The partnership between Tulsa Athletic and the Tecnico 10 Academy is already beginning to produce results, with four Tecnico 10 students earning opportunities with Tulsa Athletic during the club’s U.S. Open Cup qualifying campaign.
Dallas Vasquez, Besney Sanchez, Chris Molina and Jonathan Markland have all been selected to Tulsa Athletic’s 25-player pool for U.S. Open Cup qualifying. Vasquez, Sanchez and Molina have taken the next step, earning spots on the club’s 18-man roster for Saturday night’s second-round qualifying match in Edmond.
“This is an excellent example of the system we are trying to build and develop,” said Tulsa Athletic co-owner Sonny Dalesandro. “We want to create a pathway for exceptional young players to earn more dynamic opportunities and challenge themselves at the next level. To see four of these young men already earn their way into the player pool — and three onto a U.S. Open Cup matchday roster — is exactly what we hoped this partnership could produce. We couldn’t be more pleased.”
“We’re excited for these guys and grateful for the opportunity,” said Tecnico 10 founder John Michael Waite. “They are incredible leaders in our program and some of the top young players in our area. At just 16 and 17 years old, they are getting meaningful senior-level experience in one of the oldest and most historic competitions in American soccer. You can’t replicate that in a youth game. Seeing this partnership already create these kinds of opportunities for our players is something we’re very grateful for and excited about.”
The three young standouts will now look to help propel Tulsa Athletic into the third round of U.S. Open Cup qualifying.
Tulsa Athletic travels to face Oklahoma United FC on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Tom Thompson Field in Edmond, on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma.
