| Nick Markanich | |
| Fullname: | Nicholas Markanich |
| Birth Date: | 26 December 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Bourbonnais, Illinois, United States |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | Charleston Battery |
| Clubnumber: | 13 |
| Youthclubs1: | Chicago Fire |
| Collegeyears1: | 2018–2021 |
| College1: | Northern Illinois Huskies |
| Collegecaps1: | 69 |
| Collegegoals1: | 39 |
| Years1: | 2019–2021 |
| Clubs1: | Green Bay Voyageurs |
| Caps1: | 15 |
| Goals1: | 5 |
| Years2: | 2022 |
| Clubs2: | FC Cincinnati |
| Caps2: | 9 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2022 |
| Clubs3: | FC Cincinnati 2 |
| Caps3: | 15 |
| Goals3: | 4 |
| Years4: | 2023– |
| Clubs4: | Charleston Battery |
| Caps4: | 51 |
| Goals4: | 28 |
| Club-Update: | 23:23, 31 July 2024 (UTC) |
Nicholas Markanich is a Filipino-American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Championship club Charleston Battery.
Markanich was born on December 26, 1999. He grew up in Bourbonnais, Illinois and attended Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School.[1] He played as part of the Chicago Fire for a period.[1] [2]
In 2018, he matriculated to Northern Illinois University, where he played for the Huskies soccer team. Over his four years at NIU, he started in 68 of his 69 appearances and scored 39 goals.[1]
While at college, Markanich played with USL League Two side Green Bay Voyageurs between 2019 and 2021, without the 2020 season been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made a total of 15 appearances, scoring five goals and tallying three assists.[3] [4]
Markanich was selected by FC Cincinnati in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He was chosen as the 2nd pick in the 2nd round of the draft, or the 30th overall pick. He was signed to a contract for the 2022 season (with options through the 2025 season) on February 21, 2022.[5] He started in FC Cincinnati's first match of the season on February 26.[6] Markanich was released by Cincinnati following their 2022 season.[7]
On February 16, 2023, Markanich signed with USL Championship side Charleston Battery following a successful trial.[8]
Markanich was among the USL Championship's top attackers in 2023. He was a five-time Team of the Week selection, the Week 15 Player of the Week and a Player of the Month nominee in June. Nick tallied 13 goals and four assists in 36 matches across all competitions, finding the back of the net in the regular season, playoffs and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Among Nick's most memorable goals included match-winners in the Open Cup Third Round against Charlotte Independence and in the regular season finale against Birmingham Legion FC, and his first-time strike in the USL Championship Final. He additionally scored braces on the road against Hartford Athletic and at home against Loudoun United.[9] Markanich scored twice during the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs, including in the league final.
Markanich got off to a fast start and was the Championship's top scorer after the first months of play, scoring 11 goals in nine matches. This included a four-game performance on April 27 against Las Vegas Lights FC, in which he scored a hat trick in the first half, the first of his professional career. His four goals and one assist performance was only the second on record in the USL Championship era, and the first Battery player with a four-goal game in Championship.[10]
At the end of April, he was the top goalscorer of all the American domestic leagues, two goals ahead of Lionel Messi's nine with Inter Miami CF.[11] Markanich was a five-time Team of the Week selection and three-time Player of the Week (Week 6, 8 and 18) winner through mid-July. After scoring 15 goals in 18 games, Markanich became the fifth-fastest to reach 15 goals in a season in USL Championship history.[12]
In 2024, Markanich was reportedly among the diaspora players being recruited by head coach Tom Saintfiet and team manager Freddy Gonzalez to play for the Philippines.[13]
Markanich has a twin brother, Anthony Markanich, who also plays soccer. Anthony was drafted by the Colorado Rapids in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.[5] He currently plays for St. Louis City SC.
Charleston Battery