MNUFC2 announced today that the club has signed midfielder Babacar Niang to a one-year MLS NEXT Pro contract through December 2025, with a club option for 2026.

“I am incredibly excited to join the MNUFC2 team and embark on this new journey,” said midfielder Babacar Niang. “This season represents not just a new chapter in my career, but an opportunity to grow and contribute to a fantastic organization. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way. Together, I believe we can achieve great things, and I can’t wait to get started.”

“Baba [Babacar] is an exciting player our staff identified through the MLS SuperDraft two years ago. Since then, he continued his growth at the collegiate level and now we are looking forward to his contributions to the success of our squad in the midfield this season,” said MNUFC2 Head Coach Jeremy Hall. “Throughout this preseason, Baba has shown a lot of bite and intensity that not only elevates his play, but the entire team’s mentality and focus on the field.”

Niang joins MNUFC2 after playing four years collegiately at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. From 2021-24, the midfielder made 44 game appearances, where he scored 11 goals and provided four assists across nearly 2,100 minutes played for the Demon Deacons. During the 2022 season, the Wake Forest midfielder earned All-ACC Third Team honors. In the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Niang was notably selected as the 78th-overall pick by Minnesota United.

In his youth, Niang briefly competed with the New York Red Bulls Academy U23 team, as well as playing for his high school squad in New Jersey (The Pennington School) where he earned All-American honors.

Transaction: MNUFC2 signs midfielder Babacar Niang to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through December of 2025, with a club option for 2026.

VITALS
Babacar Niang
Pronunciation: Bah-bah-kar Knee-ayng
Position: Midfielder
Date of birth: 10/23/2001 (23 years old)
Height: 5’11”
Hometown: Dakar, Senegal
Previous Club: Wake Forest University