Chattanooga Football Club (CFC) today announced it has signed defender Mike Bleeker to a one-year contract with a club option for a further year, pending federation and league approval.
Bleeker joins Chattanooga after a standout season with the University of Vermont Catamounts, where he helped lead the school to its first-ever Divison 1 national title at the end of 2024. Bleeker appeared in 20 regular season matches and six NCAA Tournament matches for the Catamounts, totaling nearly 2,000 minutes throughout the 2024 campaign.
Bleeker spent four seasons with the American University Eagles in the Patriot League before transferring to Vermont. Bleeker captained the Eagles in 2023 and was named to the All-Patriot League First Team.
"Michael is tough and has a blue-collar mentality," said Chattanooga FC Sporting Director Sebastian Giraldo. "He has great vision on the field and is comfortable in tight spaces under high pressure. His deep experience in college and his historic run at Vermont make him a great addition to an already top team."
"We're excited for Michael to join the squad," said Chattanooga FC Head Coach Chris Nugent. "He’s coming from performing well in a competitive program, with a lot of experience on strong teams. He has shown good positional awareness, is difficult to beat in 1v1s and is comfortable playing forward. He will add even more competition to the team."
Bleeker expressed his excitement upon signing his first professional contract for Chattanooga Football Club.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to join such a historic club and I’m excited for the opportunity to play my first professional season for such a community-based team," said Bleeker.
Bleeker will wear the number 99 jersey.
The updated 2025 men's roster can be found here.
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Mike Bleeker
Position: Defender
Height: 6-0
Date of Birth: April 29, 2002
Citizenship: USA
Previous team: University of Vermont