Joey Akpunonu

Joey Akpunonu was drafted by FC Cincinnati in the first round of MLS SuperDraft 2023 with the No. 22 overall selection on December 21, 2022. The Toledo, Ohio native was added to the roster as a Generation adidas player.

COLLEGE (Bowling Green): The 6-3 defender earned All-MAC First Team honors in 2022, his junior season, and started and played every second for the Falcons in their 16 games ... as a center back, he led the team with six goals and finished second for BGSU with 12 goal contributions … half of his six goals came via the penalty spot, where he was a perfect 3-for-3 his senior year … Akpunonu helped the Falcons set a school record for fewest goals allowed in a season as BGSU surrendered just 10 goals in 2022, with two of those 10 coming via penalty kicks … in the classroom, Akpunonu was named to the 11-man Academic All-America First Team for his 4.0 cumulative grade-point average as a biology major … over his three-year career, Akpunonu started 42 games for the Falcons, totaling eight goals and nine assists … he was a three-year letterwinner at St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo, where he was named to the All-Ohio First Team as a senior.