USL veteran, Ilija Ilić has penned a two-year deal (subject to league and federation approval) to join One Knox ahead of its inaugural USL League One campaign.
The 31-year-old joins One Knox after a lustrous professional career in the USL Championship with spells at Louisville City FC, Indy Eleven, and most recently with New Mexico United.
Ilic scored 64 goals in 72 appearances under head coach Mark McKeever at Young Harris College. Following a standout collegiate career Ilic jumped directly to the professional ranks where he won back-to-back league championships in 2017 and 2018 with Louisville City.
Now he reunites with Mark McKeever who had this to say about the Serbian Striker, “Ilija is a tremendous player who will also help us in a coaching capacity due to his wisdom and experience in the USL for many years. I am so happy to work with him again after many years, his creativity and awareness is a joy to watch. Ilija is a born winner and he will lead this team forward leaps and bounds.”
When Ilić was asked about what excites him the most about joining One Knoxville SC, he said “I am most excited that I will be part of an organization that has a bright future! The way the club is led by the owners and coach McKeever is something that makes me enthusiastic and I am really looking forward to being a part of it.”
In addition to contributing on the pitch, Ilić will begin his coaching career as an assistant to Coach McKeever and his staff.