Sporting KC II signs SKC SuperDraft pick Matt Constant

Sporting KC II announced the signing of center-back Matt Constant on Wednesday, pending league and federation approval.

Constant signs with SKC II after being selected by Sporting KC in the second round of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft in January. Constant joined the first team in Arizona for preseason, where he appeared in matches against the Phoenix Rising and Colorado Rapids.

The 22-year-old began his college career at the University of New Mexico, where he helped the Lobos to an NCAA Tournament appearance his freshman year and appeared in 38 games overall.

Constant then transferred to the University of North Carolina, where he played under volunteer assistant coach Michael Harrington, a former KC Wizards/SKC defender. He made 13 appearances his junior year, 12 of which were starts, and helped the Tar Heels to five shutouts in seven appearances in 2020.

Before college, Constant spent seven seasons in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playing for the Dallas Texans, where he received Best XI honors for the 2014-15 Winter Showcase as well as the Central Conference in his final year.

He has also been involved with international soccer at the youth levels. He started out with the U.S. at their Residency Program in 2015 but later went on to represent the Canadian U-20s in 2016 and 2017.

Where does Constant fit in?

Standing at 6’6”, Constant will add some great height to the defense.

It also looks like he would be a starter for an SKC II-only lineup. With SKC II in preseason, he played alongside Danny Barbir in all three outings. With Kaveh Rad and Graham Smith with the first team, Constant’s playing time will likely depend on who is healthy on the first team and the travel differences.

Constant’s first chance could come this Saturday when Sporting II visit FC Tulsa for their 2021 USL Championship opener. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CST and will be available on ESPN+.