The San Francisco Glens welcomed back a familiar face on Wednesday when City native Rei Dorwart re-signed with the soccer club for a second season.

Dorwart, who grew up in the Excelsior District and graduated from Washington High School, led the Glens with 13 appearances in their inaugural USL League Two campaign. Originally a forward, head coach Javier Ayala-Hil converted the speedy 21-year-old into a defender. The newly minted right back responded by earning Man of the Match honors twice in 2018 and a trial with Club Tijuana’s Under-20 team.

However, Dorwart elected to keep his college eligibility for the time being, as he works toward a degree in communications at Cal State Fullerton. With USL League Two being the top pre-professional league in America, combined with the Glens’ success having four players selected in the 2019 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, Dorwart’s return to Boxer Stadium, located within walking distance of his house, was a perfect fit.

“I’m proud to be a part of what the Glens are doing here in The City. When I was growing up in San Francisco, the scene was a lot different,” said Dorwart, who came up in the Mission Youth Soccer League with SF Chivas before stops at the San Jose Earthquakes Academy and Burlingame Dragons FC. “Seeing four of our players get drafted by MLS teams, it shows you can come home and grow here enough to become a professional soccer player.”

Now Dorwart will reinforce a back line that will aim to pick up where it left off last season, when it conceded just two goals in a campaign-closing four-game winning streak.

“We’re really excited to have Rei back with the Glens,” said team president Mike McNeill. “To be able to develop local players and give them the opportunity to stay home and play at such a high level is why it was imperative to complete our youth pyramid with a first team in USL League Two.”

The Glens will announce more signings in the weeks to come before their season opener on May 5 at Kezar Stadium versus crosstown rival SF City FC in the first leg of the annual San Francisco Derby.

The home opener is Friday, May 17 at 6 p.m. against the Santa Cruz Breakers. Season and single-game tickets are available at sfglens.com/tickets. Any season ticket membership purchase through April 7 will guarantee you a Jimmy "Conradinho" Conrad bobblehead.

About San Francisco Glens SC

Originally founded in 1961 by the Irish-American community, the Glens have been a mainstay of the San Francisco soccer landscape for decades, winning numerous amateur titles in the historic San Francisco Soccer Football League and competing for national titles throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

The addition of the San Francisco Glens’ USL League Two team in 2018—which had four players selected in the 2019 Major League Soccer SuperDraft—to the top of the club’s pyramid is the latest evidence of growth on their path to the professional ranks. 

Along with their youth club, SF Glens Evolution—a U.S. Soccer Development Academy and National Premier League club—the Glens are the largest soccer club in San Francisco, providing all levels of competition to over 70 teams and 1,300 youth and adult soccer players.

To learn more about the San Francisco Glens, visit SFGlens.com and follow the club on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat—all using the handle @SFGlensSC.

About USL League Two

A part of the United Soccer League family which also operates the USL Championship, USL League One, and Super Y-League, USL League Two (formerly the PDL) has served as the proven stepping-stone for aspiring professionals.

Over 70 percent of all MLS SuperDraft selections since 2010 have USL League Two experience, including a total of 66 alums chosen in 2018. Among the many players to have played in USL League Two before making their professional debuts include Newcastle United FC defender DeAndre Yedlin, 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Tim Melia, 2017 MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara, U.S. Men’s National Team members such as Darlington Nagbe, Brad Guzan, Geoff Cameron, Josh Sargent, Corey Baird, and the Bay Area’s own Nick Lima.