CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Independence announced on Tuesday the signing of former UNC Charlotte defender Luke Waechter. The signing is pending league and federation approval.

Waechter was an integral part of the 49ers’ Conference USA regular season title in 2016 as he recorded 17 starts, which helped the team retain a national ranking for the entire season. He was also named the Conference USA Defender of the Year, in addition to being named to the Conference USA All-Conference First Team, NSCAA All-Southeast Region First Team, and NCCSIA All-State First Team. 

"We knew a little bit about the quality of Luke's play at UNCC before having him in [for preseason]," said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. "For a guy just starting his professional career, he has a very professional mentality in terms of how he approaches each day. Once again, it's nice for us to be able to bring in a strong, local player."  

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Waechter is an alumnus of the South Carolina United Battery Academy, which is affiliated with the USL’s Charleston Battery. The Charlotte Independence will kick off the 2017 season at Transamerica Field on the campus of UNC Charlotte against the Battery on Saturday, April 1st.

“I honestly never thought I'd be playing against the Battery,” said Waechter. “Some of the older guys [at SC United] had been called up to the Battery. But at that point in my life, I wasn’t even thinking about being a professional after college.”

As Waechter’s youth, college, and professional careers play a role in the 2017 season opener, the game marks a unique homecoming for the first-year pro.

“It's all going to be very, very familiar,” said Waechter. “I have the old club at the old university, so it'll be a fun experience for me.”