The Charleston Battery are delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Enzo Mori to a USL Academy on Monday, pending league and federation approval.
Mori, 18, is a Charleston native who was born and raised in Goose Creek. He joins the goalkeeping corps alongside Adam Grinwis and Daniel Kuzemka after impressing the coaches as a non-roster invitee to training.
“Signing with my hometown club feels surreal, I’ve been following the Battery since I was a kid and to sign here feels like a dream,” said Mori. “I’m looking forward to keep improving as much as I can and adapting to every situation on the field, along with getting to know my teammates and the coaching staff.”
The USL Academy contracts allow players to gain experience at the professional level while still preserving their college soccer eligibility.
“Enzo has worked very hard daily and has earned the opportunity to be further involved in our club,” said Head Coach Ben Pirmann. “We are always extra motivated to integrate youth players into our first team and players from the Charleston community.”
Mori was a standout for Stratford High School in Goose Creek and is due to graduate this spring.
He was named the Best of Prep Sports male soccer player of the year earlier in May, garnered numerous all-state and all-region honors during his high school career, and captained the team his senior year. At the youth club level, Mori played for SC Surf Soccer Club and Charleston City FC.
“I am happy to see Enzo get this opportunity, his progression from the first day of preseason to now has been significant,” said assistant coach Brian Jones. “Enzo has solid hands, is excellent with both feet with the ball and is very athletic. He’s eager to learn and is extremely coachable, which enables him to take on information and apply it in short order. Enzo has done a fantastic job of coming in each day and working as hard as he can.”
“At first, the transition was difficult because I wasn’t used to the pace of play, but I’ve improved and learned so many new things thanks to coaches Pirmann and Jones and everyone else,” said Mori. “I’m thankful for them for believing in me and to keep pushing me every day.”
In addition to being a Charleston native, Mori is of Peruvian descent and is a dual citizen of both Peru and the United States.
Mori will wear the number 0 and will be available for selection for the Battery’s upcoming home match against Atlanta United on May 21 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
2024 Roster
Goalkeepers: Adam Grinwis, Daniel Kuzemka, Enzo Mori (A)
Defenders: Leland Archer, Nathan Dossantos, Josh Drack, Juan Sebastian Palma, Mark Segbers, Graham Smith
Midfielders: Chris Allan, Bradyn Cobb (A), Robbie Crawford, Matthew Dean (A), Charlie Dennis (A), Aaron Molloy, Arturo Rodriguez, Juan David Torres, Emilio Ycaza
Forwards: Jackson Conway, Diego Gutiérrez, Jake LaCava, Nick Markanich, MD Myers
