Brandon Hackenberg

Brandon James Hackenberg (born July 2, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender.

Brandon Hackenberg

Personal information
Full name	Brandon James Hackenberg
Date of birth	(1997-07-02) July 2, 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth	Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s)	Center-back
Youth career
2013–2016	Richmond United
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2021	Penn State Nittany Lions	79	(2)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019	Reading United	7	(0)
2022	Orlando City B	16	(1)
2022	Orlando City	0	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 24, 2022

Early years

Hackenberg prepped at Fluvanna County High School but elected not to play high school soccer, instead choosing to concentrate on his club team. He played four seasons with Richmond United.^[1]

Penn State Nittany Lions

Hackenberg played college soccer at Pennsylvania State University for the Nittany Lions between 2016 and 2021. He played 22 minutes in his collegiate debut against Oakland on September 5, 2016, as a true freshman before redshirting the rest of the season. The following year he made nine appearances including three starts. In 2018, Hackenberg's role increased as he appeared in all 17 of Penn State's matches as a redshirt sophomore including 15 starts. He was a key member of a defense that recorded six clean sheets.^[1] During the season he scored his first goal for the Nittany Lions in a 2–0 victory over Detroit Mercy on October 17, 2018.^[2] In 2019, Hackenberg appeared in 18 of a possible 19 matches. The only game his missed during the final four years of his collegiate career was against Northwestern on October 12 due to suspension having received a red card the previous game against Indiana.^[3] He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for the first time as Penn State finished second in regular season play and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years.^[4][5] After being selected in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Hackenberg returned for his redshirt senior season following the postponement of the 2020 fall season until spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[6] He was named captain and the led the team in minutes played, playing every minute in all 13 matches during the shortened season. He was named first-team All-Big Ten for a second time and also earned United Soccer Coaches first-team All-North Region honors.^[1] With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to the shortened nature of the pandemic season, Hackenberg returned for a sixth season in 2021. He started all 21 matches as Penn State claimed the Big Ten regular season title for the first time since 2013 before also winning the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2005.^[7] For a third consecutive season he was named first-team All-Big Ten.^[8]

While at college, Hackenberg played for USL League Two side Reading United in 2019, appearing eight times as the team finished top of the Mid Atlantic Division and made it all the way to the National Championship before losing out to Flint City Bucks.^[9]

Club career

Orlando City B

On January 21, 2021, Hackenberg was selected in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City.^[10] Having returned to Penn State to exhaust his remaining NCAA eligibility during the 2021 season, Hackenberg signed with the team's reserve affiliate, Orlando City B, in MLS Next Pro ahead of 2022 season.^[11] He made his professional debut on March 26 in the season opener.

On May 7, 2022, Hackenberg was loaned up to Orlando City first team on a short-term contract for an MLS game against CF Montréal and the team's U.S. Open Cup fourth round game against Philadelphia Union.^[12]

Personal life

Hackenberg grew up in a sporting family. His father, Erick, was a star high school quarterback at Marian Catholic, later playing football at Virginia and Susquehanna. His mother, Nikki, played volleyball collegiality at Lehigh.^[13] Hackenberg is the second of four brothers: older brother, Christian, also attended Penn State and was selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He attempted to make the switch to professional baseball in 2020;^[14] younger brother, Adam, played baseball at Clemson and was selected in the 18th round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago White Sox;^[15] youngest brother, Drue, played baseball at Virginia Tech,^[16] and was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the 59th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft.^[17]

Career statistics

College

School	Season	Division	Apps	Goals
Penn State Nittany Lions	2016	Div. I	1	0
	2017		9	0
	2018		17	1
	2019		18	1
	2020–21		13	0
	2021		21	0
Career total			79	2

Club

As of September 24, 2022.^[18]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Playoffs		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Reading United	2019^[9]	USL League Two	7	0	—		1	0	8	0
Orlando City B	2022	MLS Next Pro	16	1	—		—		16	1
Career total			23	1	0	0	1	0	24	1

Honors

Penn State

• Big Ten Conference regular season: 2021
• Big Ten Tournament: 2021

References

1. "Brandon Hackenberg – Penn State Soccer". Penn State Athletics. from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
2. "Penn State Men's Soccer Continues Unbeaten Streak With 2–0 Victory Over Detroit Mercy". Onward State. October 17, 2018. from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
3. "Penn State Bested by No. 8 Indiana". Penn State Athletics. October 6, 2019. from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
4. "Big Ten Announces 2019 Men's Soccer Postseason Honors". bigten.org. from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
5. "2019 NCAA Division I Men's All-Region Teams". United Soccer Coaches. from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
6. "NCAA DI Council approves moving fall championships to the spring". www.ncaa.com. from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
7. "Penn State Wins Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament Championship". bigten.org. from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
8. "Big Ten names 5 Penn State men's soccer players to all-conference teams". Daily Collegian. November 5, 2021. from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
9. "Reading United AC – 2019 Regular Season Roster – Brandon Hackenberg". www.uslleaguetwo.com. from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
10. "Brandon Hackenberg Drafted No. 22 Overall in MLS SuperDraft By Orlando City SC". Onward State. January 21, 2021. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
11. "Orlando City B Announces 2022 Roster Ahead of Inaugural MLS NEXT Pro Season". www.orlandocitysc.com. from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
12. "Orlando City SC Acquires Brandon Hackenberg via Short-Term Loan". www.orlandocitysc.com.
13. "A Blue Chip's Early Years: A look at Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg's path to State College". pennlive. February 6, 2013. from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
14. Bieler, Des. "Christian Hackenberg tries his own version of Tebowing – by switching to baseball". Washington Post. from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
15. Karll, Jeremy (July 13, 2021). "White Sox Select Adam Hackenberg in the 18th round (545th overall)". South Side Sox. from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
16. Harvey, John (August 7, 2020). "Miller's Drue Hackenberg verbally commits to Virginia Tech baseball program". The Daily Progress. from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
17. Berman, Mark (July 9, 2023). "Virginia Tech's Hackenberg, UVa's Gelof drafted". Roanoke Times. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
18. "Brandon Hackenberg Soccerway profile". Soccerway. from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.

External links

• Brandon Hackenberg at Penn State Nittany Lions
• Brandon Hackenberg at Soccerway