Former UCLA Men’s Soccer Goalkeeper Justin Garces Signs Contract With Atlanta United

Garces is heading back to Atlanta on a homegrown player contract after starting four seasons with the Bruins.

(Photo Courtesy of Don Liebig/ASUCLA)

The Bruins’ now-former starting goalkeeper is returning to where his professional journey began.

Following a four-year stint with UCLA men’s soccer, Justin Garces took his first steps towards a Major League Soccer debut on Monday afternoon, signing a homegrown player contract with Atlanta United. Garces, who previously played with Atlanta’s academy at the U-19 level during the 2017-2018 campaign, will likely begin training with their first-team squad in the coming weeks.

🗣 Justin Garces is coming home!

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) January 10, 2022

“Justin is someone we are very excited about bringing back to the club,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said in a statement. “He has really progressed over the last four years after playing at a top program like UCLA. He has a great frame and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. We are excited to see him continue his development with our club.”

Recruited to UCLA by former head coach Jorge Salcedo after being named the top goalkeeper in the 2018 class by Top Drawer Soccer, Garces became the starting goalkeeper early on in his career with the blue and gold.

Playing in 57 games and starting in 45 with the Bruins during his four years in Westwood, Garces was a consistent shoo-in for starting lineups named by Salcedo and current coach Ryan Jorden.

Garces’ senior season in the fall was both his and UCLA’s best statistically since 2018, when the 6-foot-2 goalkeeper first entered the program. Garces posted career-bests with 15 goals against, 1.16 average goals against and a .706 save percentage while going 7-5 to close out his collegiate career with the Bruins.

Although Garces was injured towards the tail end of the regular season and was forced to watch the NCAA tournament from the sidelines, he still contributed to four clean sheets and put UCLA in a position to make their first Round of 32 since 2016.

Coming back to Atlanta as a homegrown player, Garces becomes one of three goalkeepers on the active roster. Alongside longtime MLS veteran Brad Guzan and the newly-acquired Dylan Castanheira, the Bruin alumnus will likely begin grabbing playing time within the United Soccer League Championship, the second tier of soccer in the United States.

In the USL Championship lies Atlanta United 2, the reserve squad to the MLS roster. Acting as a minor league system for Atlanta United, Garces could start his new journey starting in the level below the MLS instead of sitting on the bench behind Guzan or Castanheira.

Garces previously made two starts in 2018 for Atlanta United 2 when he was still at the U-19 academy level.

The homegrown player contract the 21-year-old signed runs through 2022 with options possibly carrying his time in Atlanta through 2024.

Atlanta United’s season is set to start on Feb. 22, but with more than a month of offseason left, Garces could still wind up earning a key spot on the first-team squad by the time the 2022 campaign kicks off.

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