Ugandan midfielder Jonathan Kanagwa signed for USL League one entity Richmond Kickers Football Club.
The Richmond Virginia based side officially announced the former Virginia Commonwealth University.
“Jonathan (Kanagwa) is a player we have had our eye on for a while,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky remarked as quoted by the club website.
He progressed well at Virginia CommonWealth University (VCU) and he trained well in our environment this past year. He has the ability to play across the midfield and his left foot is silky under pressure. He breaks lines with the ball and his immediate defensive ability when play breaks down is a great asset. We welcome him and his family to the Kickers and look forward to his play this season at City Stadium.
Darren Sawatzky, Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach at Richmond Kickers Football Club
Kanagwa is expected to take to the pitch for the Kickers in 2025 pending league and federation approval.
After attending high school in New York, Kanagwa first came to Richmond to play for Virginia CommonWealth University (VCU) and quickly made his presence known on the pitch.
In 2020, he made the A10 All-Rookie Team and appeared in all nine spring season matches, earning five starts.
In his sophomore fall, he saw 5 more starts and eight appearances.
From there, he took off, as a junior he started in all 17 of VCU’s competitions, playing 1,307 total minutes. And in his senior year, he shone.
The midfielder saw 1,571 minutes in the 2023 season, starting in 16 of VCU’s 18 matches and appearing in them all.
Kanagwa earned A-10 Second Team All-Conference honors and was named to Top Drawer Soccer’s Men’s NCAA D1 Team of the Week in October.
He led the team in goals, assists, and points with four, five and 13 respectively.
His scoring included a brace and two assists in one night to help VCU snag the A-10 Regular Season Title.
He then assisted on goals in back-to-back A-10 Tournament games, helping the Rams through the quarter and semifinals, before scoring one of his own in the final.
I am really excited to join one of the most historic clubs and to represent the community at large. I can’t wait to get started, give all my best to the team and the fans.
Jonathan Kanagwa, Richmond Kickers player
Kanagwa was born and bred in Entebbe Municipality. He went to Lake Victoria Primary School in Entebbe for my elementary education.
He then joined Boston High School Mpala up to S4, from where he had to move to Our Savior New American School in Newyork before joining Virginia Common Wealth University (NCAA-Division 1) in 2020.
Kanagwa left Uganda in 2017 after he was spotted by America based football coach Frank Stagnitta at the then dusty and barren Kiwafu Playground in Entebbe, with the help of Duncan Kasibante and Jonas Tusiime.
Former Uganda Cranes defender Henry Kalungi is the other Ugandan who once played at the Richmond Kickers football club.
Christened as the Roos, Richmond Kickers was founded in 1993 and currently plays in the USL League one/
They host their home games at the 6000-seater City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia in the United States of America (USA).
Additional information from Richmond Kickers website
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