Barry Sharifi was named Patriot League midfielder of the year three consecutive times. (Photo courtesy of Red Bulls II)

HARRISON, N.J. – Red Bulls II have signed midfielder Barry Sharifi to a USL Championship contract, the club announced Thursday.

Sharifi, 22, finished with 19 goals and 19 assists in his collegiate career at the University of Loyola-Maryland. He was named Patriot League midfielder of the year for three consecutive seasons with the first being during his sophomore year.

The Jericho, N.Y. native was a three-time All-Patriot League first team selection, including being named to the USCA All-Region first team in 2018 and 2019. He is the 13th player in Patriot League men’s soccer history to be named All-Patriot League four times.

“Barry is an academy player that we have been keeping an eye on for a while now,” head coach John Wolyniec said. “We feel like he has a number of tools that make him a high potential player and someone we believe in for the future.”

Sharifi played for Red Bulls Academy in 2017 and 2018, where he appeared in 25 matches and scored 17 goals. He played for the Red Bulls U-23’s in USL League Two during the 2019 season, where he played in six matches and recorded two goals.

Sharifi was selected by the Red Bulls with the 67th overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. Sharifi participated in the first team’s preseason camp in Bradenton, Florida and then joined NYRB II for camp in Richmond, Virginia.

Red Bulls II open up the 2020 USL Championship season on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at MSU Soccer Park on the campus of Montclair State University.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.