Marley Edwards will take the next step in his soccer career in familiar surroundings.
The Chilliwack product and soon-to-be Abbotsford secondary school grad is joining the University of the Fraser Valley men’s team
“I’m really excited to add Marley to this year’s recruiting class,” said UFV head coach Tom Lowndes. “He has been a high-quality multi-sport athlete for many years now, and I believe that will help him with the transition to university soccer.
“I’ve been impressed with his dedication and desire. He has great speed with and without the ball, and is an attacking threat we are happy to add to the squad. He also helps us carry on our tradition of keeping top athletes in the Fraser Valley to continue their post-secondary education and play university sports.”
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Edwards sparkled on both the pitch and the hardwood for his high school. As a member of the Panthers soccer squad, he helped the team capture back-to-back 3A provincial berths, netting a bronze medal in 2018 and a 10th-place finish in 2019. He was also a key cog on the school’s basketball squad which finished eighth at the B.C. 4A championship this past spring.
On the community soccer scene, Edwards was part of a national championship run in 2015, with his Fraser Valley Premier crew finishing second in the country. More recently he’s played for Surrey United FC.
“I chose to attend UFV because I am excited to see the team as well as the individual boys grow over the coming years,” said Edwards, who plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree. “I am familiar with many of them, and aware that there is great talent throughout the team. On top of that, playing for a coach like Tom was something that really influenced my decision. I am fond of his coaching style, and commend the passion that he has for the game which we both love.
“As much as soccer influenced my decision to attend UFV, academically, I aspire to receive my biology major over the course of the years I spend here. Along with that, I want to have an outstanding soccer career and eventually contend for a Canada West title.”
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