VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday that the club has signed five products from the Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts through 2022, with options for 2023.
Added to the roster are centre backs Lucas Dasovic and Simone Masi, fullback/wingback Christopher Lee, and midfielders Owen Antoniuk and Vasco Fry.
“MLS NEXT Pro will allow these young players to be better prepared to play at the MLS level,” said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. “We are looking forward to seeing them challenge and push themselves.”
Dasovic, 19, joined the ‘Caps in 2020 after previously playing with Mountain United FC in the EA Sports BC Soccer Premier League, where he helped the club to provincial championships at both the U-15 and U-17 levels.
Masi 20, entered the academy in 2019, also from Mountain United FC where he was teammates with Dasovic on both provincial championship teams. This past year he played his freshman season at Simon Fraser University in the NCAA, starting 16 matches while recording one goal and one assist.
Lee, 20, joined the Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy in 2015 from Mountain United FC. From 2020 to 2021, Lee played U Sports collegiately for the University of British Columbia (UBC), helping the Thunderbirds win the Canada West title in 2021. That year, he was selected fifth overall by Pacific FC in the 2021 CPL-U Sports Draft, going on to make three CPL starts for the club. Lee was called up to Canada’s U-15 national team in 2016.
Antoniuk, 19, was selected to the Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy in 2018 after previously being a part of the Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy Centre. Prior to joining the ‘Caps, Antoniuk played at Calgary Blizzard.
Fry, 21, is a dual Peruvian-Canadian citizen and joined the Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy in 2018. The midfielder previously played in the academy of Peruvian club Sporting Cristal, and earned two appearances with Peru’s U-17 national team.
Lucas Dasovic
Position: Centre back
Height: 6-02
Weight: 170 pounds
Date of Birth: November 26, 2002 in Vancouver, BC
Hometown: Burnaby, BC
Citizenship: Canada, Croatia
Status: Domestic
Youth Teams: Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy, Mountain United FC
Instagram: @lucasdasovic
Simone Masi
Position: Centre back
Height: 6-02
Weight: 190 pounds
Date of Birth: February 20, 2002 in Vancouver, BC
Hometown: Burnaby, BC
Citizenship: Canada, Italy
Status: Domestic
Youth Teams: Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy, Mountain United FC
Instagram: @simonemasi20
Twitter: @simonemasi20
Christopher Lee
Position: Fullback/wingback
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165 pounds
Date of Birth: August 14, 2001 in North Vancouver, BC
Hometown: West Vancouver, BC
Citizenship: Canada
Status: Domestic
Youth Teams: Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy, Mountain United FC
Instagram: @chrislee0814
Twitter: @chrislee_01
Owen Antoniuk
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-07
Weight: 145 pounds
Date of Birth: August 26, 2002 in Calgary, AB
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Citizenship: Canada
Status: Domestic
Youth Teams: Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy, Whitecaps FC BMO Alberta Academy, Calgary Blizzard
Instagram: @owen_.a18
Vasco Fry
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175 pounds
Date of Birth: July 30, 2000 in Lima, Peru
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Citizenship: Canada, Peru
Status: Domestic
Youth Teams: Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy, Sporting Cristal
Instagram: @vascofry
Twitter: @vascofry
