Rangers Add Two More to Their Roster

The Swope Park Rangers continue to build their roster ahead of their first season in the USL. Today the club announced two more players that have been signed for the upcoming 2016 season, defender Oumar Ballo and midfielder Ualefi Rodrigues dos Reis. The signings bring the Rangers total to 10 players currently under contract for 2016, one short of being able to field a full team.

Ballo spent part of last season with the Charleston Battery, on loan from the Houston Dynamo. Ballo was waived by the Dynamo early in the 2015 season though. Before being drafted into MLS, Ballo had helped UMBC advance to the 2014 College Cup, falling in the semifinals to Virginia. The 24 year old will give the Rangers some further height and size in the middle of defense as the Mali native stands 6-2.

Ualefi is another young player that the club has brought in. At 21, the Brazil native will be one of the younger players on the Rangers squad heading into preseason. He'd spent his youth mainly in the Corinthians' Academy since he was 13 years old. He also represented Brazil at the U15 level. Ualefi made it to the senior squad in 2012 when he was 18 years old.

Right now with the 10 players on the roster, the club currently has one goalkeeper, Zac Lubin, the oldest player on the team right now at 26, three defenders in Ballo, Johnny Grant, and Jacob VanCompernolle, four midfielders, Christian Duke, Alex Molano, Nansel Selbol, and Ualefi, and two forwards, Kris Tyrpak and Dane Kelly. There is flexibility there though as Duke spent much of his time in Oklahoma City last season as an outside back in the Energy's system while Selbol could certainly play up top as well. Still plenty of time to build the roster in the coming months and they could get another influx of signings with the MLS Superdraft coming.