Who is Danny Szetela

The former NY Cosmos captain was born in Clifton, NJ in 1987 and is a product of the USSF’s IMG Academy. Szetela graduated from the prep school in 2004 and was signed by MLS as a league player and made available through a weighted lottery - Columbus Crew ended up with his rights and he made 34 appearances for them through three seasons.

Danny was then signed by Racing Club de Santander, made one appearance in a Copa del Rey and sent on loan to Brescia, in the second tier of Italian Calcio. After two seasons in Europe, Szetela made his way back to Major League Soccer to play for DC United - he made only 4 appearances before suffering a torn meniscus and took the circuitous route back to soccer while rehabbing for two years.

While working his way back onto the field, Danny laced up for Icon FC of the Garden State Soccer League, where he caught the eye of the NY Cosmos. He went on to help the Cosmos win the 2013 Soccer Bowl and made 129 appearances for NY Cosmos from 2013 to 2020. Szetela finished his soccer career with Morris Elite SC, a USL League Two side based in Madison, NJ - a half hour drive from where he was born.

Who is Jasmine Hamid

Ishata Jasmine Hamid grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, played for youth side FC Virginia DA and was on the Varsity soccer team at Bishop Ireton HS for all four years. Staying in-state, Jasmine attended George Mason and made just 4 appearances during 2020-21, her Freshman year of College - that season was truncated due to Covid19.

Hamid transferred to Towson, in Maryland, and in her three seasons there, scored 23 goals from 51 appearances. In her Senior year, she was named to the All-American Third Team, CAA First Team, and All-East Region First Team - earning the CAA Midfielder of the Year.

Between her Sophomore and Junior seasons at Towson, Jasmine laces up for NOVA FC in the USL W League. After graduation, she signed with Swedish side BK Häcken and gained valuable experience playing and training in Europe. When her contract expired there, Hamid made it back the US in time to sign for Fort Lauderdale United FC, ahead of the league’s inaugural season. Since then, she has made 38 appearances, scored 10 goals, and helped her side make it to the league’s first ever Final, where they finished runners-up.

Who is Steevan Dos Santos

Born in Mindelo, Cape Verde, Steevan Dos Santos began his soccer career with CS Mindelense at 18. He spent 5 years with the local club then moved to Norweigan side Ullensaker/Kisa IL where he made 49 appearances and scored 21 goals. In 2014, Dos Santos moved to Angola to play a season for Progresso Associação do Sambizanga - no stats were available for that time period.

In March of 2015, Steevan headed back to this hemisphere, but this time signed up for the Rochester Rhinos of the USL - there he laced up his boots 48 times and knocked in 17 goals before moving up north to the Ottowa Fury FC, where he made an additional 56 appearances and bagged 15 goals.

Dos Santos came back into the USL family when he joined up with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds where he added 47 more appearances and 15 more goals. In 2021, Steevan moved to Tampa Bay Rowdies, again making 47 appearances and scoring 19 goals. His last move, before retiring in 2024, was a move to Union Omaha - 42 appearances, 18 goals.

- by Josh Duder