Omar Hernandez (soccer)

Omar Hernandez Chavarria (born May 4, 2001) is an American soccer player who plays for Chattanooga Red Wolves in USL League One.

Omar Hernandez
Personal information
Full name Omar Hernandez Chavarria
Date of birth (2001-05-04) May 4, 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Dalton, Georgia
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Chattanooga Red Wolves
Number 13
Youth career
2015–2018 Chattanooga FC
2016–2019 Dalton Catamounts
2018–2019 Atlanta United
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 70 (13)
2023 Mercer Bears 18 (3)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Dalton Red Wolves 6 (1)
2024– Chattanooga Red Wolves 20 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 22, 2024

Hernandez was the 2019 recipient of Gatorade Player of the Year award for boys' soccer. The award is a nationally recognized honor given to the best high school athlete in the United States.

Career

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Youth and college

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Hernandez was listed as a three-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer,[1] and ultimately signed a National Letter of Intent with Wake Forest University in April 2018,[2] ahead of his senior year. Hernandez rejected offers to play for South Carolina, SMU, UCF, South Florida, East Tennessee State, and High Point.[3]

During his senior year of high school, Hernandez transferred from the Chattanooga FC Academy to the Atlanta United FC Academy. In high school soccer, Hernandez captained the team to a 23-0-0 record and to the Georgia State 6A Boys' Soccer Championship,[4] as well as the #1 high school ranking in the nation by USA Today.[5][6] On June 11, 2019, he received the Gatorade Player of the Year for boys' soccer for being recognized as the best boy's high school soccer player in the United States.[7][8]

On August 30, 2019, Hernandez made his collegiate debut for Wake Forest, playing 17 minutes in a 2–1 victory against UCF.[9] Hernandez made his first assist for Wake Forest on September 6, 2019, in a 3–1 win against Dartmouth, three days before his first start for Wake Forest, in a 4–0 win against Houston Baptist.[10]

Hernandez would finish his career at Wake Forest with 70 appearances and 13 goals. Ahead of the 2023 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Hernandez was a graduate transfer to Mercer University. At Mercer, he made 18 appearances, scoring three goals.

Senior

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During the 2019 USL League Two season, Hernandez played with the Dalton Red Wolves, the reserve team of Chattanooga Red Wolves. He appeared six matches, scoring one goal.[11]

Hernandez signed his first professional contract in January 2024, joining the Chattanooga Red Wolves of USL League One.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Omar Hernandez". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  2. ^ Maluso, Tony (April 7, 2018). "Dalton's Hernandez commits to Wake Fores". Dalton Daily Citizen. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  3. ^ "Omar Hernandez - Bio & Background".
  4. ^ "Dalton boys' soccer team wins fifth GHSA state title, finishes 23-0". timesfreepress.com. May 18, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  5. ^ "Super 25 Boys Spring-soccer Expert Rankings". USA Today. May 24, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  6. ^ Hamilton, Matt (May 18, 2019). "Champions again: Dalton High wins Class 6A soccer title". Dalton Daily Citizen.
  7. ^ MacCoon, Patrick (June 11, 2019). "Dalton's Omar Hernandez is Gatorade National Player of the Year". Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Dell, John (June 11, 2019). "Omar Hernandez, an incoming soccer player at Wake Forest, wins national Gatorade Player of the Year Award". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "No. 4 Deacs Open Season by Beating No. 15 UCF, 2-1". Wake Forest University Athletics. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "No. 1 Wake Forest Routs Houston Baptist, 4-0". Wake Forest University Athletics. September 9, 2019.
  11. ^ "Dalton Red Wolves - 2019 Regular Season - Individual Stats - Omar Hernandez". USL League Two. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  12. ^ Scarpelli, D. "Dalton Native Omar Hernández Signs First Pro Contract with Chattanooga Red Wolves SC". ChattanoogaRedWolves-SC.com. Chattanooga Red Wolves. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
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