Hunter Pendleton Sulte (born April 25, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for USL Championship club Indy Eleven, on loan from Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers.

Hunter Sulte
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-04-25) April 25, 2002 (age 21)
Place of birth Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[1]
Position(s)
Team information
Current team
Indy Eleven (on loan from Portland Timbers)
Number 0
Youth career
2016–2020 Portland Timbers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018– Portland Timbers 2 25 (0)
2021– Portland Timbers 3 (0)
2024–Indy Eleven (loan) 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 21, 2024

Club career edit

Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Sulte left his hometown when he has 13 to attend a soccer academy in Portland, Oregon.[2] After playing with the Portland Timbers academy,[3] Sulte appeared for Portland's USL Championship side Portland Timbers 2 on March 7, 2020, starting in a 6–1 loss to Phoenix Rising.[4] He had previously appeared with the club on the bench during their 2018 and 2019 seasons.

On November 11, 2020, it was announced that Sulte would join Portland's MLS roster as a homegrown player from the 2021 season.[5] He is the first player from Alaska to sign an MLS Homegrown contract with an MLS club.[6]

On May 1, 2021, Sulte made his MLS debut starting in a 4–1 loss to FC Dallas. At the age of 19 years and 6 days, Sulte became the second youngest goalkeeper to start an MLS match. Sulte, 6 ft 7in, became the tallest goalkeeper in MLS history to play in a match.[7]

On February 23, 2024, Portland announced that Sulte would spend the 2024 season on loan at USL Championship club Indy Eleven.[8] Sulte made his debut for Indy Eleven in a 1–1 away draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on April 20.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Hunter Sulte". Portland Timbers. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Anchorage's Hunter Sulte signs with Portland Timbers of the MLS".
  3. ^ "Portland Timbers". port.ussoccerda.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "Phoenix Rising FC vs. Portland Timbers 2 - March 7, 2020 | USLChampionship". uslchampionship.com. USL Championship. March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  5. ^ "Portland Timbers sign Homegrown goalkeeper Hunter Sulte for 2021 season | MLSsoccer.com".
  6. ^ mlssoccer. "Portland Timbers sign Homegrown goalkeeper Hunter Sulte for 2021 season | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  7. ^ @TimbersFC (May 1, 2021). "Tonight, 6'7'' Hunter Sulte will become the tallest goalkeeper to ever play in @MLS. Also, the second youngest goalkeeper to start in league history as well as only the second player from Alaska to sign an MLS contract. #DALvPOR #RCTID" (Tweet). Retrieved May 2, 2021 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers loan Hunter Sulte to USL side Indy Eleven for 2024 season". Portland Timbers. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "Recap – COS 1:1 IND". Indy Eleven. Retrieved April 21, 2024.

External links edit