RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers today announced the signing of midfielder Christian Molina for the 2022 season, pending league and federation approval.

"We are looking to attack teams in different ways and you need players with different profiles in order to do this,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky said. “Christian is a very shifty, young attacking player with the ability to break down players individually and in combining off other players. He has great experience in our league and he won a championship in 2021. Adding another threat to the attack only bolsters our ability to penetrate defenses in different ways."

“The conversations with Darren were thrilling when the possibility of joining Richmond came up,” Molina said. “The rich history of the club and the playing style that Coach Darren wants to play is what excited me about joining the organization.

“It was amazing to see how passionate and supportive the Red Army was towards their players last year. I can’t wait to play in front of them at City Stadium!”

The Katy, Texas native spent two years with the Houston Dynamo academy from 2014 to 2016 before enrolling at Northern Illinois University where he played all four years. He made 35 starts in 59 appearances for the Huskies while notching three goals and seven assists. He earned Academic All-MAC honors his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

In the summers as a college player, Molina played for USL League Two side Brazos Valley Calvary in Bryan, Texas. He was a member of the team from 2017-19 and was a part of two straight first-place finishes in the Mid-South regular season. BVC earned their best-ever finish in 2019 when they made it to the USL League Two Playoff Conference Final.

With five years in the USL pyramid already under his belt, Molina brings additional experience to the Kickers’ dressing room as it prepares for its historic 30th season.

“It’s been great playing in the league, all the teams are very competitive and the fans are passionate about the sport,” Molina said. “My experience will allow me to bring a positive and winning mentality to the locker room that will help us win games throughout the season.

“As a team, the goal is to make the playoffs and bring a championship to Richmond. As an individual, my goal is to make an impact on and off the field. I want to help the team win games while embracing the community of Richmond.”