Wake Forest Athletics
ProDeacs Continue to Shine Across the Globe
7/20/2026 10:32:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Alistair Johnston and Mark McKenzie recently wrapped up successful World Cup campaigns.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - From the FIFA World Cup to championship-winning clubs across Europe and standout performances throughout Major League Soccer and the USL Championship, Wake Forest Men's Soccer alumni continue to excel on the professional stage during the 2026 season. Former Demon Deacons have earned international honors, captured league titles, made MLS debuts and emerged as key contributors for clubs across the globe.
World Cup & European Football Standouts
Former Wake Forest standout Alistair Johnston continued to cement his place as one of Canada's top defenders during the FIFA World Cup, leading his nation to a historic Round of 16 appearance while starting and playing every minute (450) of Canada's five matches. Johnston earned Team of the Group Stage honors after becoming the only Canadian outfield player to play every minute of the tournament. He helped Canada secure its first-ever FIFA World Cup point in the tournament opener against Bosnia before playing a key role in a 6-0 victory over Qatar, creating a team-high six chances in the match.
Johnston later helped Canada record another clean sheet in its Round of 32 victory over South Africa and finished the tournament leading the team with six interceptions while ranking second with 19 crosses. At the club level, Johnston helped Celtic capture a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title. After appearing in two matches early in the campaign before suffering an injury, he returned for the club's final five league fixtures, including a full 90-minute performance in a decisive 3-1 victory over Hearts. Celtic completed the domestic double with a 3-1 victory over Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final, where Johnston assisted on the opening goal. In the seven league matches Johnston appeared in this season, Celtic collected all 21 possible points. Across four seasons with the Scottish giants, Johnston has now totaled 102 appearances, including 99 starts, while surpassing 8,000 career minutes to go along with six goals and 17 assists.
Mark McKenzie made his FIFA World Cup debut with the United States Men's National Team against Turkey before helping the Americans advance to the Round of 16. At Toulouse, the center back finished third on the club with 30 tackles won and ranked sixth with 25 interceptions while helping the French side finish 10th in Ligue 1 on 44 points. Toulouse also finished in the upper half of the league in goals conceded with just 46, allowing eight fewer than Conference League qualifier Monaco. McKenzie added assists against Marseille and Brest during league play before turning in one of his strongest defensive performances in the Coupe de France Round of 32, winning five tackles while recording two interceptions to help Toulouse advance on penalties over Angers.
Jack Harrison played an instrumental role in helping Fiorentina avoid relegation after joining the club during the January transfer window. When Harrison arrived, Fiorentina sat in the relegation zone on 18 points before finishing the season in 15th place with 42 points. Since his arrival, the club compiled a 6-6-3 league record, collecting 24 points over its final 15 matches. Harrison recorded assists in consecutive 1-0 victories over Hellas Verona and Lazio before scoring in a 1-1 draw against Lecce, directly contributing to all three goals during a seven-point stretch. He finished his loan spell with one goal and three assists, tying for sixth on the club in goal contributions despite playing just 15 league matches, while posting the highest points-per-match average on the squad (1.60) among players with at least 15 appearances.
MLS
Fresh off signing his Homegrown contract with New York City FC, Cooper Flax has quickly become one of MLS NEXT Pro's most dangerous midfielders. Flax has scored six goals over his last seven matches, including a brace against Carolina Core, to take over the team lead in goals while adding an assist. He has started 12 of his 15 appearances this season and has gone the full 90 minutes nine times, including each of his last seven outings. Through the midpoint of the campaign, Flax has already logged more than 1,100 minutes.
Top-five MLS SuperDraft selection Harvey Sarajian has taken MLS NEXT Pro by storm during his rookie season with Orlando City B. Sarajian has totaled five goals and six assists through 13 league matches while recording either a goal or an assist in each of his first nine professional appearances. His six assists are tied for the fifth most in MLS NEXT Pro, and he is one of just seven players in the league with at least five goals and five assists. Sarajian has started every league match while playing the full 90 minutes in all but two contests. His strong form earned him his MLS debut on April 18, when he came off the bench against Houston before making another first-team appearance against Charlotte. He also found the back of the net in a first-team friendly featuring new Orlando City teammate Antoine Griezmann.
Hosei Kijima has made four appearances for D.C. United this season, including three in MLS play and another in the U.S. Open Cup. His Wake Forest teammate Brandon Servania has become a fixture in D.C.'s midfield, starting 14 of the club's first 15 MLS matches while recording an assist during U.S. Open Cup play against One Knoxville. Defensively, Servania has totaled 19 tackles won and 12 interceptions during the campaign.
Roald Mitchell has continued to break into the New York Red Bulls first team, making three MLS appearances this season, including a 17-minute appearance against Sporting Kansas City before the World Cup break. In MLS NEXT Pro, Mitchell has once again showcased his scoring ability, totaling four goals and one assist in seven matches, including a brace and an assist against Columbus 2 in his season debut. Dating back to last season, Mitchell has now scored 16 goals in just 23 MLS NEXT Pro league matches, in addition to five playoff goals during New York's championship run.
Calvin Harris has become one of Sporting Kansas City's most productive attacking players during his first season with the club. Harris is tied for second on the team in goal contributions with two goals and three assists while also ranking second on the squad with 1,095 minutes played. He has caught fire in recent weeks, recording four goal contributions across his last four matches, including three in a 3-1 victory over the LA Galaxy.
Ian Harkes has helped San Jose surge into second place in the Western Conference with 32 points through 15 matches. During his second season with the Earthquakes, Harkes has logged 700 minutes across 17 appearances in all competitions as a defensive midfielder. San Jose has won 12 of those 17 matches, including two victories in cup competition, while Harkes has played the full 90 minutes four times, helping record two clean sheets.
Dylan Borso realized a lifelong dream when he made his MLS debut with the Chicago Fire on March 7, replacing an injured player and playing 60 minutes in a scoreless draw against Columbus. Borso has since added three more MLS appearances while also featuring in both U.S. Open Cup matches for the Fire. In MLS NEXT Pro, the defender contributed two assists from right back during a 2-1 victory over Chattanooga FC. Isaiah Parente has also appeared twice for the LA Galaxy this season, while Omir Fernandez has yet to feature for Portland after missing the campaign due to injury.
USL Championship
Wake Forest teammates Nico Benalcazar and Garrison Tubbs have helped Orange County SC climb to the top of the USL Championship Western Conference standings with 28 points through 16 matches. Benalcazar has started all 15 of his league appearances while leading the club with 18 tackles won and adding nine interceptions. He has also scored three goals, including two equalizers that salvaged valuable points in 1-1 draws and another in a 3-2 victory over Oakland. Tubbs has appeared in 14 league matches while playing the full 90 minutes 12 times. He leads Orange County with 18 interceptions, ranking among the league's top 20, while adding 13 tackles won, a dramatic 76th-minute match-winning goal against Las Vegas and helping the club record four clean sheets.
Bruno Lapa has helped FC Tulsa remain in the playoff race, making 10 appearances with seven starts while recording an assist during a U.S. Open Cup victory over Little Rock. Steven Echevarria has made four appearances for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, recording an assist during a first-round U.S. Open Cup victory over Azteca FC while continuing to earn regular call-ups to the Puerto Rican National Team. Babacar Niang has also continued his professional career with Louisville City FC and has chipped in a goal in his last outing.
USL League One
Jon Bakero has continued to produce for Charlotte Independence, totaling five goals and three assists in 18 appearances while helping the club climb to third place with 30 points. Bakero has also earned multiple USL League One Team of the Week selections throughout the season. Fellow Demon Deacon Omar Hernandez leads Chattanooga Red Wolves with six goals and two assists across 17 appearances. Hernandez has also earned multiple Team of the Week honors and scored the match-winning goal against Naples. Jahlane Forbes recently joined Forward Madison after transferring from Las Vegas Lights and made his club debut on July 1 during a 1-0 victory over Spokane.
MLS NEXT Pro & Beyond
Several recent Demon Deacons have continued establishing themselves in MLS NEXT Pro. Liam O'Gara has made 12 appearances, including nine starts in midfield for Real Monarchs while playing the full 90 minutes in each of his last eight matches. Prince Amponsah has started 14 of his 16 appearances during his first professional season with Vancouver Whitecaps II, playing every minute of each start while scoring in his debut against Ventura County. Sidney Paris has earned nine starts in 11 appearances during his rookie professional campaign with St. Louis CITY2, playing both in defense and on the wing while continuing to feature regularly for the Puerto Rican National Team. Trace Alphin has made seven starts for Real Monarchs, highlighted by a clean sheet against Colorado Rapids 2. Camilo Ponce recently scored for NYCFC II against CT United FC, while Colin Thomas has made two appearances for Chattanooga FC.
Elsewhere around the globe, Machop Chol has recorded two goals and three assists in 13 appearances for Ansan Greeners in South Korea, while Ema Twumasi helped Piast Gliwice remain in Poland's top division after starting 25 matches in defense and scoring from right back against Radomiak.
World Cup & European Football Standouts
Former Wake Forest standout Alistair Johnston continued to cement his place as one of Canada's top defenders during the FIFA World Cup, leading his nation to a historic Round of 16 appearance while starting and playing every minute (450) of Canada's five matches. Johnston earned Team of the Group Stage honors after becoming the only Canadian outfield player to play every minute of the tournament. He helped Canada secure its first-ever FIFA World Cup point in the tournament opener against Bosnia before playing a key role in a 6-0 victory over Qatar, creating a team-high six chances in the match.
Johnston later helped Canada record another clean sheet in its Round of 32 victory over South Africa and finished the tournament leading the team with six interceptions while ranking second with 19 crosses. At the club level, Johnston helped Celtic capture a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title. After appearing in two matches early in the campaign before suffering an injury, he returned for the club's final five league fixtures, including a full 90-minute performance in a decisive 3-1 victory over Hearts. Celtic completed the domestic double with a 3-1 victory over Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final, where Johnston assisted on the opening goal. In the seven league matches Johnston appeared in this season, Celtic collected all 21 possible points. Across four seasons with the Scottish giants, Johnston has now totaled 102 appearances, including 99 starts, while surpassing 8,000 career minutes to go along with six goals and 17 assists.
Mark McKenzie made his FIFA World Cup debut with the United States Men's National Team against Turkey before helping the Americans advance to the Round of 16. At Toulouse, the center back finished third on the club with 30 tackles won and ranked sixth with 25 interceptions while helping the French side finish 10th in Ligue 1 on 44 points. Toulouse also finished in the upper half of the league in goals conceded with just 46, allowing eight fewer than Conference League qualifier Monaco. McKenzie added assists against Marseille and Brest during league play before turning in one of his strongest defensive performances in the Coupe de France Round of 32, winning five tackles while recording two interceptions to help Toulouse advance on penalties over Angers.
Jack Harrison played an instrumental role in helping Fiorentina avoid relegation after joining the club during the January transfer window. When Harrison arrived, Fiorentina sat in the relegation zone on 18 points before finishing the season in 15th place with 42 points. Since his arrival, the club compiled a 6-6-3 league record, collecting 24 points over its final 15 matches. Harrison recorded assists in consecutive 1-0 victories over Hellas Verona and Lazio before scoring in a 1-1 draw against Lecce, directly contributing to all three goals during a seven-point stretch. He finished his loan spell with one goal and three assists, tying for sixth on the club in goal contributions despite playing just 15 league matches, while posting the highest points-per-match average on the squad (1.60) among players with at least 15 appearances.
MLS
Fresh off signing his Homegrown contract with New York City FC, Cooper Flax has quickly become one of MLS NEXT Pro's most dangerous midfielders. Flax has scored six goals over his last seven matches, including a brace against Carolina Core, to take over the team lead in goals while adding an assist. He has started 12 of his 15 appearances this season and has gone the full 90 minutes nine times, including each of his last seven outings. Through the midpoint of the campaign, Flax has already logged more than 1,100 minutes.
Top-five MLS SuperDraft selection Harvey Sarajian has taken MLS NEXT Pro by storm during his rookie season with Orlando City B. Sarajian has totaled five goals and six assists through 13 league matches while recording either a goal or an assist in each of his first nine professional appearances. His six assists are tied for the fifth most in MLS NEXT Pro, and he is one of just seven players in the league with at least five goals and five assists. Sarajian has started every league match while playing the full 90 minutes in all but two contests. His strong form earned him his MLS debut on April 18, when he came off the bench against Houston before making another first-team appearance against Charlotte. He also found the back of the net in a first-team friendly featuring new Orlando City teammate Antoine Griezmann.
Hosei Kijima has made four appearances for D.C. United this season, including three in MLS play and another in the U.S. Open Cup. His Wake Forest teammate Brandon Servania has become a fixture in D.C.'s midfield, starting 14 of the club's first 15 MLS matches while recording an assist during U.S. Open Cup play against One Knoxville. Defensively, Servania has totaled 19 tackles won and 12 interceptions during the campaign.
Roald Mitchell has continued to break into the New York Red Bulls first team, making three MLS appearances this season, including a 17-minute appearance against Sporting Kansas City before the World Cup break. In MLS NEXT Pro, Mitchell has once again showcased his scoring ability, totaling four goals and one assist in seven matches, including a brace and an assist against Columbus 2 in his season debut. Dating back to last season, Mitchell has now scored 16 goals in just 23 MLS NEXT Pro league matches, in addition to five playoff goals during New York's championship run.
Calvin Harris has become one of Sporting Kansas City's most productive attacking players during his first season with the club. Harris is tied for second on the team in goal contributions with two goals and three assists while also ranking second on the squad with 1,095 minutes played. He has caught fire in recent weeks, recording four goal contributions across his last four matches, including three in a 3-1 victory over the LA Galaxy.
Ian Harkes has helped San Jose surge into second place in the Western Conference with 32 points through 15 matches. During his second season with the Earthquakes, Harkes has logged 700 minutes across 17 appearances in all competitions as a defensive midfielder. San Jose has won 12 of those 17 matches, including two victories in cup competition, while Harkes has played the full 90 minutes four times, helping record two clean sheets.
Dylan Borso realized a lifelong dream when he made his MLS debut with the Chicago Fire on March 7, replacing an injured player and playing 60 minutes in a scoreless draw against Columbus. Borso has since added three more MLS appearances while also featuring in both U.S. Open Cup matches for the Fire. In MLS NEXT Pro, the defender contributed two assists from right back during a 2-1 victory over Chattanooga FC. Isaiah Parente has also appeared twice for the LA Galaxy this season, while Omir Fernandez has yet to feature for Portland after missing the campaign due to injury.
USL Championship
Wake Forest teammates Nico Benalcazar and Garrison Tubbs have helped Orange County SC climb to the top of the USL Championship Western Conference standings with 28 points through 16 matches. Benalcazar has started all 15 of his league appearances while leading the club with 18 tackles won and adding nine interceptions. He has also scored three goals, including two equalizers that salvaged valuable points in 1-1 draws and another in a 3-2 victory over Oakland. Tubbs has appeared in 14 league matches while playing the full 90 minutes 12 times. He leads Orange County with 18 interceptions, ranking among the league's top 20, while adding 13 tackles won, a dramatic 76th-minute match-winning goal against Las Vegas and helping the club record four clean sheets.
Bruno Lapa has helped FC Tulsa remain in the playoff race, making 10 appearances with seven starts while recording an assist during a U.S. Open Cup victory over Little Rock. Steven Echevarria has made four appearances for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, recording an assist during a first-round U.S. Open Cup victory over Azteca FC while continuing to earn regular call-ups to the Puerto Rican National Team. Babacar Niang has also continued his professional career with Louisville City FC and has chipped in a goal in his last outing.
USL League One
Jon Bakero has continued to produce for Charlotte Independence, totaling five goals and three assists in 18 appearances while helping the club climb to third place with 30 points. Bakero has also earned multiple USL League One Team of the Week selections throughout the season. Fellow Demon Deacon Omar Hernandez leads Chattanooga Red Wolves with six goals and two assists across 17 appearances. Hernandez has also earned multiple Team of the Week honors and scored the match-winning goal against Naples. Jahlane Forbes recently joined Forward Madison after transferring from Las Vegas Lights and made his club debut on July 1 during a 1-0 victory over Spokane.
MLS NEXT Pro & Beyond
Several recent Demon Deacons have continued establishing themselves in MLS NEXT Pro. Liam O'Gara has made 12 appearances, including nine starts in midfield for Real Monarchs while playing the full 90 minutes in each of his last eight matches. Prince Amponsah has started 14 of his 16 appearances during his first professional season with Vancouver Whitecaps II, playing every minute of each start while scoring in his debut against Ventura County. Sidney Paris has earned nine starts in 11 appearances during his rookie professional campaign with St. Louis CITY2, playing both in defense and on the wing while continuing to feature regularly for the Puerto Rican National Team. Trace Alphin has made seven starts for Real Monarchs, highlighted by a clean sheet against Colorado Rapids 2. Camilo Ponce recently scored for NYCFC II against CT United FC, while Colin Thomas has made two appearances for Chattanooga FC.
Elsewhere around the globe, Machop Chol has recorded two goals and three assists in 13 appearances for Ansan Greeners in South Korea, while Ema Twumasi helped Piast Gliwice remain in Poland's top division after starting 25 matches in defense and scoring from right back against Radomiak.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Defender
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Forward
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Midfielder/Forward
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Midfielder
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Defender
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