Four UMSC Players Selected for AFC Toronto’s Inaugural Professional Academy
Four UMSC Players Selected for AFC Toronto’s Inaugural Professional Academy
A proud milestone for Unionville Milliken Soccer Club as Alyssa McLeod, Iris Oppong, Angelina Rose Di Carlo and Lin Chung are selected to join AFC Toronto’s first Academy cohort — continuing their development on a pathway toward the professional game.
Unionville Milliken Soccer Club is incredibly proud to celebrate four UMSC-developed players who have been selected for the inaugural AFC Toronto Academy: Alyssa McLeod, Iris Oppong, Angelina Rose Di Carlo and Lin Chung.
The announcement is particularly significant because AFC Toronto’s new Academy represents a direct connection between youth development and professional women’s soccer in Canada. The fully funded program brings together selected female players aged 14–18 in a full-time, high-performance environment, with the ultimate objective of developing players capable of progressing to AFC Toronto’s First Team in the Northern Super League.
For UMSC, having four players among the Academy’s inaugural group of 32 is an achievement worth celebrating — and a powerful reflection of what can happen when talented young players are given the environment, coaching, competition and opportunity to develop.
Four Players. Different Journeys. One UMSC Development Pathway.
What makes this announcement especially meaningful for UMSC is that these four players represent different stages and routes through player development.
Alyssa McLeod and Iris Oppong progressed from UMSC into the National Development Centre before reaching AFC Toronto. Angelina Rose Di Carlo and Lin Chung have been selected by AFC Toronto directly from UMSC. Together, their journeys demonstrate that there is no single route through which talented players develop.
What matters is creating an environment in which players can learn, compete, be challenged and be seen.
That is central to UMSC’s commitment to Developing Talent.
UMSC’s role is not simply to build successful teams. It is to help individual players reach the highest level their ability, ambition and commitment can take them — whether that means recreational soccer, competitive soccer, Ontario’s high-performance pathway, university soccer, national-team programs or ultimately the professional game.
The Club has a proud history of players progressing beyond UMSC, including Canadian international Derek Cornelius, Republic of Ireland international Eve Badana, and Canadian international Jade Rose, who progressed from UMSC through the collegiate and national-team pathways and into the professional game.
Now Alyssa, Iris, Angelina and Lin add their names to that continuing story.
Their selection for the inaugural AFC Toronto Academy is first and foremost a tremendous achievement for the four players and their families. It is also a proud moment for the coaches and teammates who have contributed along the way — and an inspiring message to every young girl currently wearing a UMSC jersey:
The pathway is real. The opportunity is there. And it can start right here at UMSC.
Congratulations Alyssa, Iris, Angelina and Lin. Everyone at UMSC wishes you continued success as you take this exciting next step.
Congratulations Alyssa, Iris, Angelina and Lin. Everyone at UMSC wishes you continued success as you take this exciting next step.
