Sacramento Republic sign defender Duke Lacroix

Sacramento Republic FC continued their reinforcements for the 2021 USL Championship season, announcing this week they have signed defender Duke Lacroix.

The 27-year-old is a veteran of the division, spending last season at Charlotte Independence after previously playing for Reno 1868 FC, Orange County SC and starting his career in the NASL at Indy Eleven.

“We are very familiar with Duke from his time at Reno and were always impressed with his two-way abilities on the left flank,” said Republic FC general manager Todd Dunivant in a team statement. “He is a versatile player but also a student of the game. We love his growth mindset, and he will further enhance our indomitable team mentality.”

Lacroix has been playing as a defender for the past three seasons, primarily as left back but in Charlotte he ended the season with a real run as a center back, too. It’s an interesting development, because when I covered him back in 2017 in Orange County, he was very much a central striker, starting the season well before suffering a season-ending injury.

Still, he seems to have settled into his spot in the back, and an ability to play in central defense could prove useful as well for Mark Briggs.

I think this is a good signing. Lacroix is in the prime of his career and he’s got a lot of reps in the league under his belt, which should help the acclimation phase for the player. He’s also got a track record of being a good, solid pro, and his versatility should help Sac Republic as they chase glory next season.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.