Inter Miami CF announced today it has signed 2022 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist Drake Callender to a contract extension through the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season, with a Club option for 2026.
“We are pleased to sign Drake to a new contract. His development as a player in his first three years at the Club has been fantastic and we are excited to see him continue leading the line for many years to come,” said Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “Drake had a very strong season last year and we are confident he will continue to be an integral member of the team as we work towards achieving our goals throughout the 2023 season”.
“Signing an extension with Inter Miami is a huge honor and a big moment in my career. The environment Inter Miami has created here has allowed me to excel on and off the field. To be a part of a Club that has people pushing you to be your best every single day is a blessing because it’s allowed me to adapt and grow into the person I am today,” said Callender. “Having joined the Club in its inaugural season, I’ve been through the highs and lows that have cultivated a strong team culture and belief in what we’re aiming to achieve here, which is winning championships.”
The 25-year-old Sacramento, Ca. native initially joined Inter Miami in December 2019 ahead of its inaugural season after the Club acquired his Homegrown Player Rights from the San Jose Earthquakes, and following two seasons in the Club’s development pathway with Inter Miami CF II he went on to make the First Team starting goalkeeper position his own in 2022. Overall in 2022, Callender registered 24 regular season starts and also started in the team’s Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs matchup in October, while also finishing the season amongst the finalists for Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the year. He also made the MLS Team of the Week on three occasions in 2022, including a stellar Week 12 performance in which he kept a clean sheet against eventual Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union and made a SportsCenter Top 10 save. Callender provided essential saves at key moments throughout the campaign, notably making his mark in the final stretch of the regular season with match-winning saves in the late stages of matches against Columbus Crew and D.C. United, followed by a clean sheet against Toronto FC.
Callender played NCAA Division I soccer at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a key member for the school’s team for four years, making 54 appearances and keeping 16 clean sheets. The goalkeeper made a career-high nine saves on two separate occasions, once as a freshman against Oregon State University and once as a sophomore against the University of Portland. Callender was named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA All-Far West Region First Team and the All-Pac-12 First Team for the 2017 season. For the 2018 season, he was named to the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and earned United Soccer Coaches NCAA All-Far West Region Third Team and All-Pac-12 Second Team honors.
