Name: Brennan (BP) Conger

Commitment: Indiana University

Class: 2019

Current Club: DC United U16/17 USSDA

Why did you decide to commit to Indiana?

I decided to commit to Indiana for many reasons. I would say the main reasons were the coaching staff, the players and competing for championships.  Coming into Indiana, I already had a good relationship with the assistant coach, Coach Robson, but meeting him and Coach Yeagley in person was great, I immediately felt comfortable with them and trusted them with what they had said. I spent time with the players as well and they were very welcoming to me and they had nothing but great things to say about the school and soccer program.  Every player on the team was very close with each other and that was a big factor for me in deciding what college to go to, I feel like a brotherhood is necessary for success and I definitely felt that when I spent time with them. Learning about the program and its history also factored in my decision. I wanted to challenge myself by playing with and against the best players in the country and Indiana always has difficult schedules and is always in the running to win championships.

What other schools were you considering/offered you?

The other schools that I was seriously considering were Wake Forest, Pitt, Notre Dame and Yale.

What made the difference between Indiana and the other schools?

Like I previously said, the coaches and players were all great and the brotherhood between the team was very strong.  The competition in the team and who we play will be incredible. The campus and facilities were very beautiful as well and I knew where I wanted to be after hanging out with the players and being on campus. The facilities and support there is are incredible.

How did you end up at DC United this year after playing in North Carolina your whole youth career?

I ended up at DC United after I was scouted at the US Soccer Showcase.  I trained with United for a day or two and I was attracted to the high level of competition there and wanted a bigger challenge in my life. Ryan and I have known each other for a long time because my dad played for Wake Forest, and Coach Ryan was the assistant there alongside Jay Vidovich, so my relationship with the both of them has been great ever since I was a kid.  

What are some of your goals before heading to Indiana in the fall of 2019?

My goals coming into Indiana are to prepare myself mentally and physically and train even harder than I do now. I know the competition will be difficult, so I will do everything I can to prepare for the day I step on campus. I also want to make playoffs with DC United this year and show everyone how far we can go.

Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping get you this far in your youth soccer career?

I would like to thank my parents and my aunt and uncle for being able to make this happen, without them I wouldn’t be able to have done this.  I would also like to thank the coaching staff at DC United, especially Coach Ryan for believing in me and developing me into an even better player. I also want to thank Carolina Rapids since they are the club I was with since I was 3 years old and helped me prepare the move to an MLS DA.

Club History:

• North Meck SC, which turned into Carolina Rapids from age 3-13
• North Carolina ODP until age of 13
• Carolina Rapids USSDA U13-16
• DC United Academy USSDA U16/17- Present

Accolades / Notes on BP:

• Spent 2 weeks training with Reading FC (England)
• Selected to and participated in Adidas International Select Trip to Ajax
• Selected to and participated in an All-Star team trip to train and play in Barcelona, Spain
• Has been playing in the Development Academy since the age of 12
• During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons with Carolina Rapids DA: 47 games played, 30 games started, 8 goals (played up 5 games with U15/16 team as a 14 year old)
• DC United 2017/18 season so far: One of only 3 players on roster to have played in all 25 games, starting in 19 of them, scored 6 goals