SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Republic FC announced on Tuesday it had agreed to a contract with Tyler Blackwood for the 2017 USL season, pending league and federation approval.  Blackwood joins Republic FC after playing last season with Arizona United SC, now known as Phoenix Rising FC.

“Tyler is someone who we earmarked from last season and who we think can improve our front line,” said Republic FC Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle. “He is young and very good at attacking from wide areas, as we saw last year when he scored against us. We believe he can excel at our level and beyond.”

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Blackwood made 26 appearances in the USL regular season in 2016, starting 24. He scored eight goals, including one against Republic FC, and added one assist. Prior to joining Arizona, the English forward played with League Championship club, Queens Park Rangers and on loan with League Two club Newport County, scoring a goal in four appearances between the two clubs.

Blackwood played collegiately for the University of Tampa, racking up 24 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances before transferring to University of South Florida for his senior year. Blackwood scored four goals and tallied three assists in 18 appearances for the Bulls.