Republic FC announced March 11 the addition of academy player Jackson Montero to the club’s first team roster. Photo courtesy of Sacramento Republic FC

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Republic FC announced March 11 the addition of academy player Jackson Montero to the club’s first team roster. The defender has signed a USL Academy Contract, pending league and federation approval, and will be eligible to play in first team matches in 2026. 

“Jackson continues to put in the work to develop his game, and we’re thrilled to offer him this opportunity again this year,” said Republic FC Head Coach Neill Collins. 

This is the second straight year that Republic FC has extended an Academy Contract to Montero. He first joined the Indomitable Club in 2017 and has featured for every age group during his youth career. In 2022, he as a member of the club’s U15 team that reached the semifinal round of the MLS NEXT Cup – the only non-MLS academy to reach the late stages of the annual national tournament. Before joining Republic FC, he featured for local clubs San Juan Soccer Club and Sacramento United. 

With Montero’s signing, seven players on Sacramento’s 2026 roster come from the youth academy. Da’vian Kimbrough, Blake Willey, and Chibi Ukaegbu have risen through the ranks to sign professional contracts with their hometown team, while defenders Rohan Chivukula and Luke Strassburg and goalkeeper Brooks Doolittle signed USL Academy Contracts during the offseason. USL Academy Contracts allow academy players the chance to train and compete with the first team in professional matches while retaining their NCAA eligibility. 

Since its inception in 2015, Republic FC’s Academy has created a strong, local pipeline of youth players ready for professional-level competition, with over 40 players earning the opportunity to join the first team on USL Academy contracts and over 25 going on to sign professional contracts with Republic FC or other clubs. In 2025, players from Sacramento’s youth academy combined for 80 gameday roster selections, 56 appearances, and over 3,000 minutes.