AMBUSH RE-SIGN VETERAN LUCAS ALMEIDA

St. Charles, Missouri (September 19, 2024) – The St. Louis Ambush have re-signed veteran midfielder Lucas Almeida for the 2024-25 season, the team announced today.

The 2024-25 season is Almeida’s eleventh in the Major Arena Soccer League and his tenth with the Ambush. After an impressive 2014-15 rookie season with the Tulsa Revolution, Almeida signed with the Ambush for the 2015-16 season and has been a fixture since. In 175 career games, he has scored 100 goals, 126 assists and blocked 120 opposing shots.

Lucas is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he played youth soccer before coming to the United States in 2010. He spent his collegiate career at Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Almeida played semi-pro outdoor soccer with Mississippi Brilla FC (PDL) and Vermont Voltage (PDL). He has also represented his home country as a member of Brazil's squad in the WMF Arena Soccer World Cup.

Almeida is also very active in coaching. He is currently the Head Coach of men’s soccer at Hannibal-Lagrange University and previously served as Assistant Coach of men’s soccer at Fontbone University. In addition, he has served as the Director of the Girls Prospect (U17-U19) for Lou Fusz Athletics since 2021, is the head coach of Maritsa FC in St. Louis since 2020, director of coaching for the St. Louis Hawks soccer club from 2019 to 2022, head coach for the Missouri Rush (2017-2019), head coach at the Fulton School at St. Albans (2016-2017), and as assistant coach for Clinton High School in 2015. He has also done double duty as an Assistant Coach with the Ambush.

Almeida received a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 2014 where he was a four-year starter and captain of the soccer team. Almeida’s success on and off the field at OKWU resulted in a recent induction to the school’s Hall of Fame.

Ambush co-owner, General Manager and Head Coach Jeff Locker said, “Lucas Almeida has been a maintsay of the Ambush organization for years. His contributions as both a player and a mentor to the younger guys have been invaluable. We are pleased he will continue to contribute for another season.”

Almeida said, “I couldn’t be more excited to come back for one more year. Ambush has been home for me for so long and to be able to play for the same team for 10 years is something that I cherish and look forward to. I see the moves that Jeff is making and I think we are heading in the right direction. I’m happy to contribute in any way I can and I look forward to seeing our fans at the Family Arena”. ”

The Ambush will kick off their twelfth season when they take the field for their home opener at The Family Arena on Black Friday, November 29. Season tickets are now on sale. Call the Ambush office at 636-477-6363 for more information. Fans can stay current on all Ambush news by visiting the team’s official website, stlambush.com and on social media outlets.