PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced the signing of academy goalkeeper Hunter Sulte to a Homegrown Player contract. Sulte will be added to the Timbers roster for the 2021 MLS regular season.
Sulte, 18, joins the Timbers after having made eight appearances (8 starts) for Portland Timbers 2 during the 2020 USL Championship campaign, tallying 31 saves. He becomes the first player from Alaska to sign an MLS Homegrown contract with an MLS club. Additionally, Sulte took part in the Timbers’ first team training camp in Costa Rica before the beginning of the 2020 campaign.
“Hunter is a talented player whose commitment and dedication to the sport has been rewarded,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and president of soccer for the Timbers. “We look forward to working with Hunter to fulfill his potential at the professional level and be a goalkeeper for the Timbers for many years to come.”
The Anchorage, Alaska, native joined the Timbers Academy in 2016, having made appearances at the U-14, U-16/17, and U-18/19 levels. Notably, Sulte is the second player ever from the state of Alaska to have signed a professional contract with an MLS club.
“We are very excited to sign an academy player who has shown all the signs and promise of a great future with the Timbers,” said Giovanni Savarese, head coach of the Timbers. “We feel that this the best move for him to continue to develop and are invested in Hunter as a player.”
Transaction: Portland Timbers sign goalkeeper Hunter Sulte as a Homegrown Player on Nov. 11, 2020.
Hunter Sulte
Pronunciation: SULT
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-7
Weight: 195
Date of Birth: April 25, 2002
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on Nov. 11, 2020
