, all from Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) team St. Louis Ambush. Kyle Swanner, Triston Austin, Jose Ogaz, and Wyatt Fowler have all officially joined Ehtar Belleville FC for its inaugural season as one of the newest expansion teams in the National Premier Soccer League.

“We are delighted to welcome Kyle, Triston, Jose, and Wyatt to Ehtar for our historic first season in the NPSL,” said head coach and general manager Drew Crawford. “These players are all hugely experienced and will provide us with the quality talent we need to compete at the top level in this league.”

A graduate of Edwardsville High School, Swanner spent six seasons as a St. Louis Scott Gallagher (SLSG) Academy player and was a member of the 2013 National Championship team. A midfielder/defender, he was the captain of his collegiate team at Lewis and Clark College, where he led his team to consecutive first place conference titles and appearances in the regional finals. Swanner continued his collegiate playing career at Quincy University, where he received the Bonaventure Award for academic excellence. He previously played for St. Louis Maritsa FC and joined Ambush midway through the 2021-2022 season. He is the son of retired professional soccer player, Jamie Swanner, and national emeritus referee, Karen Swanner.

“I grew up in an environment surrounded by soccer, with my dad as a player and my mom as an official, so I have been playing soccer since I could walk,” said Swanner. “I am excited and blessed for this opportunity to play with Ehtar in their inaugural 2023 season. There is a lot of great talent in this area, and I am grateful to be able to play a contributing role on the team,” he continued. “Based on the conversations we have had with the coaches thus far, I believe the culture and team already have a strong beginning and hopefully this momentum will carry us through the season.

This will be the third time Triston Austin and Jose Ogaz have been teammates during their playing careers. Natives of Bloomfield, Colorado, the duo first played at Bloomfield High School, where together they won 5A State Championship titles.

An attacking midfielder/forward, Austin was a member of the Bloomfield team for two of those state      5A titles, where he was selected to the All-State first team and played in the All-Star game. He played a single college season at Sheridan College, before he was recruited by the United Soccer League, where he started his professional career. He has also earned two international caps playing for the United States National Arena Team.

“I am ecstatic to be part of this new organization and to have the chance to build a new future for the Belleville soccer community,” Austin explained. “I hope to contribute lots of goals and bring wins to the town of ‘little Egypt’. We want to give the people of Belleville something to talk about with Ehtar FC.”

 A rookie for the St. Louis Ambush during the 2022-2023 season, Ogaz was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, but grew up in Bloomfield Colorado, which he calls home. A goalkeeper, Ogaz led his Bloomfield High School team to three 5A state titles and was named Goalkeeper of the Year for the State of Colorado during one of those seasons. He went on to play at Norfolk College in Nebraska, prior to joining Azetca FC in the Colorado Super League, where he played for two seasons before signing with St. Louis Ambush.

“I am very excited to be a part of this new organization and thankful to have the opportunity to be the goalkeeper for this amazing new team,” said Ogaz. “I can’t wait to get started.”

A native of Olathe, Kansas, Wyatt Fowler is also in his second season with St. Louis Ambush, playing in a midfield role. A graduate of Benedictine College, he was the team’s leading scorer during his junior year. After college, Fowler joined Sunflower State FC where he was the captain of both their United Premier League Soccer (UPSL) and MASL3 squads. He led the Sunflower State FC MASL 3 team to their first ever final appearance and was named to the League’s All-Star team.

“These signings are a signal of our intention to make an immediate impact in the Gateway Conference and in the Midwest Region,” added Crawford. “We hope this is the beginning of a strong relationship between Ehtar Belleville FC and the St. Louis Ambush moving forward.”

Ehtar FC will be hosting a town friendly match versus Belle-Vegas Legends at 12pm on Saturday May 6 at Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville.  The public is invited to the match to meet players and team staff. Concessions, games, attendance prizes and merchandise will be available at the event. Tickets can be purchased at www.ehtarfc.com.

Media Contact: Cindy Sorgea, Communications Representative, Ehtar Belleville FC   csorgeapr@gmail.com

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