The Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the re-signing of midfielder Tony Donatelli and the signing of goalkeeper Richard Goddard.
Donatelli, 22, returns for his sophomore year with the Whitecaps after a productive rookie campaign. The 6-1, 175-pound midfielder played in 25 regular season games last year with the Caps, scoring two goals and adding two assists. However, the Glenside, Pennsylvania native really made his mark during the playoffs when he led all scorers with three goals and one assist including a marker in Vancouver’s 3-0 win over the Rochester Raging Rhinos in the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) Championship.
Prior to joining the Caps, Donatelli was a member of the Ocean City Barons of the USL Premier Development League and was named to the All Eastern Conference Team. He finished second in scoring for the New Jersey side, with 10 goals and six assists in 16 games. Donatelli played collegiately at Temple University, where he led the Philadelphia Soccer Seven region in scoring in 2004 and 2005. Donatelli holds Temple’s assist record for both single season – nine in 2004 – and career with 20.
Last Saturday, April 21, Donatelli doubled his championship rings as he led the Philadelphia KiXX of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) to the 2007 MISL Championship.
Goddard, 29, joins the Whitecaps after playing the last three seasons with the Toronto Lynx. The 5-11, 190-pound native of Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago played in eight games for the Lynx last year posting a 1W-4L-2T record with two shutouts. In 2002, Goddard played his first season in the USL-1 with the Charlotte Eagles and in 2001 he played with the Ottawa Wizards of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. From 1997 to 2000 Goddard attended Rochester’s Roberts Wesleyan College and was the starting keeper for the Raiders (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).