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Tristan Trager: From the Air Force Academy to the USL and Back
Tristan Trager’s journey through soccer has always been intertwined with something bigger. Before his professional stops in Atlanta, Charleston, Monterey Bay, and Orange County, he was a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy — preparing not just for a career in the game, but for service.
This November, with the conclusion of his contract, Orange County SC thanked Trager for his contributions and confirmed he is stepping away from soccer to return to the U.S. Air Force. His wife has been serving her own five-year Air Force commitment, making the couple’s return to military life a shared path.
Early Life and Air Force Academy Years
Trager grew up in San Clemente, California, and developed through the Strikers FC youth system — one of Southern California’s well-regarded programs known for producing NCAA Division I and professional players.
In 2018, he enrolled at the United States Air Force Academy, majoring in Geospatial Science.
Across four seasons, he became a key attacking contributor for the Falcons, recording 27 goals and 13 assists in 57 matches and earning multiple conference honors.
- WAC Offensive Player of the Year
- Two-time First Team All-WAC
The transition from cadet life to professional ambition demanded balance, and Trager often credited the Academy for preparing him:
“Having those long days at the Academy where you’re trying to do well in academics, athletics and military training tested your mental strength and you learned to push through.”
He also emphasized the leadership he carried into the locker room:
“A lot of the players are younger, so as one of the older players I can instill leadership into these guys with what I learned at the Academy.”
Upon graduation in May 2022, Trager received a Secretary of Defense waiver allowing him to defer his active-duty commitment until completing his professional soccer career.
He always planned to return:
“I’m excited once I’m done playing to join my buddies, hopefully as an acquisition officer. It’s a reward to be able to go through four years at the Academy and be able to fulfill my military commitment when I’m done playing out my soccer dream.”
Atlanta United 2 and the Start of His Pro Career
Atlanta United selected Trager in the second round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. After completing his degree, he joined Atlanta United 2 in MLS NEXT Pro. His combination of work rate, discipline, and attacking instincts made him a reliable piece of the lineup, earning him his first professional goals and a USL Player of the Week honor later in his career. He scored 8 goals, 2 assists across 22 games.
The USL Journey: Charleston, Monterey Bay, Orange County
Following his time with Atlanta United 2, Trager continued his professional progression across the USL Championship:
- Charleston Battery (2023) - 6 goals, 1 assist
- Monterey Bay FC (2024) - 8 goals, 2 assists
- Orange County SC (2025) - 2 goals, 2 assists
His move to Orange County represented a homecoming — playing professionally just minutes from where he grew up in San Clemente.
CBS News
Orange County’s message thanking Trager for his contributions signaled his transition out of professional soccer and back toward military service.
Returning to the United States Air Force
At the conclusion of his Orange County contract, Trager confirmed he is stepping away from soccer to resume his Air Force career. The move aligns fully with the plan Trager has openly expressed for years.
Military life is not new for the family — Trager’s wife is also serving her five-year Air Force commitment, and the couple’s return to active-duty service reflects a continuation of that shared path.
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