SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC announced on Thursday it had signed veteran defender Chris Christian for the 2018 USL season, pending league and federation approval. Christian joins SAFC after spending the last two seasons with Sacramento Republic FC.

Christian appeared in 28 regular-season contests a season ago and led the team with 83 clearances, while adding another 11 in two playoff outings as Republic FC reached the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs. In Republic FC’s two postseason games, Christian played all 210 minutes before the club’s elimination by the Swope Park Rangers.

“We are excited to add Chris to our roster,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “He is an experienced defender at this level and he played over 60 games with Sacramento under Paul Buckle the last two seasons. We are happy to have Chris come in and hit the ground running as we prepare for the start of the season.”

The New York native appeared in 64 matches in all competitions for Republic FC over the past two seasons, totaling nearly 6,000 minutes of action. In 2016, Christian helped lead Sacramento to a first-place finish in the USL Western Conference.

“Joining SAFC is a new chapter and it's exciting,” said Christian. “San Antonio has always been a top club. I'm excited to be a part of it and I want to help the team in the best way that I can. Obviously, a championship is always the main goal, but we'll take it one day at a time as a team.”

PENN, LISSEK LINK UP: Penn FC announced the signing of goalkeeper Jacob Lissek, pending league and USSF approval, making the 25-year-old Colorado native the first Rush Soccer alum to join Penn FC in 2018.

“Jacob is a great addition to the Penn FC roster,” said Penn FC General Manager and Rush Soccer President and CEO Tim Schulz. “He has always been a team player and is willing to do what it takes to help his squad succeed.”

Lissek spent the past two seasons in the USL with OKC Energy FC, which included a loan stint with the club’s MLS partner FC Dallas last year. Lissek began his professional career in 2015 with the Charlotte Independence, which followed a standout college career at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he recorded a program-record 26 clean sheets.