Exciting Addition: FC Dallas Keeper Blake Wheeler Joins University of Denver’s 2025 Roster!

The University of Denver men’s soccer team has welcomed goalkeeper Blake Wheeler, announcing his commitment to join the program for the fall 2025 season. This move was confirmed by head coach Jamie Franks.

Wheeler, a 6-foot, 170-pound talent from Prosper, Texas, brings impressive experience to the team. He has played for the FC Dallas Academy for several years and has represented his team in international tournaments across Mexico, Brazil, Germany, and England. In 2019, he was named goalkeeper of the tournament in England and was invited to a U.S. Youth National Team ID Camp in 2022.

Wheeler chose to attend the University of Denver for its strong soccer program and academic reputation. He aims to grow both personally and athletically during his time at Denver and hopes to pursue a professional soccer career afterward. Besides soccer, he enjoys golf, cars, and snowboarding, and he’s a dedicated fan of Chelsea FC and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Notably, his father played college baseball at UCLA.

Coach Franks expressed his enthusiasm about Wheeler joining the program. He noted that Wheeler’s unique skill set as a goalkeeper aligns well with the team’s playing style. “We need our goalkeeper to connect with the back line and act as both the first attacker and the last defender,” Franks said. He highlighted Wheeler’s bravery, intelligence on the field, and strong character as exciting traits that will contribute to his development as a player at Denver.

The signing of Wheeler reflects a growing trend of young talent advancing from academy programs to collegiate soccer, emphasizing a vital step in athletes’ pathways to professional soccer. Recent statistics show that a significant percentage of players from top college programs eventually enter the Major League Soccer (MLS) draft, indicating the potential for success beyond college.

In summary, Blake Wheeler’s addition to the University of Denver men’s soccer team not only strengthens their roster but also taps into the larger narrative of athletes transitioning from youth academy systems to higher levels of competition. As college soccer continues to evolve, players like Wheeler embody the promise of future talent in the sport.



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