The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Thursday that it has signed Notre Dame forward Harrison Shipp as a Homegrown Player. Per league and team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

“Harry’s a local guy, one of the best college players in the country and we are extremely excited to have him join the Fire,” said Chicago Fire Head Coach and Director of Soccer Frank Yallop. “It speaks very highly of our player development system where a player of Harry’s caliber can thrive and have a direct route to the first team. He’s trained with the first team over the summer and we expect a smooth transition for him from the college game to the professional ranks.”

Shipp will be available to media via conference call at 2:00 p.m. CT. Media can access the conference call by calling (605) 475-6700 and entering the access code 849-1140. 

Shipp joins the Men in Red after captaining the Fighting Irish to its first ever NCAA College Cup, tallying the game-winning assist in a 2-1 win over the University of Maryland at PPL Park on Dec. 15, 2013.

The Lake Forest, Ill., native finished his senior season with 12 goals and 10 assists in 24 matches, earning 2013 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and All-ACC First Team honors.

In his four-year collegiate career, Shipp scored 23 goals and tallied 24 assists in 83 matches. A finance major and five-time Dean’s List honoree, Shipp was named the 2013 Capital One Academic All-American of the Year for Division I Men’s Soccer.   

Shipp is one of three finalists for the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy that will be announced on Friday, Jan. 10.

A Chicago Fire Juniors North youth product and a member of the Fire Academy in 2009 and 2010, Shipp also spent the summers of 2010-13 with the club’s PDL and Super-20 sides. 

“We’re very happy to see Harry rise through the Academy program and now join the first team,” said Chicago Fire Academy Director Larry Sunderland. “Harry is very good on the ball and will bring another look and dimension to the first team for years to come.”

Shipp joins Victor Pineda and Kellen Gulley as the third Homegrown Player in Fire history.

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