Philadelphia Union Academy defender verbally commits to Stanford

Philadelphia Union Academy defender Andrew Aprahamian is planning to head west to play college soccer after he graduates in 2017.

The center back, who turned 17 last month, announced his plans on Twitter Wednesday.

Delighted to announce that I have verbally committed to Stanford University . Can’t wait to start this next phase of my career! #fearthetree

— Andrew Aprahamian (@AndrewAndrewaps) February 24, 2016

Aprahamian joined the Union Academy from Penn Fusion in 2013, competing with the U14 team in its first full season in U.S. Development Academy play in 2013-14. He played in 23 games his first season and has played in 37 games for the U16s over the last two seasons. The Malvern native has been called into U.S. U16 and U15 camps three times, most recently for a tournament in France in November 2014.

He's the first of the current crop of Academy players to commit to a Pac 12 school but will become the third player with ties to the Union to join the Cardinal. Defenders Brian Nana-Sinkham and Drew Skundrich, who both started in the back line in the College Cup final, spent time with the Union Academy in its infancy. Both are from Lancaster County.

Other class of 2017 verbal commitments from the Union Academy include Matthew Real and Mark McKenzie, who have both verbally committed to Wake Forest.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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