Six seniors from the LA Galaxy Academy have signed to play for Division I Universities at Fall Senior Signing Day on November 12.
Kai Aina, Ryan Hartley, Brett Phan, James Rhodes, Max Steelman, and Mason Vanney all committed to five different Division I programs across the United States.
Aina, a center forward in the academy for more than three years, will stay close, signing with UCLA where he’ll join 2024 LA Galaxy Academy alumni Allan Legaspi. Part of the 2024 and 2025 MLS NEXT Cup championship teams, Aina scored the third and final goal in the 2025 final as the age group secured its third consecutive championship.
Also part of the 2024 and 2025 MLS NEXT Cup titles, Hartley, a defender for six years in the academy, joins alumni Lucca Adams (2024) and Ricardo Moreno (2025) at the University of San Diego.
Center midfielder Phan and right back Vanney will continue their playing and academic careers together at the University of Denver. Phan has been a part of the LA Galaxy Academy since he was just 9 years old, spending eight years with the club. Vanney started in the Academy four years ago. The pair were part of the last two MLS NEXT Cup championship teams.
After two-and-a-half years in the academy as a goalkeeper, Rhodes will graduate a semester early in December as part of the class of 2026 before heading to the University of Pittsburgh in January.
Steelman, a 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star, is also graduating early but as a junior member of the class of 2026. The right winger will attend Duke University in the fall after three years at the LA Galaxy Academy.
