TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One announced today that One Knoxville SC’s Jordan Skelton had been voted the 2025 USL League One Defender of the Year, with the One Knox original earning the award after leading a stellar defensive campaign for the Players’ Shield winner.

The second player in league history to earn USL League One All-League First Team honors in three consecutive seasons, Skelton claims the Defender of the Year award for the first time having been nominated in each of the past two seasons.

Skelton set a League One single-season record with 34 blocked shots in the regular season while also notching 206 clearances and ranking second in the league with 114 aerial duels won at a 77 percent success rate. The 28-year-old also logged 72 recoveries and 19 interceptions while grading second among defenders with a +6.90 Goals Added mark, helping One Knox claim its first silverware in club history.

“I’m truly grateful to receive the Defender of the Year award. All glory to God,” said Skelton. “This recognition really belongs to the entire team. We’ve been the top defensive side in the league for two straight years, and that’s a credit to everyone – our goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards they’ve all worked tremendously hard this year.

“I’m blessed to play alongside such an incredible group. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and everyone who supports us day in and day out.”

A native of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Skelton joined One Knoxville prior to its inaugural season in the professional ranks in 2023. He has become one of the key figures for the club, tying for the most appearances (78) for Knoxville in the League One regular season with Angelo Kelly-Rosales while leading the club in its professional era with 7,020 minutes.

The past three seasons have seen Skelton become one of the best respected defenders in League One, an upward arc that arrived after having spent time in USL League Two with the Des Moines Menace in the 2021 season following two seasons in League One with South Georgia Tormenta FC.

After returning to the professional ranks with North Carolina FC in 2022, Skelton has recorded a league-leading 497 clearances, 297 aerial duels won and 80 blocked shots in the past three seasons, helping Knoxville to three consecutive postseason appearances after its move up from USL League Two to the professional ranks.

Skelton earned the Defender of the Year award with 43 percent of the ballot, voted on by technical staff from every club in the league following the regular season. Spokane Velocity FC’s David Garcia finished second with 31 percent of the poll, while Portland Hearts of Pine’s Nathan Messer finished third with 26 percent.

Skelton is set to feature in the 2025 USL League One Final on Sunday evening when No. 1 seed One Knoxville SC hosts No. 3 seed Spokane Velocity FC at Covenant Health Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET with the game set to air on CBS Sports Golazo Network.

USL League One Defender of the Year
2019 – Conner Antley, South Georgia Tormenta FC
2020 – Brandon Fricke, Greenville Triumph SC
2021 – Damià Viader, Union Omaha
2022 – Arthur Rogers, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
2023 – Arthur Rogers, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
2024 – Bruno Rendón, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
2025 – Jordan Skelton, One Knoxville SC