James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Southern Signs with Portland of USL League One
1/10/2025 2:55:00 PM | Men's Soccer
PORTLAND, Maine – James Madison men's soccer forward Evan Southern has signed his first professional contract, joining Portland Hearts of Pine of USL League One on Friday afternoon. The 2025 season will mark the inaugural season for the club.
Southern spent the final three seasons of a six-year career in Harrisonburg, playing in 57 matches with 42 starts in which he tallied 12 goals and 14 assists for 38 points. He comes off a 2024 season in which he contributed two goals and a Sun Belt Conference leading eight assists, as he led JMU in points with 12. He notched an assist in four straight matches, the first Duke to accomplish the feat since Christian McLaughlin had an identical streak in 2011.
In 2023 at Georgia State, he netted the 27th hat trick in JMU program history. It is the seventh road hat trick for the program in recorded history.
Including stops at Saint Louis (2019) and Iowa Western CC (2020-21), Southern tallied a total of 95 matches played with 57 starts. He recorded a total of 90 points coming from 35 goals and 20 assists. He had seven multi-goal matches in his career, netting three braces, three hat tricks and a career-best five-goal performance while at Iowa Western.
USL League One now has four players who suited up for the Dukes in their respected collegiate careers, as Southern joins TJ Bush (Chattanooga Red Wolves), Clay Obara (Charlotte Independence) and Rodrigo Robles (Greenville Triumph SC) in the league.
Southern spent the final three seasons of a six-year career in Harrisonburg, playing in 57 matches with 42 starts in which he tallied 12 goals and 14 assists for 38 points. He comes off a 2024 season in which he contributed two goals and a Sun Belt Conference leading eight assists, as he led JMU in points with 12. He notched an assist in four straight matches, the first Duke to accomplish the feat since Christian McLaughlin had an identical streak in 2011.
In 2023 at Georgia State, he netted the 27th hat trick in JMU program history. It is the seventh road hat trick for the program in recorded history.
Including stops at Saint Louis (2019) and Iowa Western CC (2020-21), Southern tallied a total of 95 matches played with 57 starts. He recorded a total of 90 points coming from 35 goals and 20 assists. He had seven multi-goal matches in his career, netting three braces, three hat tricks and a career-best five-goal performance while at Iowa Western.
USL League One now has four players who suited up for the Dukes in their respected collegiate careers, as Southern joins TJ Bush (Chattanooga Red Wolves), Clay Obara (Charlotte Independence) and Rodrigo Robles (Greenville Triumph SC) in the league.
Players Mentioned
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