Sporting Kansas City added Danny Flores off MLS waivers in January 2023. Flores began his MLS career after a two-year college stint at Virginia Tech, while he also boasts three seasons of play in the USL Championship, representing Philadelphia Union II from 2019-2020 and Oakland Roots SC in 2021. Flores spent the 2023 season primarily with SKC II, tallying two goals and two assists in 21 MLS NEXT Pro appearances while he also made his first-team debut on March 25 against Seattle.
Flores made his USL Championship debut in September 2019 for Union II and was an ever-present fixture for the club the following year by playing in all 16 matches. Flores returned to California in 2021 as he moved cross-country to join Oakland Roots SC for the club’s inaugural USL Championship campaign, starting 10 of 12 matches. Following his successful spell in Oakland, Flores began his collegiate career in Virginia Tech’s midfield. He started all 19 matches during his first season and was named the No. 3 freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and earned ACC All-Freshman Team accolades. Flores continued to lead the Hokies in 2022, scoring a team-best four goals and adding two assists.
Flores has represented the U.S. U-17 National Team, where he competed alongside SKC Academy products Gianluca Busio and Tyler Freeman. Flores starred for two clubs at the Academy level, first with Shattuck St. Mary’s and later with the Philadelphia Union.
PROFESSIONAL
2023: Made one appearance for the Sporting KC first team and spent the majority of the season with SKC II in MLS NEXT Pro. MLS Regular Season: Made his MLS debut as a late substitute in the 4-1 loss to Seattle on March 25. MLS NEXT Pro: Started 16 of 21 appearances for Sporting KC II, tallying two goals and two assists. Scored his first goal of the season against LA Galaxy II on May 14 and added an assist vs. North Texas SC on June 25. Scored again a week later against Vancouver Whitecaps 2 on July 2 and recorded his second assist in a 3-1 setback at Tacoma Defiance on Aug. 9.
Oakland Roots SC (2021): Returned to his home state in 2021 as he moved cross-country to join Oakland Roots SC for the club’s inaugural USL Championship campaign. He made his first Roots appearance on May 9, 2021, and bagged his first Oakland goal two weeks later in a dramatic 3-2 victory over LA Galaxy II. He started in 10 of 12 matches for a team that ultimately punctuated its first season with a trip to the playoffs.
Philadelphia Union II (2019-2020): Made his league debut in September 2019 for Union II, formerly Bethlehem Steel FC, and was an ever-present fixture for the club the following year by playing in all 16 matches and scoring his first goal in a wild 5-4 loss to New York Red Bulls II on Sept. 26, 2020.
INTERNATIONAL
As a youth, Flores was a member of the United States U-17 Men’s National Team, where he competed alongside Sporting KC Academy products Gianluca Busio and Tyler Freeman. Flores and Busio notably helped the U.S. U-17s capture the 2018 Sportchain Cup in Spain with a perfect 4-0-0 tournament record.
COLLEGE
Flores returned to the East Coast for college after playing for Oakland Roots in the USL Championship and quickly became an integral part of Virginia Tech’s midfield. He started all 19 matches during his first season in Blacksburg, Va., pushing the Hokies to an 11-5-4 record and an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Flores, who tallied a goal and three assists as a deep-lying midfielder, was named the No. 3 freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and earned ACC All-Freshman Team accolades.
Flores continued to lead the Hokies in 2022, scoring a team-best four goals and adding two assists. He ended his time at Virginia Tech with five goals, five assists and starts in 31 of 33 career appearances.
YOUTH
Flores starred for two clubs at the Academy level, first with Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota—where he was named to the Central Conference Best XI for the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season—and later with the Philadelphia Union. He spent two seasons in the Union youth ranks prior to his time at Oakland Roots SC.
