January 11, 2022
Atlanta United signs Justin Garces to Homegrown Deal.
Atlanta United announced today it has signed Justin Garces as a Homegrown Player for the 2022 season with options through 2024. Garces returns to Atlanta United after starring at UCLA over the last four seasons. The goalkeeper played for the Academy’s U-19 team in 2017-18.
Garces, 21, spent the past four seasons with the UCLA Bruins, where he played in 57 games. He recorded 21 victories and registered seven clean sheets in his career. Garces appeared and started in a team-high 14 matches his freshman season. His first career NCAA clean sheet came on Sept. 8 in a 1-0 win at eventual NCAA Champion Maryland. In 2019, Garces started 17 of 18 matches for the Bruins. He made a total of 58 saves and finished with a 63.0 save percentage that season.
In 2020, Garces made 11 starts before closing out his collegiate career with 14 starts in 2021. This past season he recorded a career-best 1.16 GAA, while also finishing with a career-high 70.6 save percentage. He tied his single-season best with seven victories in 2021 as UCLA advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Garces earned 2021 Pac-12 All Conference Second Team honors.
Prior to college, Garces was a member of the Atlanta United U-19s and made two starts in Atlanta United 2’s inaugural season in the USL Championship in 2018. The goalkeeper was also a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he started all five games and earned three clean sheets. He also made two appearances for the USMNT U-19’s in his career.
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By Atlanta United FC
