Oakland, CA – Oakland Roots SC has signed Ilya Alekseev to a full professional contract with the first team. Alekseev, previously on Project 51O and an Oakland Roots Academy contract, played a significant role in Project 51O’s deepest ever League Two Playoff run. Additionally, he made key contributions to the first team in USL Championship play, scoring two goals so far in 2024.
“Ilya has come into the first team and kept his head down and worked hard doing everything we have asked of him in training,” said Oakland Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “From being a leader on Project 51O and stepping in when called upon for Roots with key contributions has been great to see from him and I look forward to his continued growth with the first team.”
The local standout, Ilya Alekseev, is a graduate of Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. Raised in the East Bay, Alekseev honed his skills with Ballistic United Soccer Club before becoming a key figure for Project 51O. He played a crucial role in leading the team to win the UPSL NorCal South Division crown in the fall of 2023 and advance to the USL League Two Western Conference Final in 2024.
Ilya Alekseev, born in 2005, began his soccer journey at the age of eight with Ballistic United Soccer Club. He continued to develop his skills there until transitioning to Project 51O. This transition came after his involvement in the Roots Recognize Initiative (RRI) program during his junior year of high school, which further advanced his soccer career and led to his signing with Oakland Roots SC.
Congratulations, Ilya.
