TULSA – Aaron Ugbah returns for his third season with Tulsa Athletic’s NPSL side, as he is the first announced signing for the 2021 season.
In two seasons with the club, Ugbah has appeared in 23 matches with 13 starts, totaling three goals, including the game-winning tally in the South Central semifinals in 2019. Ugbah started in five matches with 13 appearances in the 2019 season. In the 2019 campaign, he registered two goals and played 559 minutes as a forward.
“When playing on this team, the bonds we make during the summer carry on past this league into a brotherhood off the field,” Ugbah said. “The run we put together last season really put us on the map. Sonny and the coaching staff have done an amazing job with recruiting players to not only get ourselves better, but also so we can put the best 11 out there to compete and win championships for this club.”
During his first season in the green and yellow in 2018, Ugbah started in eight of the final nine matches and appeared in 10 of 11 contests during the year. He tallied two goals, both to put Tulsa Athletic up against FC Wichita. For the campaign, Ugbah played 610 minutes in the 11 matches as a forward.
The Tulsa native, played collegiately at Northeastern State where he was a four-time all-conference selection and twice named all-region. As a senior, Ugbah was named all-region, all-conference, and all-tournament as led the RiverHawks with five assists and ranked second on the team in goals with six, including two game winners. Ugbah started in 18 contests in 2019, totaling 1,350 minutes. He finished the season with 36 shots with 17 shots on goal. The RiverHawks went 9-5 in conference play and 11-8 overall in Ugbah’s senior campaign.
In his junior campaign in 2018, Ugbah was named all-conference by the MIAA for the third straight season as he started all 19 contests for the RiverHawks. He netted four goals, including game-winning tallies at Oklahoma Baptist and Southwest Baptist. Ugbah added an assist on the season for nine points. During the 2018 season at NSU, Ugbah played 1,233 minutes and registered 28 shots. The RiverHawks went 15-3-1 and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
Ugbah earned first team all-region honors by the United Soccer Coaches in his sophomore season in 2017 along with being a first team all-conference selection by the MIAA. He started 18 matches and played in all 20 as a sophomore. Ugbah registered three goals and added four assists to help guide the RiverHawks to a 14-6 record and a NCAA Central Region title as the RiverHawks advanced to the Elite Eight. The Tulsan played 1,152 minutes and totaled 26 shots in his sophomore campaign.
In his first collegiate season, Ugbah was all-conference honorable mention as he started in seven matches and appeared in 16. He scored two goals, both game winners, and had an assist. For the season, he played 681 minutes.
Ugbah prepped at Union High School where he was all-state in soccer as a senior and led the team to a 17-1 record.
Tulsa Athletic opens the 2021 campaign on May 1 at Arkansas Wolves in Little Rock, Arkansas with the home opener on Sunday, May 16 against OKC 1889 at Veterans Park at 2p.m.
