WINDSOR, Colo. – The Northern Colorado Hailstorm announced today the signing of goalkeeper Edward Delgado.
The 25-year-old joins the club for the 2023 season after playing the last three in the USL Championship. He spent each of the last two years developing under the Phoenix Rising program. Before that, his first pro opportunity came in 2020 with Las Vegas Lights FC.
Delgado, nicknamed “Lalo,” started 11 of Vegas’ 16 matches that season. He saved almost 64 percent of the shots he faced and submitted a career-best 1.90 goals against per 90 minutes played.
Prior to playing professionally, Delgado was a two-time captain at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. It’s where he won almost two-thirds of his starts, totaled 22 clean sheets, and saved more than 80 percent of the shots he saw. He ranks top-10 in program history in eight different stat categories, including career records for games played (64) and games started (63).
Now on his third pro stop, the six-foot-three-inch stopper steps into a keeper competition right away.
“Goalkeeping was a position where we wanted to add strength this year, for sure. “Lalo” was the first person that came up,” Head Coach Eamon Zayed said. “He and Johan [Penaranda] are two fantastic goalkeepers. They’re gonna compete for that number one spot, and hopefully next year that goalkeeping position will be absolutely solid.”
Zayed is speaking the confident Californian’s language.
“I love competing, just earning my stripes,” Delgado said. “I want to prove to the fans and the community that we’re here for a winning season. I’m glad to come on board and join the squad, and to bring that extra edge as well.”
The squad he’s joining is on the edge of something special, and he feels like a good fit for NoCo’s culture.
“I got the feeling they have that eagerness to win, that winning mentality,” Delgado said. “That’s what I’m most excited about, being able to jump on board and figure out the identity. I feel confident saying we’re not here just to make the playoffs. It’s fair to say that we’re here to make a very strong run for the championship game.”
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The future home of Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, 118-acre Future Legends Complex, will feature 6,500-seat TicketSmarter Stadium, 2,500-seat Future Legends Field, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports leagues, tournaments, events and more.
More information is available at HailstormFC.com and FutureLegendsComplex.com