LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville City FC signed 16-year-old defender Brandon Dayes to his first professional contract, making official a homegrown success story years in the making.
Dayes, a student at St. Xavier High School, joined LouCity's first team this past season, playing on an Academy contract that preserved his amateur status. He appeared in 11 competitive matches, including three starts, and made his debut June 28 in the Jägermeister Cup against North Carolina FC, becoming the second-youngest player ever to suit up for the club.
"This season I watched Brandon thrive in an environment that challenged him every single day," LouCity coach Danny Cruz said. "He rose to that challenge and his growth this season has been a joy to watch. We are excited to continue pushing him in his development and we know that he wouldn’t want it to be any other way."
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Dayes made his first-team debut in a July 2024 friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt at age 15 and also started in a September friendly vs. Cancún FC. He becomes the latest LouCity Academy product to go pro, following names like Elijah Wynder, Josh Wynder, Owen Damm, Sebastian Sanchez and Isaac Cano.
A former basketball standout at St. X — where he played as a freshman on the varsity team and helped the Tigers reach the Sweet 16 as a sophomore — Dayes turned his full focus to soccer last year.
He also comes from a soccer family. His mother, Karen Ferguson-Dayes, has led the University of Louisville women’s soccer program since 2000. His father, Hylton Dayes, was the men’s head coach at Cincinnati from 2001 to 2020.
His ascent through the academy ranks exemplifies what the organization aspires to do through its LouCity FC and Racing Lousiville FC academies: to provide a path to professionalism for top-level local talent.
"I feel super blessed with this opportunity and I'm excited to sign for this amazing club," Dayes said. "The coaching staff has put an amazing amount of trust in me. I think I am in the best position possible to succeed."
His multi-year contract is pending league and federation approval. Dayes turns 17 later this month.
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