Emmanuel Iwe signs with MNUFC2

A standout player on NPSL side Joy Athletic Club’s inaugural season roster in 2021, Emmanuel Iwe has officially signed with Minnesota United FC 2 of MLS NEXT Pro. The Minnesota native and St. Louis Park High School graduate is the first home state player signed by MNUFC2 ahead of their inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro.

Iwe had graduated from SLPHS in 2019 and signed to play college soccer with Minnesota’s only D2 Men’s college team at St. Cloud State University. Before debuting with the Huskies, Iwe played last summer with NPSL North expansion side Joy Athletic Club who played out of St. Louis Park’s Oriole Stadium.

Joy AC co-founder Ted Kroeten said “What I am most proud of with Emmanuel is his growth as a person – he is a wonderful, humble role model for the young kids at Joy. He will eventually play at a much higher level, but he will always be part of us.”

That higher level came after playing just one season with the Goats in the NPSL. During last summer’s campaign Joy would finish 4th in the North with a record of 4-2-6 with 14 points and a win over Minneapolis City SC (the Crows only regular season loss of the year). In his time with the Goats, Iwe started all 12 matches, playing a total of 1,008 minutes, scoring 9 goals (second in the North Conference only behind the league Golden Boot winner Sidney Warden), attaining only one yellow card, and scoring a brace against La Crosse Aris FC in Arcadia, WI on June 9th.

With the Huskies this past fall, Iwe started all 18 matches the club played during their 3-11 season, accruing 1,394 minutes, scoring 6 goals, attaining 4 assists, and being handed only three yellow card with the Huskies.

The 5’10” midfielder was one of two players MNUFC2 has signed this week with the other being defender CC Uche who played last season with the Las Vegas Lights in the USL Championship.