Houston Dynamo defender Oumar Ballo and midfielder Memo Rodriguez have joined USL affiliate Charleston Battery on loan to begin the 2015 USL season.
The Battery are the USL affiliate of the Dynamo and opened the 2015 season with a 3-2 home win over Toronto FC II on Saturday. Rodriguez entered as a substitute in the 78th minute for his Battery debut.
Rodriguez, 19, signed as Homegrown Player on Dec. 4, 2014 after three years in Dynamo Academy. The El Campo, Texas native played with Academy U-23s last summer and trained with the Dynamo first team at various points in 2013 and 2014. Rodriguez was named Dynamo Academy Players’ Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 and appeared in five MLS Reserve League games in 2013.
The Dynamo selected Ballo in the second round (No. 30 overall selection) out of The University of Maryland-Baltimore County. The Mali native helped lead UMBC to the NCAA tournament College Cup (Final Four) in 2014 for the first time in program history. A two-time NSCAA-All American, Ballo was named America East Conference Defender of the Year in 2014. The 6-foot-2 center back moved to Baltimore at age 9 and played one season at CCBC Essex (junior college) before transferring to UMBC.
The Dynamo host the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. at BBVA Compass Stadium. For tickets for the Dynamo’s tenth season, including full-season plans starting at $380 and partial-season plans starting at $99, click here or call 713-276-GOAL.
