Forward Madison Football Club announced another splashy off-season signing today, landing former Atlanta United, Phoenix Rising and Sacramento Republic midfielder Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu for the 2022 season.
Omiunu, 27, played four seasons for Harvard, earning All Ivy League first team honors twice, and season for the Seattle Sounders U-23 squad before being drafted by Atlanta United of MLS in 2017.
On June 14, 2017, Wheeler-Omiunu made his senior side debut as a 60th minute substitute during a 3–2 win over Charleston Battery in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and made his only MLS appearance on March 31, 2018, coming on as a 74th minute substitution in a 1–0 win over Minnesota United.
He went on to play for FC Tucson in the inaugural USL League One season, and went to Phoenix Rising on loan for six games that season. He played the 2020 and 2021 seasons with Sacramento Republic of USL Championship, where new Forward Madison head coach Matt Glaeser was an assistant coach.
“I have a great deal of respect for Coach Glaeser,” Wheeler-Omiunu said in a club-issued statement. “I think he has a high soccer intelligence, a really strong work ethic, and an excellent demeanor and approach to how he prepares and expresses his ideas. I imagine those qualities will continue to lead to a lot of individual success for us this year. And ultimately, working with people with exceptional character is one of the things I cherish most about my time in football. So anytime I get the opportunity to work with someone like Coach Glaeser in that regard, I am grateful.”
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Wheeler-Omiunu could fill the sizeable boots of League One MVP finalist Aaron Molloy, who has transferred to Memphis 901.
Wheeler Omiunu is also a bit of a singer, winning the MLS Idle contest for charity in 2021.
.@Andrew_W_O‘s #MLSIdle performance helped the @deptofsound_org win a $1K donation from @MLSWORKS. 🙌
If you missed his performance on #MLSIdle, we’ve got you covered. pic.twitter.com/rEMthMbBVQ
— Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) May 8, 2020
