The anchor of the defense for the best teams in Dalton State College men’s soccer history is going pro.
The Richmond Kickers announced the signing of defender Guilherme Franca to his first professional contract, pending league and federation approval.
Richmond is a USL League One team. They finished the 2023 season with a 6-15-11 record and an 11th-place finish in the league standings.
“The approach of the coaching staff showing interest in counting on me made a big impact on my decision,” Franca said. “It was important for us to know that we share values in common and have the same hunger to win. The Kickers are one of the biggest clubs in the league and that will be a big responsibility to represent it. I can’t wait to start preseason, meet all the people in Richmond, and hopefully accomplish good things during this journey. My message for the supporters is that they can expect from me, someone who will give everything for them and the club. I am excited to play at City Stadium and create great memories with them.”
The Kickers play in the same league as Chattanooga Red Wolves Soccer Club, meaning Franca will visit the area with his new club this upcoming season. Richmond takes on Chattanooga twice at CHI Memorial Stadium in East Ridge in 2024, once on May 11 and the other on July 13.
“I am a player who is always looking forward to the next play, to win every small battle on the field, and get the best out of my teammates,” Franca said. “My goals are to learn and grow as a player in this new environment, create good memories, and win trophies with the club.”
Franca begins his professional career after a standout career at Dalton State. In his final collegiate season, the 24-year-old commanded a backline that earned 11 clean sheets while scoring four goals and adding two assists to his points tally.
He earned NAIA All-American First Team, United Soccer Coaches All-American First Team, Southern State Athletic Conference (SSAC) Defensive Player of the Year, and All-SSAC First Team honors — marking his second-straight season receiving those end-of-season awards.
Across four seasons at Dalton State, the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native started 58 of 59 games while racking up 4,851 minutes played. He scored 12 goals and assisted five more. He earned SSAC Co-Player of the Year in 2022.
“Gui represents a playing left center back with quality on the ball and competitive bite when teams are attacking us,” Richmond Kickers head coach Darren Sawatzky said. “We wanted to add another center back with abilities going forward, set-piece lethality, and a warrior mentality when we are defending teams. We welcome another tough team first guy to our culture and our locker room.”